Sunday, September 19, 2004

Bob Fingerman's Minimum Wage and Beg The Question

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Rob's internal struggle.

Currently, I'm obsessed with picking out every detail I can find in Bob Fingerman's comic work. The guy is just really fuckin' good! And boy, can he tell a story. The tale of Sylvia and Rob (and their many associates) is so full of realistic dialogue, it's like I know all of the characters rather intimately. A fine example of this is the banter between Rob and his roommate Jack on page 40 of Minimum Wage: Book One. While describing Maddie, Sylvia's lesbian ex (pictured above at the right of Rob) to Jack, Rob relates how his mom gets vertigo while crossing fenced bridges (one of which they happen to be crossing at the time). It's one of those addendums to a conversation that we all throw in every once in a while. You're not going anywhere with it, you're not making any point, but you mention it anyway. Very human conversation and ass-kicking art. That's why Fingerman rules.

Speaking of Maddie, it seems I'm a little obsessed with her character, too. She reminds me of a girl I knew when I worked at the late, great Musiplex. She was a lesbian, and sexy "in an offbeat sort of way", just like Maddie. I think I need to get out more.

At any rate, picking up Minimum Wage: Book One shed a little light on a few things, because I only have the last three issues. I think I may pick up Beg The Question, because it takes those original issues and remixes 'em. The panels that I saw in the latest Society of Illustrators annual really whet my appetite.

Well, got some work to do. Peace.

Oh yeah, on a totally unrelated note here's a review of Pip Skid's Funny Farm at Pitchfork Media...go here.

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