What do you think?
Rate this book
Slow News Day
When Californian, Katharine Washington, comes to England to work on a newspaper she's expecting more than the small and troubled Wheatstone Mercury. Here she enters the world of office politics, the bottom line, personal and professional strife and lost hamsters. Will it be enough to lure her away from the bright lights and opportunities of home? Collecting the 6 issue series from the Eisner nominated creator of Skeleton Key and Breakfast After Noon.
160 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2002
About the author
Andi Watson
151 books91 followersAndrew "Andi" Watson (born 1969) is a British cartoonist and illustrator best known for the graphic novels Breakfast After Noon, Slow News Day and his series Love Fights, published by Oni Press and Slave Labor Graphics.
Watson has also worked for more mainstream American comic publishers with some work at DC Comics, a twelve-issue limited series at Marvel Comics, with the majority at Dark Horse Comics, moving recently to Image Comics.
Watson has also worked for more mainstream American comic publishers with some work at DC Comics, a twelve-issue limited series at Marvel Comics, with the majority at Dark Horse Comics, moving recently to Image Comics.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 17, 2016
Culture Clash, Romance & Capitalism
As far as contemporary movies are concerned, romantic comedies are, by and large, the epitome of mainstream. Bland and predictable, they promote the comforting myth that the love between two individuals can solve all problems, no further action required. More and more people are falling into poverty? Not an obstacle. The world is going to hell? Don't worry about it, just find your "soul mate" and everything will be fine. Politics? Puh-lease...
Despite the genre's conservative and apathy-inducing tendencies, the North American comic-book industry markets its romantic comedies as "alternative" - simply because they are relatively rare in an industry dominated by the superhero genre and by male readers, I guess. Slow News Day, for example, was put out by alternative publisher Slave Labor Graphics, and illustrated in a cartoony black-and-white style typically associated with alternative comics. Nevertheless, the story is a standard representative of the genre. Almost from the start, the reader knows that the two protagonists, Katharine and Owen, are made for each other and belong together, no matter how much they may argue and fight. Their current romantic partners are both portrayed in a less than sympathetic light, and are obviously not a good fit for our heroes.
In an attempt to provide at least a little food for thought, cartoonist Andi Watson throws two additional themes into the mix, the first one being culture clash. Katharine represents the U.S., Owen represents England. While these two cultures are arguably not all THAT different, our heroes nevertheless experience a culture clash of sorts when they first get to know each other. As you can imagine, this clash does not go far beyond the superficial differences you would expect (soccer vs. football, etc.) and merely serves as a springboard for predictable jokes and wisecracks.
More interesting is the second additional theme, commercialization. All four key players (Katharine, Owen, and their respective romantic partners) are in part characterized by their attitudes towards the fact that our world is becoming increasingly commercialized. Initially, Owen is the only character critical of this trend. Interestingly, he is at this early stage also portrayed as immature, dependent, scared, and lazy: he avoids seeing a dentist despite his toothache ("He’s chicken... Scared to death.") and still lives with his dad ("Owen gets his meals made, house cleaned, shopping done, shirts ironed and all rent free. He won’t move out because he’s got it too easy at home."). In typical romantic-comedy fashion, then, his critique of the capitalist status quo is ridiculed, as it is connoted with irrational fears, immaturity, and laziness.
To be fair, the complete devotion to financial gain - personified by our heroes' initial romantic partners - is also portrayed as less than desirable. Katharine at first falls into this category as well, but gradually becomes at least a little more aware of the shallowness of a life devoted exclusively to money.
While Katherine is only required to make a few slight adjustments to her world view (she certainly remains a devoted capitalist), though, socio-critical Owen is portrayed as the one who REALLY has to change: he has to wake up and smell the coffee, that is, overcome his supposedly "immature" and "irrational" concerns about the capitalist status quo. He has to leave behind the old world with all its "silly" nagging and complaining about privatization and deregulation and move to the United States, home of free enterprise. Once he has done that, it is time for the happy ending: Owen is finally rewarded with his "soul mate," no further action required. I guess we can all breathe a sigh of relief.
As far as contemporary movies are concerned, romantic comedies are, by and large, the epitome of mainstream. Bland and predictable, they promote the comforting myth that the love between two individuals can solve all problems, no further action required. More and more people are falling into poverty? Not an obstacle. The world is going to hell? Don't worry about it, just find your "soul mate" and everything will be fine. Politics? Puh-lease...
Despite the genre's conservative and apathy-inducing tendencies, the North American comic-book industry markets its romantic comedies as "alternative" - simply because they are relatively rare in an industry dominated by the superhero genre and by male readers, I guess. Slow News Day, for example, was put out by alternative publisher Slave Labor Graphics, and illustrated in a cartoony black-and-white style typically associated with alternative comics. Nevertheless, the story is a standard representative of the genre. Almost from the start, the reader knows that the two protagonists, Katharine and Owen, are made for each other and belong together, no matter how much they may argue and fight. Their current romantic partners are both portrayed in a less than sympathetic light, and are obviously not a good fit for our heroes.
In an attempt to provide at least a little food for thought, cartoonist Andi Watson throws two additional themes into the mix, the first one being culture clash. Katharine represents the U.S., Owen represents England. While these two cultures are arguably not all THAT different, our heroes nevertheless experience a culture clash of sorts when they first get to know each other. As you can imagine, this clash does not go far beyond the superficial differences you would expect (soccer vs. football, etc.) and merely serves as a springboard for predictable jokes and wisecracks.
More interesting is the second additional theme, commercialization. All four key players (Katharine, Owen, and their respective romantic partners) are in part characterized by their attitudes towards the fact that our world is becoming increasingly commercialized. Initially, Owen is the only character critical of this trend. Interestingly, he is at this early stage also portrayed as immature, dependent, scared, and lazy: he avoids seeing a dentist despite his toothache ("He’s chicken... Scared to death.") and still lives with his dad ("Owen gets his meals made, house cleaned, shopping done, shirts ironed and all rent free. He won’t move out because he’s got it too easy at home."). In typical romantic-comedy fashion, then, his critique of the capitalist status quo is ridiculed, as it is connoted with irrational fears, immaturity, and laziness.
To be fair, the complete devotion to financial gain - personified by our heroes' initial romantic partners - is also portrayed as less than desirable. Katharine at first falls into this category as well, but gradually becomes at least a little more aware of the shallowness of a life devoted exclusively to money.
While Katherine is only required to make a few slight adjustments to her world view (she certainly remains a devoted capitalist), though, socio-critical Owen is portrayed as the one who REALLY has to change: he has to wake up and smell the coffee, that is, overcome his supposedly "immature" and "irrational" concerns about the capitalist status quo. He has to leave behind the old world with all its "silly" nagging and complaining about privatization and deregulation and move to the United States, home of free enterprise. Once he has done that, it is time for the happy ending: Owen is finally rewarded with his "soul mate," no further action required. I guess we can all breathe a sigh of relief.
January 27, 2012
American girl meets British guy, fights about cultural and journalistic differences. Girl and boy break up with respective evil boyfriend/girlfriend, end up together and happily ever after.
Wow, that was unexpected of Andi Watson (Sarcasm)
Wow, that was unexpected of Andi Watson (Sarcasm)
April 21, 2024
Lido na língua original (Inglês).
Lê-se bem, mas não é uma história muito inovadora: a típica comédia romântica de uma rapariga (americana) que chega ao Reino Unido para agitar as águas da vida monótona da comunidade local a que chega, para voltar a casa e descobrir que é traída pelo namorado e afinal sente saudades do coleguinha jornalista que deixou em Inglaterra...
Enfim, lê-se, mas não acredito que me vá ficar na memória...
Lê-se bem, mas não é uma história muito inovadora: a típica comédia romântica de uma rapariga (americana) que chega ao Reino Unido para agitar as águas da vida monótona da comunidade local a que chega, para voltar a casa e descobrir que é traída pelo namorado e afinal sente saudades do coleguinha jornalista que deixou em Inglaterra...
Enfim, lê-se, mas não acredito que me vá ficar na memória...
November 20, 2013
I like the art (simple but expressive) but the story is boring and predictable and meaningless. This is one of those graphic novels that makes me think that the artist took so long to create it that they lost sight of the fact that nothing actually happens.
January 20, 2025
Katherine dreams of becoming a TV writer, but her mother convinces her to take a job at a struggling local newspaper in the cozy English town of Wheatstone. There, she finds herself interning under Owen, the paper’s last grumpy reporter. What starts as snark-filled banter between the two evolves into an unexpected friendship that leads both characters to question their life paths.
This graphic novel delivered exactly what I was craving during a cold and bleak January afternoon. I wandered into the bookstore looking for something grounded in the real world, with clean, linear illustrations that wouldn’t overwhelm the senses, and a storyline showcasing relatable character growth. This book checked all those boxes.
Katherine is naïve, which is what I expect from a young American in a foreign land. But her pretentious view of America didn’t seem to evolve throughout the book. Speaking as an American who’s traveled abroad, the last thing you want to do is come off as superior to the people who live, work, and breathe their culture, though I’ve met plenty of people who went abroad and did just that. I rolled my eyes when I saw her argue with Owen about the proper terminology between football and soccer when I later learned that Katherine's mother is from England (really Katherine?). Moments like these made it hard for me to feel fully invested in her journey.
Owen's character is the same as Katherine's regarding growth. His life is a series of unresolved transitions: first living with his father for nearly a decade, then moving in with a girlfriend he competed with at work, and finally ending up on Katherine’s doorstep when things fell apart with his girlfriend. His lack of stability and inability to find his footing raised questions about whether his feelings for Katherine were genuine or simply a reflection of his admiration for her growth as a writer. Katherine, for her part, seemed uninterested in Owen romantically, and I think that’s for the best. Their dynamic worked better as colleagues and friends than as potential partners.
For many readers, this story may feel incomplete. The characters can be slightly irritating, the plot meanders, and there’s no satisfying resolution. But for me, that’s what made it fulfilling in its own imperfect way. Life doesn’t always tie up neatly, and sometimes, you just want a story that reflects that. Today, this book was exactly what I needed—a grounded narrative that’s a refreshing departure from the complex and chaotic worlds of DC, Marvel, or Manga. Sometimes, you just want to sit back and enjoy a story.
This graphic novel delivered exactly what I was craving during a cold and bleak January afternoon. I wandered into the bookstore looking for something grounded in the real world, with clean, linear illustrations that wouldn’t overwhelm the senses, and a storyline showcasing relatable character growth. This book checked all those boxes.
Katherine is naïve, which is what I expect from a young American in a foreign land. But her pretentious view of America didn’t seem to evolve throughout the book. Speaking as an American who’s traveled abroad, the last thing you want to do is come off as superior to the people who live, work, and breathe their culture, though I’ve met plenty of people who went abroad and did just that. I rolled my eyes when I saw her argue with Owen about the proper terminology between football and soccer when I later learned that Katherine's mother is from England (really Katherine?). Moments like these made it hard for me to feel fully invested in her journey.
Owen's character is the same as Katherine's regarding growth. His life is a series of unresolved transitions: first living with his father for nearly a decade, then moving in with a girlfriend he competed with at work, and finally ending up on Katherine’s doorstep when things fell apart with his girlfriend. His lack of stability and inability to find his footing raised questions about whether his feelings for Katherine were genuine or simply a reflection of his admiration for her growth as a writer. Katherine, for her part, seemed uninterested in Owen romantically, and I think that’s for the best. Their dynamic worked better as colleagues and friends than as potential partners.
For many readers, this story may feel incomplete. The characters can be slightly irritating, the plot meanders, and there’s no satisfying resolution. But for me, that’s what made it fulfilling in its own imperfect way. Life doesn’t always tie up neatly, and sometimes, you just want a story that reflects that. Today, this book was exactly what I needed—a grounded narrative that’s a refreshing departure from the complex and chaotic worlds of DC, Marvel, or Manga. Sometimes, you just want to sit back and enjoy a story.
March 27, 2018
I think this is the third format I've purchased this story in. I can't remember if the serial came out before or after I gave up monthlies, but I know that I had the original tpb, and I greatly enjoyed it, but I really liked the compactness and improved cover of the new printing... so I bought a book I'd already read rather than buying something fresh. I'm a chump.
But re-reading it, I am still impressed by how good Watson is. I'd forgotten many of the details, so reading SND again felt very fresh, and I enjoyed seeing their relationships with the lovers, colleagues and family evolve during the course of the book. This is a book that handles the "will they, won't they" aspect much better than Escapists, because when SND ends, it's completely up to the reader's imagination if they get together romantically or stick to a professional working relationship. Me, I honestly don't care if they do or don't. I found their professional growth and their recognition of their professional goals much more inspiring.
But re-reading it, I am still impressed by how good Watson is. I'd forgotten many of the details, so reading SND again felt very fresh, and I enjoyed seeing their relationships with the lovers, colleagues and family evolve during the course of the book. This is a book that handles the "will they, won't they" aspect much better than Escapists, because when SND ends, it's completely up to the reader's imagination if they get together romantically or stick to a professional working relationship. Me, I honestly don't care if they do or don't. I found their professional growth and their recognition of their professional goals much more inspiring.
April 5, 2021
I opened this to a random page where two people were arguing about the NHS. I thought it would be an insight into the politics of small town England. That was not what I got - just a tropey rom com where two people with terrible partners leave their partners for each other. And little differences between the UK and US are played for cheap laughs.
Don’t like the framing of Owen as needing to ‘grow up’ and out of small town life. I do like how Katharine became a bit more down to earth.
Clearly I’m struggling to find good quality alternative comics!
Don’t like the framing of Owen as needing to ‘grow up’ and out of small town life. I do like how Katharine became a bit more down to earth.
Clearly I’m struggling to find good quality alternative comics!
February 16, 2022
I adore Andi Watson and his charming, slice-of-life graphic novels. I'm a sucker for the grumpy-sunshine romance trope so found this really enjoyable.
January 16, 2025
This six part comic was an everyday kind of story. Not fantasy or futuristic, just a struggling paper and cultural differences between snarky characters.
September 30, 2021
Watson's simple art is great here, but Slow News Day has a lot of wasted potential. For a fish out of water story, the main character seems to handle her new surroundings a little too easily. The differences she has as an American with her English coworkers seem trivial at best, aside from one particular criticism of the NHS, and the romance plot is both unbelievable and underdeveloped.
February 19, 2016
I was expecting a really shallow story about a newsgirl manipulating her way around the office. I ended reading something more substantial, but not too much to push me over into loving it. "Slow News Day" centers around a newgirl trying to help a rundown newspaper in England, and meets a guy. The rest of the story is fairly predictable from here on out. She learns to love the place, she leaves for a while, then reconsiders her original thoughts. Not a terribly unique idea. But it had some nice things to say about cultural differences and the quality of writing (be it for a small or large audience in today's media)... even though they expressly talk about it, without much imagery backing it up. The comedy isn't my thing, the art wasn't spectacular, and I don't think I'll be reading it again any time soon. But if what I said piques your interest, you might enjoy this graphic novel more than I did.
October 3, 2012
Even after all this time, I'm still a bit on the fence about Andi Watson. I couldn't get into his Skeleton Key, which is his biggest work. I enjoy this book and the similarly toned Breakfast After Noon. I like his blocky, simple art, and he has a light (if not exactly realistic) touch with dialogue. But at the end of his books I always find myself just a little dissatisfied. It's kind of like watching a mediocre romantic-comedy: you might get some chuckles, there may even be some prescient observations about life, but when it's over it may as well have never happened.
I'll probably read this book, and Breakfast..., several more times in my life. And I'll probably never be satisfied by them. But I guess I'm alright with that.
I'll probably read this book, and Breakfast..., several more times in my life. And I'll probably never be satisfied by them. But I guess I'm alright with that.
August 14, 2009
A nice little slice-of-life comic set in the offices of a local newspaper in a sleepy English town. Katharine, an ambitious American writer, travels to England to intern at the Wheatstone Mercury, where she partners with Owen, a reporter with a chip on his shoulder towards Americans. Needless to say, the two don't exactly hit it off. However things change as they work together to come up with stories that will win them the front page back from the advertising department(run by Owen's long-suffering, suspicious girlfriend). Nothing life-changing or especially original here, but the characters are well-realized and the angular, crisp artwork is pleasing to the eye.
March 27, 2012
A quirky if slightly overbearing tale of a young woman on her way to success, “Slow News Day” owes a lot to “Sex and the City,” but emerges somewhat less simplistic. The story is about Katharine, a young California girl who travels to England for an internship in a small newspaper. Cultures and temperaments clash between Katharine and her new boss, a stereotypically “British” reporter Owen.
The main bulk of the book is very familiar stuff fueled by the juxtaposing of the inherently British and the lavishly American. Still, Andi Watson reaches insight and wit every so often, making this a worth wile read.
The main bulk of the book is very familiar stuff fueled by the juxtaposing of the inherently British and the lavishly American. Still, Andi Watson reaches insight and wit every so often, making this a worth wile read.
May 13, 2007
Andi Watson became one of my favorite graphic novelists when I read his "Love Fights," and I was excited to find this older comic of his. It's a story of two opposites, a young American aspiring writer and a cynical English journalist, who find some common ground working for a tiny English rural paper. I loved Watson's inky, spare art, which looks like something from the 1950s yet conveys a lot of expression along with the charm, and the subtle simplicity of the story.
January 7, 2014
At the beginning I didn't expect much about the story (even when I like Andi Watson's style) but what caught my attention where the funny comparisons between America and UK. It was nice to read this book.
June 26, 2010
Cute graphic novel, nothing too deep, nothing too fancy.
August 16, 2010
Beautiful drawings and a solid story, but it lacks the emotional punch of other Watson books.
September 1, 2011
Clever and well-paced.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews