It’s the weekend — time to get out there and mingle!
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We’re a full-service comics site. I mean, you think CBR or Newsarama will help you get a date? Bah!
That’s where we come in. Or more specifically, Koren Shadmi, the writer and artist of Love Addict: Confessions of a Serial Dater from Top Shelf. The graphic novel is available now — and to give you a taste, Koren has 13 DATING TIPS to send you on your merry way. — Dan
By KOREN SHADMI
Disclaimer: I do not consider myself a dating expert, and have no relation whatsoever to Mystery or any other pick-up artist. However, if you do read my book, I guarantee that within 24 to 48 hours you will be surrounded by a heap of lovers, deliriously infatuated with you.
1. Ask questions: There’s nothing worse than just talking about yourself. It’s also a good way to keep yourself from hijacking the conversation and preventing a bad case of word vomit. Don’t overshare on a first date, no one wants to know about the history of your peptic ulcer, or that your ex was a master puppeteer.
2. Don’t go to an overly expensive restaurant or bar on a first date, it’s better to go to a casual joint, less pressure on you, less pressure on your wallet. It’s best to go simple: bar or coffee shop. Original locations for first dates are nice, but they also increase the chance of a disaster. So scratch the Museum of Sex off your list.
3. Don’t be too serious! First dates need some major ice-breaking but just make sure your jokes are not at your date’s expense. Also, don’t prepare jokes in advance. That will just be sad.
4. Be as charming and energetic as you can (without being manic). Make a conscious effort to crank the charm up to 115 percent! In D&D we call that a high charisma roll. Oh, and don’t ever mention D&D until you are deep into a relationship.
5. Drink, but don’t drink too much: This may seem obvious, but if you don’t know when to stop, you might make a bad first impression. Set yourself with a cap ahead of the date. And for God’s sake don’t show up to a first date drunk!
6. Make sure you have good pictures, no pictures with exes, guns, babies or pictures from 15 years ago. According to OKCupid data, men have a higher chance of getting a reaction if they are looking away from the camera and not smiling, while women have a higher chance for response if they do look at the camera and smile — something the lead character K in Love Addict learns early on.
7. Don’t let the conversation drag too long online or in text messages before asking the person out. If you wait too long you risk the other person losing interest. Dating is like apartment hunting: If you hesitate and wait too long, that desirable hobbit hole you saw last week might be snatched away from you before you know it.
8. Shower and brush your teeth before the date. This may seem elementary but not everyone does it — various bodily aromas are likely to reduce your chances drastically.
9. Don’t be too eager or pushy on a first date. Nagging to go home with your prospective date too early on could backfire badly. Be relaxed and take it slow. (This is mostly for us men.)
10. If someone uses the word “crazy” more than once on their profile, you might want to avoid meeting them.
11. Don’t stand up a prospective date! There’s nothing more insulting than not showing up or cancelling last minute. Even if you’re not sure, just show up. If your worries are confirmed, get the hell out of there! (A friend of mine would schedule a call from a friend an hour into the date and pretend there is an emergency if the date was going badly.)
12. Keep your outfit classy on a first date. Don’t overdress (or underdress). Showing too much skin can come off as desperate. No suits, sheer tank tops, onesies, side boobs, leather pants, platform shoes. Basically think The Who’s Tommy in reverse.
13. Go on a lot of dates! The more people you see, the more likely you will find someone you really like. (There is a small chance though that this might just confuse the hell out of you.)
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Koren Shadmi was born in Israel. Upon completing his service in the Israel Defense Forces, he relocated to New York to study at the School of Visual Arts, where he now teaches illustration. His illustration clients include The New York Times, Hollywood Reporter, Playboy and many others. Koren’s books have been published in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Israel and the US. His first English book, In the Flesh, was published by Random House in 2009. Koren’s work was selected for the Best American Comics 2009 anthology edited by Charles Burns. In 2015, First Second published his next book, Mike’s Place, followed by The Abaddon from Z2 Comics.
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