1996
Compiled by Mark Rosenfelder
Time remains odd, since so few new episodes appear per year. Till we learn otherwise, I'll assume that Jaime is keeping to the calendar, but that the years are somehow only a few months long...
1996
Whoa, Nellie! (WN#1: 1996) Gina wins a match with Xochitl, but Xo wins the rematch and a shot at Vicki Glori; Vicki wins this, despite her scruples against wrestling family. After this Gina and Xo get a tag-team matchup against the Birmingham Lady Bashers, champions since 1972.
(WN#2: 1996) The Bashers wipe up the mat with Gina and Xo. Tía Vicki explains to Maggie that she was supposed to carry on the family wrestling tradition. Claudia Casey is pregnant, and relinquishes the Texas women's title to Xochitl. Xo defends it surprisingly well against Katy Hawk.
Gina graduates from high school.
(WN#3: 1996) Katy ends up winning the match. Gina is disgusted with all the manipulation-- and so is Vicki, who decides to shut down her training camp. Xo and Gina fight-- Xo isn't disillusioned. The series ends with an 11-woman battle royale, which Xo and Gina win.
A letter from a wrestling referee in #3 points out a couple of Jaime's wrestling in-jokes and comments approvingly on the authenticity of the wrestling scenes.
1997
Maggie's been back in L.A. for three months, living with Hopey, and has been depressed the whole time. Hopey takes her to a pool party to meet Norma (ex-wife of H.R. Costigan, who's recently got some dough from him). There, she runs into Tony Chase, her smit from punker days. (PC #7 14-17)
Hopey is hanging around a lot with her friend Rosie from work, which Maggie takes as a reason to not feel so guilty about being with Tony. Not long afterward we see Rosie and Hopey naked together. (PC #7 16, 18)
The relationship soon blossoms, and Maggie and Tony get secretly married in Las Vegas. Daffy is the maid of honor. Maggie sneaks back to Hopey's to get her things, but Hopey isn't really upset. (PC #7 18ff)
(Timing: All this happens after Maggie's return from Texas, but before MHCS, since there Maggie is already living apart from Hopey-- and already knows Norma.)
Maggie & Hopey Color Fun (MHCS 1997) Janet and Joey, back together and intending a quickie marriage in Vegas, stop by Hopey, who's now living near L.A., and Janet's car dies. Maggie, living in the San Fernando Valley, is called over to fix it, but they all end up going to a party at Norma's. Hopey is putting the moves on Janet all day long, but isn't making any progress. When Janet's car starts working and she and Joey head off for Vegas, Hopey consoles herself with Maggie.
(Hopey comments at one point that Maggie is being missed "at home"; we only learned what this meant 3 years later!)
Penny Century (PC#1 1-11: 1997) Ray reminisces over his long, strange relationship with Penny Century. We learn that he's now living in L.A., hoping for Penny to come back into his life.
Locas (PC#1 14-17: 1997) Maggie is doing accounting and odd jobs for Norma Costigan in L.A.; Daffy is a nurse; Hopey has some nasty clerkish job.
La Pantera Negra (PC#1 18-21: 1997) Norma's daughter Negra hangs with her homeys, has trouble with her boyfriend Ricky, then has trouble with her mother.
Hopey Hop Sacks (PC#1 22: 1997) Hopey on the phone with Maggie. A guy asked Hopey out on a date, of all things.
Penny Century (PC#2 1: 1998) Penny, who now has her own salon, is doing Hopey's hair. Hopey reveals that she turned the guy down, but is now employed.
Look Out (PC#2 2-5: 1998) Ray reflects on a recent burglary in his apartment and on the crimes of his youth.
Chiller! (PC#2 7-14: 1998) Maggie has a scary late-night ride home from Penny's place. We learn later that Tony Chase helped calm her down after this.
C'mon Mom! (PC#2 16-18: 1998) Negra has one more fight with her mother (who proves to have a creepy boyfriend named Bolani). A boyfriend comes by (Ricky?) to invite Negra to get it on, but she's not interested.
Locas (PC#2 19-22: 1998) Penny and Hopey go to Hoppers to attend a book reading by Isabel, who's published (part of) "The Secrets of Life and Death". Jitters over the reading have caused Izzy to grow to 20 feet tall.
To Be Announced (PC#3 back: 1998) Ray has nightmares.
Penny Century / Inquiritis! / Nobody? So... (PC#4 1, 8-13, 22: 1998) H.R. Costigan is dying. Penny deals with the crisis by staying with Isabel for a week, sharing wine with the ghosts, and getting naked.
