Books like Strangers In Paradise, Pocket Book 3

So this volume heavily concentrates on the crime aspect of Moore's story. Its the plot device Moore uses to keep Katchoo and Francine apart.It's an action packed volume with crashes and violence. I'm sure in Moore's head its a better fleshed, more fully formed aspect to the story. but the motivations of the criminal element boiled down is pretty much standard James Bond villain. It's not exactly clear but its clearly internet related. I imagine, put in today's terms the criminals wanted to be some giant amalgamation of Alphabet (Google), Facebook and Amazon. If you could get into a time machine and go back to 1998, when Moore was writing, and start each of those companies, and stop at nothing to do it, to become a gazillionaire, you'd probably do it.Francine and Katchoo spend a majority of this book apart, while Katchoo and David, due to traumatic events, grow very very close. I have found myself invested in Katchoo and Francine.There are plenty of examples littered throughout pop culture of keeping up the dramatic tension in a will they get together or won't they. Much of it depends on the plot device used to keep them apart. Moore's plot device the criminals, isn't the worst example, and it works for as far it goes. Like I said its very standard James Bond villain. Success in keeping that dramatic tension for as long as the story requires, boils down to the writers abilities. Moore can write some terrific relationship stuff, he's not exactly Dashiell Hammett when it comes to crime. He might not even be John Grisham, who pretty much specializes in a person vs a big bad. There are two others issues, one really isn't in Moore's control, and one is. Moore is working in black and white and he can draw about three female facial structures. He can't help the black and white. Back in 1998, doing a color book was stupidly expensive. But his limitations as an artist hinder things a little during the climatic moments of this volume. There were already about three or four blonde athletic women in this story, they all face off at the end. The lack of differences in their appearance or facial structures make it insane to keep track of what the hell is going on. Add to that the two dark haired characters also faced off, which was slightly easier to follow. We are left at the end of this volume to believe the criminal element of the story is pretty much over, and the only thing between Francine and Katchoo is interpersonal stuff. Look people are in the way of Francine and Katchoo. I'm good with that, because that's Moore's strong suit. He can write the hell out of that. This volume was probably 2.5 stars for me really, but there are a handful of very strong, memorable scenes that really bump it up to three stars for me. (I didn't read this in a day, like I've lied to GR. I don't note the days I start books. I put this down for days on end. I can't even guess how long it took me.)