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DUMPED (Best of the Week!)
Highly Recommended (10/10)
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Oni Press
Writer/Artist: Andi Watson
Editor: Jamie S. Rich
Price: $5.95 US |
Andi Watson guides us back into the world he introduced in Breakfast After Noon for his latest slice-of-life story. Though fans of his previous work will see familiar faces, he introduces us to a new would-be Romeo and Juliet. Watson quickly convinces the reader of the genuine nature of the two main characters, and it makes for a fascinating read. It's easy to see parts of oneself in these characters, and therein lies the strength of not only Dumped, but Watson's work in general.
Binny and Debbie meet like a lot of couple meet: at a party, both more than a little drunk, and one feeling rather down. A one-night stand turns into something more when Binny seeks her out and finds they share common hobbies... sort of. The problem is that Debbie is in the middle of a long break-up with a previous beau, and Binny's eccentricities don't really fit with her notion of a boyfriend.
I'll never understand or grow tired of how Watson uses simple lines to create such a believable facsimile of the world in which we live. His cartoony approach is thoroughly expressive, but it also captures nuances of emotion as well. The grey tones bring a greater depth to the backgrounds, and the character designs are simple but striking. There are also a couple of key scenes in the book that put me in mind of the work of Scott (Understanding Comics) McCloud.
On the surface, Watson provides Binny and Debbie with a happy ending, but there were aspects of it that I found unsettling... albeit in an entertaining, thought-provoking way. Debbie is falling into the very trap her friend warned her about: she's afraid of being alone. What she really needs is time to be just herself, not one half of a couple. And as for Binny, he's forced to give up something that makes him happy in order to be with a woman who really hasn't treated him all that well.
Is Dumped about fated romanctic connections? True love? Hell, no. If anything, Watson explores how imperfect our relationships really are. The romance in this book seems fueled more by insecurities and fears (and maybe to a lesser extent, sex) than anything else. Does that mean these two are bad for one another? Watson doesn't go so far as to say that, and I think it's because he's saying that relationships are hard work. He reminds readers (at least those who read Breakfast After Noon) that there is a payoff to the hard work by showing us the results with Rob and Louise's flourishing marriage.
After reading BAN, Slow News Day and now Dumped, it occurs to me that Watson has quickly become my favorite writer/artist in the industry right now. His thoroughly grounded stories and characters make for funny, thoughtful reading time and time again. His work is not to be missed.
Email Don MacPherson comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.
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