(Timing: the story must take place around the draw date-- there's Teletubbies at the mercado.)
Loser Leave Oxnard (PC #4 2-7: 1998) Hopey is bartending for Norma Costigan, and gets fired. Bolani is still acting up, and Norma seems a bit unhinged. Hopey ends up having to call Guy Goforth, who'd asked her out before, for a ride home.
One More Ladies' Man (PC #4 15-21: 1998) Ray, feeling depressed, goes to a strip club (named for Cheetah Torpeda), sees a dancer he likes but doesn't know what to say to her. Ends up giving a ride to Negra and her friend Peaches (which makes him feel old) and sees Hopey at a Denny's with Guy.
1999
Hopey attends H.R. Costigan's wake and funeral in Gamboa, Colorado-- alone, with four creepy family members, as it turns out. [Set within the next story.]
Election Day (PC #5 2-9, 14-21: 1999) Hopey helps out during an election. Maggie stops by and Hopey abuses her for making her go to Costigan's funeral alone. She and Hopey go out for donuts with Hopey's coworker Guy Goforth.
Penny calls Hopey and mentions that Maggie is getting divorced. Hopey talks about her feelings for Maggie with Rosie. She misses Maggie but they can't seem to get together.
There's a good deal of discussion of who'll inherit Costigan's fortune. Penny, however, says that there isn't one anymore. Norma is arrested for 'kidnapping' her daughter.
The Littlest Mermaid Princess Doe (PC #5 10-13: 1999) Norma and
Negra take a road trip and re-bond a bit.
(Timing: Set within the previous story.)
The Race (PC #6 1-22: 1999) Maggie dreams about a race, revealing along the way some facts about her marriage to Tony Chase, as well as her feelings about Hopey, and her general self-doubt.
Interestingly, in the dream Maggie runs into Rosie. They're obviously friends; we saw them hanging out with Hopey in PC #5 20. Evidently she's not the jealous type... of course, she could hardly survive with Hopey if she was.
2000
Everybody loves me, baby (PC #7 1-22: 2000) Maggie's divorce party (mostly a framing device for the story of her relationship with Tony, a.k.a. Top Cat). Tony's perspective is that he could just never satisfy Maggie and that he's letting her go because he's such a swell guy.
Maggie (II#1 1-13: 2000) Isabel Ortiz (in L.A. for another book signing-- she's written a book about Huerta) is asked to appear on Julie Wree's TV show-- an event which turns into a disaster, as Wree doesn't even talk to Izzy, and even abuses Maggie, who was there only because Izzy wouldn't go in without her. This incident enrages Hopey, who still hates Julie Wree.
(I had thought the first panel showed her in her own house, but I think it's Izzy's. The Capri is shown in the story.)
2001
Maggie (II#2 9-20: 2001) Maggie decides to sell her old comics (Cheetah Torpeda, Roy Cowboy, Ultimax...), which used to cheer her up, but aren't working any more. At the bar where Hopey works, however, she runs into Vivian, who has so many more problems than Mag that she ends up feeling better.
Maggie (II#3 1-12: 2001) Vivian comes to visit Maggie at the apartment complex (named Capri) where she works as manager. Vivian takes her to break into Sid's place. Reno comes by looking for Sid; he ends up having sex with Vivian. Maggie flees when Sid unexpectedly returns, Maggie lives in "the valley". Later, Vivian comes by to give Maggie a folk art owl stolen from Sid.
2002
Maggie (II#4 8-11: 2001-02) Maggie asks Hopey to help her talk to Isabel, but even she can't deal with her. Alarma from Apt. 1 helps tie her up so they can take her back to Hoppers, though she falls in the pool before they can get away.
Maggie (II#4 18-19: 2001-02) Maggie drives Isabel back to Hoppers, while Isabel drives Maggie crazy.
The Frogmouth (II#4 24-30: 2001-02) Ray unexpectedly runs into Doyle, who's looking pretty worn down (he even uses a cane). Ray's depressed to learn that Doyle dated the ex-stripper Ray is obsessed with-- he knows her as Velvet, but it's Vivian. Doyle invites him to a get-together-- Vivian is there too. Ray eventually works up the courage to talk to her, and finds that she has a nasty raucous voice.
Sid comes by to hassle Vivian, and Roy gets hit. It takes him awhile to remember what else happened that evening, but eventually he remembers that Doyle gave him head.
Bay of Threes (II#5 13: 2002) Penny Century visits Costigan's grave. She's still frustrated that he never made her a superheroine. She leaves his coin on his grave. (See flashbacks one, two, three, four.)
