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Biography of Cartoonist Kim Casali: The Creation and History of the "Love is..." Comic

© Susanna McLeod

The "Love is..." cartoon is making a come-back to the comics pages, to the delight of dedicated fans and new readers.

The Creation of the "Love is..." Cartoons

New Zealand-born Kim Grove left at age 19 to travel the world. In 1967, she was 25 and living in California. She met her future husband, Roberto Casali, at a Los Angeles ski club. At that time, Kim drew sketches of her funny episodes on the slopes. Roberto encouraged her to continue and she did, expressing her love for him in little cartoons. Kim and Roberto were married in 1971.

Roberto saved Kim's love notes, and showed them to his friends, as well as the Los Angeles Times, who picked up the panel for publication. "Love is..." became a syndicated cartoon on January 5, 1970. It was picked up by papers in 50 countries in 25 languages. It was printed on mugs, t-shirts, calendars and much more.

Kim did not feel she was an artist or a cartoonist. In the September 1981 Cartoonist Profiles magazine, Kim said, "If I'd had a choice, I would have become a writer of romantic songs. Songs about love affected me deeply . . . I didn't become a songwriter so I had to express myself in another once the real thing happened to me."

"Love is..." in the 1970s

Six months after their wedding, the Casalis moved to England. Kim gave birth to sons Stefano and Dario. Her cartoon continued to grow and Roberto became her business manager. Kim was sometimes put on the spot to defend her cartoon, as some people felt the comic depicted "women as childish, simple-minded dependents whose function is to serve man."

In 1975, Roberto was diagnosed with an incurable cancer. He opted for surgery and treatment in hopes of extending his life. That same year, Kim and Roberto hired prolific British cartoonist Bill Asprey to manage "Love is...," leaving Kim free to do the writing.

During Roberto's poor health, Roberto and Kim decided to try for another child, but without success. Instead, they stored samples of Roberto's semen for later use. Only months later, Roberto passed away. Kim was devastated . After months of unsuccessful attempts, Kim finally became pregnant with Roberto's child. Milo was born on July 10, 1977, when Kim was 31.

The Cartoon Continues After Kim's Death

The popularity of "Love is ..." dropped off in the late '80s and 90s. Sadly in 1997 at age 55, after a short illness, Kim Casali passed away at her home in Surrey, England. Her oldest son, Stefano, stepped in to guide the "Love is..." business.

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