The three-episode Webtoon anthology Love Stories features stories inspired by Ava Max, Hayley Kiyoko, and MAY-A. Released to celebrate Pride Month and the LGBTQIA+ community, this partnership between Atlantic Records and WEBTOON brings fans a varied look at what love can be. It shows excitement, bittersweet trials, and a passion for love.
"Forever" is inspired by the song of the same name, which was released in 2022. The Webtoon episode is created by Kuru - also known as Color_LES, a Filipino artist. "Sleepwalker" is a song from Ava Max that inspired a story from Hannah Patten. "Something Familiar" is inspired by the new single from MAY-A and is adapted by Mai Hirschfeld. Each story is thematically different, but the artwork is stunning across all three.
WEBTOON's 2023 Pride Offering Features Beautiful Art
With distinctive styles and a variety of main characters, Love Stories presents an approach that showcases the diversity of love and its comic creators. Each set of protagonists are not only distinct from one another, but their stories also showcase different struggles and have a variety of intriguing concepts. Collectively, they provide a spectrum of love that covers the hopes of LGBTQIA+ couples and their internal - and external - struggles. The art for each is fitting of the moods and themes of each story. The anthology kicks off with "Forever" and its purple and pink, vibrant coloration. "Something Familiar" has a subdued, nostalgia-laden palette, while "Sleepwalker" delivers powerful neon hues.
"Love Stories" Is a Joyful Celebration
The stories in this Webtoon anthology apply their pop star's influence in different ways, making for a fun range of stories. Hayley Kiyoko's "Forever" doesn't use lyrics from the song inspiring it. Instead, it channels the characters' desire to have a love that lasts forever and to be accepted as they are. Contrarily, "Sleepwalker" does incorporate lyrics from Ava Max's song, while the singer makes an appearance - albeit without her traditional asymmetrical hairstyle. Closing out the anthology is MAY-A's "Something Familiar" which shows scenes inspired by the lyrics to highlight the bittersweet nostalgia that comes with lost love and the hope of potential second chances.
The primary downside about this anthology is that it is so short. Each of the episodes is a treat highlighting the ups, downs, and struggles of love and romance, particularly within the LGBTQIA+ community. The stories are all self-contained, though it'd be great to see each extended and developed into longer stories. They all have the potential to be compelling narratives, though their bite-size brevity is also traditional for Webtoon and maintains a clear sense of purpose and tone. This comic anthology is a delightful spectrum in which readers will find themselves, their dreams, and their past (or current) struggles - Love Stories is available now on Webtoon.