Peace, Love, and Lattes

Book excerpt: Rudy Park and the other regulars and misfits who hang out at the House of Java coffeehouse form a modern nuclear family, drawn together by something much more powerful than blood: caffeine. Just as cavemen once hung out around a campfire, our regulars gather around the espresso machine discussing issues of the day, coping with modern life, and engaging in the occasional violent dispute over the bathroom key. The cafe also serves as a crossroads for current events and a watering hole for celebrities and politicians, such as J-Lo and Ben Affleck (contemplating a joint run for governor), Dick Cheney (doling out dating advice), and the gang from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (making sure everyone is dressed suitably for the comics page). So sit down with a warm cup of joe and enjoy Peace, Love, and Lattes, the second collection of Rudy Park, which Newsweek named as one of the top three contenders for new strip of the decade. Along the way, get to know the strip's main cast, including Rudy, a technolover of the highest order who is in a constant, chronic battle to stay current with the latest and greatest gadgets, pop culture, and fashion trends. Then there is Rudy's archnemesis, the aging technophobe and curmudgeon Sadie Cohen; Rudy's notoriously frugal 21-year-old boss, Armstrong Maynard; Darlene, the workaholic object of Rudy's affection; and a Fabioesque former football player named Randy "The Rock" Taylor. Rudy Park offers social and cultural commentary that is both insightful and hilarious. With Rudy at the forefront, this technocentric strip lampoons the fast pace of our technology-driven world, our obsession with material possessions, and the folly of our cultural and political icons. Since bursting onto the comics page in 2001, the strip has grown in syndication to nearly 100 newspapers and Web sites, including the Seattle Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Chicago Sun-Times, Detroit Free Press, and Denver's Rocky Mountain News.