| 08.29.2019 – There good storytellers out there inspired by superhero tropes and thematic adventures from Science Fiction of Fantasy, and then there’s the slice of life that you may or may think it’s just another graphic novel about the usual dramas of the human condition that most deal every day.
But there is also this graphic novel “Please Take Care of My Heart” that looks innocent featuring two lovers on the cover (or so you think). Gioseppe Custodio suggests that it’s an introduction to how he started in the local independent scene of Filipino Komiks at the same time to familiarize his art style and his sense of storytelling, which generally his portfolio that rarely noticed by most indulging on the more established authors and illustrators. “Please Take Care of My Heart” seemed like taken from pre-existing romantic themes from the Philippines as Filipinos get most of the TV novels of ‘telenovelas’ inspired from the boom of the Spanish TV Dramas. |
But this graphic novel certainly takes inspiration also to the realities of what most Filipinos can relate to regarding life experience and for some that will give them perspective what this story is all about.
Without givi8ng things away it is what you see on the cover where two people meet as evident synopsis describes at the back cover Kim, after so many struggles to find that right person finally meets this girl named Alex through a dating app. Being truthful but under-confident, Kim navigates through the challenges of going through his first date in years.
Plot Twisting Surprises
Alex, the mystery in the scenario is as interesting as you flip through the pages. Custodio’s art style is made for a comic strip but gives so many details and body language for the character that surely an emotional ride for a 40-page black and white original graphic novel. This one of the comicbooks out there that is underrated story-wise and the art stands out the way the author’s narrative is unpredictable that gives a fresh perspective about the twist towards the end.
Originally published in 2017, “Please Take Care of My Heart” is a graphic novel that Young Adults can relate in terms of the narrative mostly Filipinos who are into romantic stories, but this one has a surprising twist although the pacing was turned up to eleven it merits for new readers for Gioseppe Custodio vas a point of entry to his first works to get an idea how he tells his stories.
An Author’s Next Project and Beyond
Overall “Please Take Care of My Heart” appeals to young adult from all walks of life. There are other works that Gioseppe has published after this one-shot narrative. It is one of the graphic novels that fly under the radar of local komiks readers that hopefully can be picked up by the general mainstream as one of the good reads.
Besides this book Gio, as most fondly called by friends and colleagues are currently developing also a gaming app “Loser Man Goes Running” for your mobile phone that he is currently promoting at the recently concluded Komikon Indieket last 10 August 2019. For more of Gioseppe Custodio’s previous published works and upcoming project follow him through Social Media as Loser Mangaka via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Genre: Young Adult
Language: English
RATING: 7.5
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