Library books

I borrowed Ducks from the library after it recently won the Eisner.  While I was there, I perused the new graphic novels section and picked up a trio of books that all happened to be relationship-based stories.  I’m a sucker for a good romance, do any of these qualify?

Chef’s Kiss

A trite made-for-Netflix romantic ‘comedy’ about a college grad who takes an assistant chef position when his dreams of becoming a writer don’t pan out.  He falls in love with the sous chef, learns to love cooking, and deals with the drama of overbearing parents and a roommate/best friend who starts to feel left out of this new life.  It’s painful in its earnestness, and I found myself completely bored.

The Girl That Can’t Get a Girlfriend

Autobiographical story about a college student and her first girlfriend.  Things are blissful for the month that they’re together, then things fall apart when they go long distance.  The rest of the story deals with her four year-long mourning period and journey of self-discovery.  Slightly better than Chef’s Kiss, but Mieri Hiranishi’s insistence on drawing herself as far more unattractive than everyone around her completely took me out of the story.  I get what she’s going for, and it does a good job of conveying her self image, but it makes for a much less enjoyable reading experience.  

Hiranishi’s first-relationship euphoria is well conveyed, as is her post-breakup anguish.  But while I found myself relating to both, the story still lacked the magic note that would make it resonate in my feels.  

Walk Me to the Corner

A fifty-eight year-old woman falls in love with another woman, which leads to the dissolution of her thirty year-old marriage.  It’s got the makings of an interesting story, but I couldn’t stand the protagonist, who can’t get over the fact that her ex-husband ends up in a relationship with a former student.  She’s the one who cheated first, but gets all petty and jealous when he moves on with his life?  I can’t deal.  

So I’m 0-3 with these.  I keep trying these indie comics hoping for something spectacular, always forgetting that I’m usually disappointed.  Sigh.  Hopefully Ducks will prove itself worthy of the accolades.