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“Clumsy” and “Be A Man”
Jeffrey Brown is the latest comic book writer and illustrator to bear his soul and his life in his comics. He carries on the tradition of Harvey Pekar, Joe Matt, James Kolchalka and Chester Brown, just to name a few. These writers realized that personal stories of love, loss, failures and successes that happened in their everyday lives were as important to comic book fans as the stories of great adventures of superheroes traditionally published and read by passionate comic book fans. Top Shelf Comix has recently published “Clumsy” and its companion book “Be A Man”.
The Story
“Clumsy” tells the story of the long distance relationship of Jeffrey and his former girlfriend Theresa. The stories are brief vignettes and are told out of sequence. Brown does not shy away from sharing even the most intimate of details concerning this relationship.
These details include the arguments, the laughs, the boring and exciting times of a long-term relationship. He also shares the details and emotions about the sexual relationship the two shared. Although sometimes the descriptions are graphic regarding sex, it is never intended to be arousing to the reader, but rather relating the alternating awkward and embarrassing and sometimes passionate encounters two people share while in love. I did not find these overly explicit at all but surprisingly candid and humorous.
Jeffrey and Theresa have some great times. He helps her with her pottery, adding his unique illustration style to her creations. They attend a taping of “The Jerry Springer Show” and enjoy shouting along with the others in the audience at the ridiculous participants. They have lots of dinners together, lazy afternoons and the occasional session of phone sex when they are separated.
As the story progresses, the reader notices that Jeffrey and Theresa start to grow apart and their love begins to fade. An experience anyone can relate to. The two seem to be perfect for each other but the nature of love is that it is not always perfect or long-lasting. Brown relates his emotions of their turbulent times honestly and it is heartbreakingly realistic to anyone that has had this type of relationship, passionate but short-lived.
“Be A Man” is an interesting follow-up to “Clumsy”. Brown had come to the realization that he might appear somewhat less than masculine in “Clumsy”. He thought he might seem pathetic or over-emotional. His solution to this situation is a short supplement entitled “Be A Man”. In “Be A Man”, Jeffrey takes a decidedly different view of the relationship. He reveals that sex and not a deep love for Theresa motivated his actions, at times. It appears that often when he does her a favor, such as retrieving aspirins for her headaches or drawing pictures of cats at her request, he is merely trying to improve her mood so that he can request sex later that night. He isn’t always the most thoughtful, telling her that she needs to lose weight then pointing out an attractive girl on the TV. Jeffrey does not only show the selfish side of himself but reveals a more selfish version of Theresa as well. She often cuts their phone conversations short to watch her beloved “Farscape” show on television without regard to Jeffrey’s feelings and relentlessly complains about her stomachaches and headaches.
My opinion is that both “Clumsy” and “Be a Man” is a factual depiction of the relationship Jeffrey and Theresa shared. Flawless personal relationships do not exist, as couples not only love each other but also shout at one another or treat each other less than perfectly. Everyone can relate to this and Jeffrey Brown relates these stories well.
Jeffrey Brown’s “Clumsy” and “Be A Man” does not create a fantasy version of a love affair, but rather a more realistic version of a love affair between two people. Brown shows the reader that a shiny apple sometimes has a worm inside.
8/10
The Artwork
The artwork in both “Clumsy” and “Be A Man” is simple but conveys emotion well. The panels are hand drawn and are not rigidly perfect. However, I feel that this drawing style suited the narrative perfectly. Brown is sharing his personal story of an imperfect relationship with his former girlfriend Theresa with the reader. Just like the love the two shared, the illustrations are not always perfect. The illustrations feel at times as if they were drawn hurriedly after intimate encounters, either sexual or emotional, with Theresa. I felt that Brown was rushing to his sketchpad to capture every detail before he forgot anything. Brown’s illustration style is not the most accomplished or detailed, but suits the stories presented well.
7/10
Suzie Lackey |
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“Clumsy” and “Be A Man”
Written and Illustrated by Jeffrey Brown
Review: The Story 8/10 The Artwork 7/10 Overall 8/10
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