Posted in: Comics | Tagged: dating apps, graphic novel, Jeremy Holt, july 2020, virtually yours

Dating Apps Get a Graphic Novel With Virtually Yours (Preview)

Published Thu, 09 Jul 2020 15:30:48 -0500

ComiXology has announced a new digital graphic novel, Virtually Yours by Jeremy Holt (Before Houdini, After Houdini, Skip to the End) and Elizabeth Beals with lettering by Adam Wollet about dating in the 21st Century, to be published next Tuesday on July the 14th.

"We live in a world where the dating app is the preferred tool for finding a relationship," says Jeremy Holt. "The dating app's sheer convenience has become the only prerequisite for use, which has truncated memorable IRL meet cutes into split-second decisions; all with the swipe of a finger. Shouldn't finding a life partner be more challenging than ordering a pizza? We set out to create a rom-com that resonated with us on a personal level, by featuring characters that accurately reflect and represent our generation, while taking all of the classic rom-com tropes and turning them on their heads,".

"New York City is such a wonderfully diverse place, and our cast definitely reflects that," says artist Elizabeth Beals. "With everyone being so different, I had a lot of fun diving into their routines, creating wardrobes for their everyday, work, or even a night out drinking with friends. And with as many unique and interesting characters that I got to draw for Virtually Yours, there's at least a million more I wish I had a chance to explore."

In Virtually Yours, career-minded Eva Estrella is tired of her family asking when she's going to settle down. Why won't they stop nagging her? New York City is a big place! Sure it's easy to meet people, but you try finding "the one" in a city of 8 million! Besides, Eva doesn't want a distraction from her goal of finding a dream job in journalism. So Eva joins Virtually Yours, a virtual dating app that provides all the proof of being in a relationship — without actually being in one.

And then there's Max Kittridge. He might be a former child star, but right now he's in the middle of a divorce and going through the motions. Max takes a gig at Virtually Yours creating, what becomes, a highly sought-after profile, making him a top performer at the company. As they navigate their current circumstances, both Eva and Max find that sometimes what you're looking for is right in front of you.

"If the quarantine has been an indicator, access to high-speed internet has become society's lifeline. As connective as this new virtual landscape has and can be, it cannot replace the absence of interacting in a three-dimensional space," says Holt. "Particularly when it comes to all stages of a romantic relationship. Virtually Yours focuses on one particular aspect which is the notion that a simulated online connection can be equally as genuine as a random face-to-face one. In this day and age, I'd argue that they've become interchangeable. With the advent of robust chat software, online dating has evolved from simply facilitating an eventual in-person meet up to hosting dates in their entirety. This has dynamically altered our ideas, notions, and expectations of courtship because the physicality component has been removed. Creative problem solving is the name of the game, and I for one support the notion of pioneering new and sustainable ways to be human."

Part of the comiXology Originals line of exclusive content, Virtually Yours will be also available upon release, at no additional cost, for members of Amazon Prime, Kindle Unlimited, and comiXology Unlimited, and for purchase on Kindle and comiXology.