Sometimes, one is someone’s enemy to their happiness. Constantine is a great example of a hero like this. Despite the good he does from time to time at least, he can’t stop hating himself for all he had been through. Imposter Syndrome is a real deal; in this case, the imposter nearly kills him.
The Book
Granite State Punk: Only Posers Fall In Love
Created and Written by Travis Gibb
Art by Patrick Buermeyer
Letterer: Jerome Gagnon
Editor: Heather Gibb
Publisher: Orange Cone Productions
Only Posers Fall In Love starts in a wild place, As Zeke finds himself getting his ass kicked by a crazy chick in a mask and her many nefarious friends. Once upon a time, that was his girlfriend. And now somehow, she had become a nazi. I have to admit, reading that was a heck of a hook three pages in.
Right before we continue, we go back in the story before this takes us back to a happier one. Zeke talks about his life with the love of his life, Cass, who loves Zeke despite what he’s done to her. And for the most part, this is an ordinary relationship.
Zeke has taken antidepressants to keep his rage in check, and for the most part, he has found peace and happiness and doesn’t know how to handle it at all. At night he gets nightmares in which he faces many different versions of himself, all accusing him of not measuring up to the life he has somehow created for himself. The headspace in there is incredibly dark. Young Zeke might be the saddest one.
Finally having enough of hearing those voices, Zeke decides to make it up with his past exes and others he has harmed, starting with Stevie. Stevie is the girl wearing the mask at the start of the issue. We get her origin story and what part Zeke plays in it, and then we go back to the present, where we find him in a terrible state, and maybe no way out.
Granite State Punk: Only Posers Fall In Life is a great book.
In my opinion, it’s a punk rock expression of Imposter Syndrome. Before I give credit to anyone individually, the whole of the book feels very much like a punk album. The little extras in the issue like the poser scene (which was snuck into a serious scene) and the essay about Nazis feel so much like a punk album concept that I bought in all the way.
Travis Gibb has put a piece of himself in the book. Falling in love with an amazing woman who loves him anyway feels a little like a love letter to his family. The echoes of imposter syndrome and success feel like important things. I also love some of the extra bits in here, like the left versus right argument with Nazis. Speaking of, I dug also into how Gibb did Stevie’s origin story. It gave her a human touch not often talked about, and it added perfect fuel to the guilt Zeke feels. So did the poser bit. Gibb did a nice job with this issue.
Buermeyer has this perfect scratchy art style that feels punk. The images aren’t perfect, and they like choppy bits of discomfort that rake the eyes. There’s rage in the pictures, and Buermeyer more than most captures the spirit of the work perfectly. Jerome Gagnon did a wonderful job with the letters. The sound effects are vibrant, and in particular, I love the Poser letters in here. That was hilarious.
The Business
Happy 2025. I’m currently writing this in a Dunkin’ Donuts in Palm Bay, Florida. I’ve gone over nine thousand miles so far, and I’m going to be spending my time on the beach as I get ready for Orlando Megacon. I’ve been genuinely impressed with the kindness of people throughout my journey (which you can follow at Joshua Pantalleresco dot substack dot com), and am looking forward to finishing North America in the spring. Summer, I think I’m Europe-bound. We’ll see as I get closer. I’ll be back in Canada for a couple of months, and then we’ll see where we are going.
Beyond my substack, my podcast is at 1100 episodes, and my travel diaries are going to resume on this podcast shortly. It’s been an incredible ride and I’m nothing but grateful for it. Here’s to an amazing 2025.
To those of you reading this, have a great journey, wherever things go. Be kind to each other.
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