Maggie (II#6 5-17: 2002) Hopey-- sleeping in bed next to Rosie-- gets a call from Maggie, explaining that she drove Isabel back home for good.
In the morning there's an earthquake; Maggie assesses damage in the complex. Mr. Maynez loses his cat. Alarma may have a second career as a superheroine. Vivian comes by: Sid wants the owl back, but Isabel has it. Vivian is also terribly curious about Maggie's affair with Hopey.
Maggie (II#7 1-13: 2002-3) Maggie drives Vivian to Hoppers in search of that owl; on the way they start kissing. Maggie has trouble finding Izzy; when she does, Izzy chews her out for hanging out with "that minx". Maggie tells her about a difficult ride home from Hoppers, and Izzy goes back home to give her personal demon a piece of her mind.
She does have the owl, but Maggie leaves without it. We learn next issue that Vivian went in and got it.
2003
Maggie (II#8 3-16: 2003) Vivian gets fired as "ring card girl" from Julie Wree's chat show and goes next door to a bar where Doyle is catching Maggie up on Sid and Julie through the years. Sid comes by, and Vivian gives him back the owl-- only it's the wrong one. Doyle says he'll straighten it out.
Vivian heads back to Maggie's, but leaves in a huff when Maggie asks what's going on between them.
Maggie (II#9 1-13: 2003) Maggie visits her mother's house. Esther is living there with her two children, Lupe and Yolanda; so are brothers Manuel and Angel. Afterward Maggie drives to Hoppers and sees a deformed boy starting a fire at Izzy's.
Maggie (II#10 8-28: 2003-4) Izzy's house burns down. Maggie rushes in but can't find Izzy. The next day she wanders around the ruins, and flashes back to various moments associated with the house (this, this, this, this). It looks like Izzy committed suicide in order to punish her devil for pestering Maggie.
She's also pestered by some goth tykes (Craig, Katie, and a petite girl). A couple of witches stop by, too; they're apparently the ones who cursed the Galindos in the first place.
Back home, Maggie gets the pool at the apartments working. Hopey is finally saying "I love you" when they talk on the phone.
2004
Life through Whispers (II#11 8-13: 2004) Ray goes out after work with his friends Joe and Louie. They check out Cheetah Torpeda's, and then Ray heads to a dive on Las Palmas that's closing, in hopes of seeing Vivian. He sees Borneo beating up some guy, avoids Sid and Vivian, and talks to Doyle. Sid is married now, but Ray still can't get anywhere with Vivian.
The last panel shows Sid apparently dead-- holding his owl figurine.
2 'R's, 2 'L's (II#12 1-5: 2004) Ray wakes up at Vivian's-- he spent the night there after taking her home, but didn't make it with her. Doyle comes by for his keys, but she gave them to Reno, so they go off in search of her.
Hagler and Hearns (II#12 10-11: 2004) Doyle meets with Reno and Borneo while Ray and Vivian tag along. Doyle ends up fighting with Borneo-- and winning.
Day by Day with Hopey (II#12 12-15: 2004) Hopey picks out glasses, gets a driving lesson from a very butch pal named Grace, and goes home to eat with Rosie.
Ser o No Ser (II#12 16: 2004) Ray lies in bed trying to figure out what happened. He dreams about Vivian and Maggie breaking into Sid's house and finding his fiancée murdered.
Retro Rocky (TH 84-87; #5: 1983) In the present, a fight with her father; a flashback to when Raymond Garcia the garbage man gave her a toy, a 'doll' she names Fumble; he turns out to be a Radaron robot and her good friend.
Where Are We? (TH 88-90; #?: 1985) Rocky and Fumble play at exploring a desert island; actually they're on Sunova Beach, and her daddy takes her home.
The He that Walks (Vortex #??; Different Beat Comics: 1983) The title character has a bomb inside him. Cheetah Torpeda and her father Hing Mon Lee save him from thugs of the Black Glove, at the cost of her father's life
Out o' Space (CB; #4 pp 37-42). Rocky is supposed to be going home from school, but she's out in space with Fumble intead. She and a big stoney monster fight over who owns a tiny planet; the monster vaporizes the whole planet out of spite.
The Adventures of Rocky and her Robot (DF 7-14; #9: 1984): Rocky runs away from home for awhile, with Fumble.
Rocky's Birthday Surprise (TH 91-104; #?: 1985) Rocky's visit to her sister Rhoda's (at 16) turns out interesting when there proves to be a gate into space. They make regular visits to Blotos, where they meet Cheetah Torpeda and help her defeat Rongo Ragney. Great fun, till the hole closes up and they're trapped on Blotos...
