Optic Nerve #6

Optic Nerve #6

by Adrian Tomine

Adrian Tomine's iconic comic series, Optic Nerve, is once again available in new printings. Each issue features a selection of short tales, some slice-of-life, some powerful meditations on life, family, and relationships.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Comix

Comic

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Adrian Tomine was born in 1974 in Sacramento, California. He began self-publishing his comic book series Optic Nerve. His comics have been anthologized in publications such as McSweeney’s, Best American Comics, and Best American Nonrequired Reading, and his graphic novel "Shortcomings" was a New York Times Notable Book of 2007. His next release, "Killing and Dying" will be published by Drawn and Quarterly in October 2015.

Since 1999, Tomine has been a regular contributor to The New Yorker. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and daughters.

Reviews

[Sandy Plants · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tomine’s stories and characters challenge me. I think I’ve only liked two characters in all of the issues I’ve read.

I could pick apart the things I don’t like, but I suspect they would all somehow be versions/aspects of myself I don’t like—it all hits far too close to home for me! The parts of myself I want to pretend I don’t see are all there, shining brightly in front of my eyes: selfish, avoidant, self-obsessed, depressive, whiney, violent, harmful, mean, manipulative, starved-for-attention, etc.

All of that being said, he has a way of telling stories that I really admire. I may not be in love with, what I would call, “sad-guy, everyone-sucks-nobody-gets-me comics”, but I appreciate his ability to create mood and melodrama.

In my twenties, I would have LOVED these comics. Now, not so much. I’m tired of clowes and carver and bukowski—old, grumpy men who think everyone else is the problem. Ironically, that’s also me *OOF, that’s a hard pill to swallow*.

Ultimately, I want to read things that actually inspire me to be a more enlightened, kind, and compassionate person—although maybe there is something in learning to love and embrace these ugly parts of myself I’m casting off (as told by Tomine’s characters). I’m not sure where I stand: do I avoid the stories I find depressing and uninspiring, or do I find the gold in them and learn to love those parts of myself? Maybe it’s not a case of either/or...

[Matt Graupman · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Optic Nerve” #6 continues Adrian Tomine’s experimentation with longer full-issue stories. Titled “Hawaiian Getaway,” the comic is a little bit of a bait-and-switch; there’s no tropical vacation but plenty of Tomine’s signature melodrama. “Hawaiian Getaway” is the story of Hilary Chan, a second generation American citizen, struggling with her heritage and her place in the world. Amid pressure from her family and friends and after losing her job, she falls into a downward spiral of questionable behavior. Alternately hilarious and frustrating, it’s probably the most “Adrian Tomine-y” comic he’s ever done.

[Shawn Robare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, if I read this one as a teenager I would have fallen head over heels for Hillary…

[Ikembe Brew Har-Har · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enthralled eyeballz

[Nayeli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Line to remember: "Maybe it was one of those mythical love-at-first-sight things (doubtful) or maybe it was just depression-induced sluttiness (probably), but right then, there was nothing I wanted more than that kind of passion and abandon."

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhere I read that his visual style was reminiscent of Raymond Carver's writing. Elsewhere criticized for being too Dan Clowes-like. Intrigued to find out more...

[Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd call Hillary "strict-mom material".

[Kevin English · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this on a plane. Hillary Chan has issues, I hope she gets some therapy...