The tragic love story of the authors of the famous comic book Love Is ...

Many years have passed, and we still remember the aroma and taste of the soft chewable cube. But the liner was even more important than chewing gum, because in it he shared with us his thoughts on what is true love. Few people know that all the moving words were addressed to her husband the artist. Tender and tragic story of love, loyalty and loss.

Comics Love Is ... created by New Zealand artist, animator Kim Casali. When Kim was 19 years old, she went to travel the world, and six years later settled in California, where she met with the Italian Roberto Casali.

She painted it on napkins short scenes with the pot-bellied naked girls and boys the same. "I did a little sketch to express what I feel ... It was like a diary of my emotions, which describes how to develop my feelings. First I drew a droplet, which has become a girl, it had to be me. She felt all these fantastic feeling. Then I drew another droplet - the boy who was the cause of those feelings. "

Kim and Roberto were married in the same church in New Zealand, where the parents are married Kim. The girl had a crown of daisies and veil - the same then she drew her paunchy character. She recalled: "My father died when I was young, so when Roberto asked me to marry him, I agreed, but said:" Whatever you do, do not die on me. " He laughed and promised that he would try. "

Roberto decided to produce the output of the comic book, and so "Love is" we saw the light of January 5, 1970. In the comic in 1974 a boy called the girl, Kim, and earlier, in the comics in 1971, the girl draws in the sand letter R - the first letter of the name of Roberto.

Kim never felt like a real artist. In an interview in 1981, Kim said: "If I had a choice, I would have been the author of romantic songs. Love songs deeply touched me ... But I do not know how to write well, so I had to choose a different way to express their feelings. "

Comics rapidly gaining popularity: they are now not only printed in the magazine. They appeared on T-shirts, calendars, posters, mugs, and much more.

The characters of the saga "Love is ..." are different stages of relationships - from dating to a married couple, and the death of one of the heroes.

The characters of comics, as in the present, Roberto and Kim were children. However, children were painted a boy and a girl, but in life in 1971, Kim gave birth to sons Stefano and Dario, when the family moved to England. Popularity pictures "Love is ..." continued to grow, and Roberto became manager Kim affairs. For this purpose was created Minikim corporation. Animals in the comics too! Sometimes the figures appears a dog named Samson, and at other times we see the grave named Fido on it - apparently, it's deceased dog pair. In the comics in 2005 the couple have two cats, and in 2009 a girl crying over the dead seals.

Unfortunately, the happiness did not last long. In 1975 Roberto was diagnosed with an incurable stage of testicular cancer is very aggressive. Kim stopped working on the comics, to spend more time with loved ones. But it does not throw the comics Kim planned: she asked the British animator Bill Asprey to draw comics for her signing her nickname. It is because under the Bill's hand began to leave the first color comics with characters dressed "Love is ...", which took over the Russian artists, Turkey and Ukraine.

"The following year I spent in search of drugs, trying to keep him away from bad news" - Kim recalls.

Roberto was operated on in 1975. "We talked about gifts for Christmas, and I told Roberto that I do not want a diamond ring, I want another child." Then, the couple decided to keep Roberto sperm in case if Kim will not be able to get pregnant before his death.

Roberto Casali died at the age of 31, in 1976, and in the comics were only girl Kim and headstone.

A wonderful child

16 months after the death of Robert Kim gave birth to his child using frozen sperm spouse. Although the widow received many letters of support, in the religious press he stressed that it went against "religious morality".

"Roberto and I really wanted to give our two sons, brother or sister. Now, thanks to the care and patience of the doctors, it was possible, I received yet another reminder of my wonderful husband. " British newspapers have named the child "miracle baby." Postcard Love is ... a girl pushing a pram, and the signature reads: "We are glad to introduce Roberto Milo. Parents: Kim and Roberto (postmortem, by artificial insemination). " In response to criticism, Kim wrote: "Milo is due to the love of his mother and father. If someone condemns such, it means that the world has lost a sense of proportion. We were trying to have a child through artificial insemination to Roberto's death. If my husband was alive, Milo would have been conceived in wedlock. What changes the death of Roberto? "

Unfortunately, Kim, too, was given a little time. She died at the age of 55 years from the bones and liver cancer at his home in Surrey, England. Her eldest son Stefano continued the family business. And now Bill draws stories "Love is ..." under the signature of Kim (in terms of the contract), despite the fact that Kim is dead.