I Saw You

February 2, 2009
It seems like a simple enough premise: short comics based on the missed-connections ads from newspapers and Craigslist, drawn by a host of cartoonists. Despite thematically arranged chapters (coffee shops, travel), this anthology doesn\x92t quite hang together\x97in part because the contributors have interpreted the assignment in so many different ways. Some draw literal or metaphorical interpretations of actual ads; some make up their own; some mock the entire concept; a few simply address the idea of \x93missed connections\x94 but don\x92t deal with personal ads. The book\x92s real value is as a snapshot of the current state of the mini-comics scene, in which editor Wertz is something of a star. Nearly every significant mini-comics artist of the moment is represented here, including Lucy Knisley, Kazimir Strzepek, Sarah Glidden, Alec Longstreth, and, best of all, Laura Park, who contributes a few splendid, cruelly funny pieces. There are a few bigger names in the collection (like Peter Bagge and Jeffrey Brown), but the roster will probably look a lot more impressive in a few years.

February 1, 2009
Its happened to most of us: that sizzle of attraction to someone who passes through our awareness only momentarilyaboard a bus, across the baristas station at the local coffee shop, at the party of a not-very-close acquaintance. Web cartoonist Wertz (The Fart Party) farmed the likes of Craigslist and fellow cartoonists versions of such events for this compilation of moments featuring bittersweet opportunities. The resulting mix includes proposals for establishing contact, reciprocated messages of desire, missed connections as observed by onlookers, some nudity, a bit of all-ages innocence, and a lot of cerebral brake shoes. The artwork tends toward the loopy and cartoony, although an occasional effort is rendered in fine detail or pale gray wash. Contributors include Harvey winner Keith Knight, Gabrielle Bell (Lucky, 2006), Too Much Coffee Man creator Shannon Wheeler, Wertz, and several dozen others. Easy to browse in a public place where a passerby might be inspired to remember the reader.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)