Despite all the good attention and press they're getting, graphic novels haven't quite moved beyond the "comic book" stigma in the mainstream. Case in point: every time I recommend one to my friends, I do so with the caveat that "it's a graphic novel, so, you know, it might not be your thing," which I don't really buy into in the first place. Sorry graphic novels, I'm kinda a douche bag about you, still.
Speaking of douche bags, Shortcomings follows Ben, an Asian-American late twenty-something after his long-time girlfriend, Miko, breaks up with him. He seeks solace in his lesbian best friend and young white women, which his ex thinks he fetishizes. It explores issues of race (cultural assimilation and fetishization) and gender in a subtle way that didn't put me off as too college sophomore liberatin
g their mind in sociology 201.More importantly, though, the art was simple and beautiful. Tomine manages to do so much with so little. All of the art is in black & white ink.
The graphic novel does get points for the title, which may or may not refer to the stereotype of the asian male wang. Yes, that subject is discussed, briefly.
0 comments:
Post a Comment