Sadly, none of the newspapers in my corner of the world carry The Norm on their comics pages, but fortunately, Jantze's reached out to the comic-book market and to an online readership with his goofy, slice-of-life strip. It For Better or Worse meets Dilbert, and it's always a hoot. Well... almost always. This comic-book -- not comic strips -- one-shot bridges a one-year gap in the strip, telling the story of nuptial preparations and the Big Day in the characters' lives. It's funny, but it seems to be a bit scattered as well. Though still entertaining, it's not one of Jantze's stronger efforts.
Norm Miller woke up one morning to discover that he was married to his good friend Reine, and the time has come for the readership with which he communicates to see how that finally came to pass. In preparation for their upcoming wedding, Reine takes over, consulting Norm rarely. He quickly realizes that their lives are merging, and as a result, changing. The months pass quickly with a dizzying array of concerns that must be addressed... but it's still all worth it.
Jantze's style is a cute one, thoroughly expressive, and always light and fun. Some of his sight gags (and his fourth-wall breaking storytelling) reminds me of Scott (Understanding Comics) McCloud's approach. And though I've said it before, it's merits repetition: the influence Bill (Calvin & Hobbes) Watterson has had on his artwork and style is undeniable.
The title character -- and by association, the creator -- claims to share his 12 steps to marriage, but he seems to either slip or gloss over a few of them. The whole book seems kind of rushed and lacking focus. Mind you, this isn't as major a liability as one might expect, given the Jantze's concise storytelling technique, honed on the shorter strip format. But he seems to miss that familiar medium; his layouts here are confusing at times, for example. In the comic-book format, Jantze tends to ramble and even lose sight of the point. The strip seems to suit his style much better.
I also have to admit that I'm not really the target audience for this book. 12 Steps seems aimed at those in new relationships and established couples who can see themselves in the madness of Norm's pre-wedding life. I'm Dateless Dude at the moment, and I don't connect as much with the main character here as I might in, say, a month or two? (Any takers? Ladies? ... Well, shit.)
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