Rocket Rhodes (DF 107-110; #17) A résumé of Rocky's life. Talking to Fumble about outer space as a kid; always wanting to get away; exploring her first dimensional hole at about 14; meeting Cheetah Torpeda through a second, and getting stranded. Now, 12 years later, Fumble's lost and Cheetah's out looking for him; she's going stir-crazy on a little planet.
Rocky appears in WB as a friend of Danita's-- we even see Fumble on p 94-- but there's no explanation of how she ever got back to Earth.
I Am Cheetah Torpeda (MHCS 12-13: 1997) Cheetah flies around trying to help people, and can't find anything to do.
Space Girl (PC#2 back: 1998) Space Girl stops for a drink.
Cocktail Hour with Mini Rivero (PC#4 back: 1998) Mini, interviewing Space Girl, manages to upset her enough to leave the studio, through the wall.
I am from Earth (PC#5 22: 1999) Penny explains some Earth politics to fellow superheroines Space Girl and Cheetah Torpeda.
Oddities
Hernandez Satyricon (HS 1-15; #46: 1994) A fantasy by Gilberto, using Maggie and other Jaime characters-- Rena, the prosolar mechs, Hopey, Izzy, Daffy, and Penny (who here has real superpowers). Features scenes of Maggie having sex with a guy named Subir, sex changes for everybody, and an appearance by Jaime (in photos) as a super-villain.
Once in a while Jaime and Gilberto draw each other's characters in their own strips; a Gilberto story with a number of Jaime characters pictured (Maggie, Hopey, Rocky, Fumble, Speedy, Penny, Rand Race, H.R. Costigan. Isabel, Dot Winks, Rena) is Ecce Homo (TH 60-75)
War Paint (HS 16-19; #46: 1994) A Jaime story, set in Palomar. Riri and Maricela, as little girls, plot to put makeup on Luba to make her look like a movie queen. Maricela gets too scared, so they put it on themselves instead.
Easter Hunt (HS 74-79; #42, Lo 583: 1993) A surrealistic jam involving the punk-era Hopey and Maggie.
Cocktail Hour with Mini Rivero (MHCS 6-7: 1997) A party in the life of 4'2" Mini.
Fire Water (PC#1:12-13 1997) Two cowboys get the better of the devil.
La Blanca (Measles #2: 7-8) A story about a ghost named La Blanca.
Penny Century (PC#5 1: 1999) A meditation on rap & race.
Mag, Look! (PC #6 back: 1999) Hopey (in Vida Loca days) points out an aged Mini Rivero; flashback to a few moments of her show; a summary of her later career: after "Cocktail Hour" was cancelled, she worked in local TV until the late '60s, but disappeared from public view when her anchorman husband killed himself on-camera.
The Fake Santa Claus (Measles #5: 9-10: 1999) A Santa tries doing the Santa thing at the department store, but gets arrested for not knowing what a Pokémon is.
Stars Sweet Home (II #11: 7: 2004) Narrative about two scientists in space who meet and fall in love while studying the effects of largepox on Monrovia One.
Los Supersonicos
Los Supersonicos are "California's #1 Super Family": Mother, Pop, Sis, Boy, Girl, and Tot all have superpowers. (Mother is Pop's mother, not his wife.) A note says that it's based on Ismael H.'s '60s comic The Sonic Patrol. Installments are named for the feature if no title is given.
(Measles #3 12-13: 1999) Mom attempts to rescues her family, but only ruins a photo op.
(Measles #4 back: 1999). Mom shows how a superhero should take off.
Christmas with Los Supersonicos (Measles #5 back: 1999) The kids fail their first mission.
Jaime illustrations
This is just stuff I've run into. A fair number of such ephemera (tho' none of those listed below) have been collected in HS.
Shrinking Violet and Phantom Girl in Who's Who in DC Comics, 1985 or 1986.
Album cover for Michelle Shocked's Captain Swing, 1989.
Cover for Real Girl #5, April 1993.
Picture of a female Arzach in Arzach: Made in USA, an album of tributes to Moebius by American cartoonists, 1994 (Jaime's pic is dated 1991).
2 New Yorker illos, 1995. (One is 5/29/95)
Cover portrait of Burne Hogarth, The Comics Journal, Feb. 1996.
Pinup of Bettie, Bettie Page Comics #1, Mar. 1996.
Cover, Beto's Girl Crazy #2, summer 1996.
7 Year Bitch album cover, 1996.
Shame Idols album cover, 1997.
Cover for Dirty Stories, FBI's unexciting sex anthology, 1998.
Full-page illo for "High School Confidential", New Yorker, May 31, 1999.
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