A Labor Of Love, Actually

Despite unfulfilled expectations and painful obligations, I try not to get melancholy during the Christmas holiday season. I post my annual holiday picture on this website, wait for BBC1’s annual “Doctor Who” Christmas special and annually view the same movie I purchased on DVD nine years ago. It’s a movie about love (actually)!

Original 2003 Love Actually Movie Poster 

Love Actually is one of those movies that only the British could make. This 2003 romantic comedy revolves around nine different relationships and how they deal with love during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Some of the storylines are goofy (like the meek but witty UK Prime Minister clicking with his catering manager, enabling him to stand up to the U.S. President and its policies after he spots the President sexually harassing her), one is sad (two co-workers who try to be in a relationship but the mentally ill brother of the lady gets in the way) and one is poignant (an over-the-hill rocker affectionately spending Christmas with his lonely but dedicated manager instead of celebrating his number one record with a bevy of beauties).


It’s ironic that even ten years on intelligent, thoughtful people can write so much about why they hate or love a small romantic comedy where Hugh Grant stars as the Prime Minister of Great Britain! Like other controversial works of art that have come to be revered over time (Citizen Kane and Abbey Road, anyone?), Love Actually has become a cultural milestone.

My Pretty Vacant comic series was controversial when it was first pitched. Its main storyline (pretty ladies being plastinated as display mannequins by mad scientists for profit) could have appealed to only a few, but Pretty Vacant broadly appeals to many various people. With the female empowerment, subtle sexuality and the strong action stories, it’s still being championed (Comic-Con) and sponsored (Kickstarter) today.

If you believe it or not, Pretty Vacant also has various storylines of love. There is the traditional love relationship (main character Gigi with the heroic accoutant Barnaby), unattainable love (Hans with Mindy), love of work (Mindy’s quest) even unusual relationship love (read the upcoming Pretty Vacant: Made In London). For me, it’s a labor of love.

Gigi and Barnaby's Crazy Kind Of Love (PV: Final Repose Part 2 Page 22)

I personally might be unlucky with love, but (as with Love Actually) I still believe in its' power. Crazy, but I learned over the years that there are people out in the world who are as crazy as me, and maybe one of them will be crazy about me.

So even if this holiday season will not go down as one of the greats, love it anyway! As the little boy says in Love Actually: