Synopsis
In his longest narrative to date, Adrian Tomine tells the story of Ben and Miko, and their relationship problems as Miko moves temporarily to live and study in New York. Left behind in Berkeley, Ben, a confused, obsessive, thirty-year-old theatre manager, finds himself desperately trying to answer the big question. But aided only by his promiscuous friend Alice, and spending increasing time with his new employee Autumn, things only seem to get more confusing. Does he know what he wants? Is he everything Miko accuses him of? Should he follow her to New York?
A painful and witty look at the realities of contemporary life, Shortcomings brilliantly explores ideas of heritage, sexuality, identity and ambition - or the lack of it. Beautifully rendered, it introduces to a British audience one of the most powerfully clear and urgent voices of today.
Shortcomings
is uncomfortable for those of us who have failed or been failed in a relationship. Everyone right? It's Adrian Tomine's longest story so far, and one I wanted more of after reading a juicy snippet in the McSweeney's comic compilation. It is the story of the death-rattle of a relationship, and what comes with those things - the denials, further denials mixed with accusations, and the physical confrontations we demand or try to avoid.
It isn't for the young, or even really for most teenagers, not because it's crude or rude, but rather because Tomine as well as being obvious in his plot and his dialogue, allows enough subtlety and unspoken weight to be carried by the readers' sensibilities and intelligence. He lets the gaps in meanings chime the bells within each of us, so that a simple story about relationships rather than love, sometimes about race, can appeal to as many people as possible.
I have a few of Tomine's books, and I prefer this to some of his shorter stories. It lacks the visually stunning appeal of Scrapbook, but is a different and cleverer beast entirely. His art is crisp, stylish, and sometimes very subtle with what may appear a simple face is actually revealing a lot of emotion or thought, even deception. I am a little unenthused with his topics, because he lets his characters be too childish. I expect a little more from him in his content when dealing with adults that too often feel like teenagers. I hope his focus shifts in future work because I believe his artistic skills in the format are excellent, and could show more than he perhaps believes he can put in.
A good work by a soon to be excellent producer of comics. A work that anyone should be glad to learn from, and enjoy reading. Encore.