Seconds

Seconds carries a lot of weight, as it is the next work from Bryan Lee O'Malley after his wildly successful Scott Pilgrim series that was adapted into a major motion picture. I really loved the Scott Pilgrim comics because they were fun, clever, and they combined sequential art and video game aspects into some excellent storytelling. The good news with this volume is that all of those expert artistic chops and narrative flourishes are also used to great effect. In particular, the use of a variety of panels and sound effects to drive the story is outstanding.

This book plays on some familiar themes for O'Malley fans, of growing up and becoming an adult and also of dealing with a cast of quirky characters. Instead of looking at the egos involved in a music scene, here we get to see the egos involved in the restaurant business. The main character is Katie, a 29-year-old head chef who has created a hugely successful restaurant named Seconds. She is having a secret relationship with a co-worker, which gets complicated when an ex-boyfriend pops back into the picture. She is also in the midst of a transition, trying to save money so she can open a second restaurant, this time so she can retain ownership. Being economical, she lives upstairs in a spare room at Seconds, and there she has some  encounters with a strange being that seems to live in the top drawer of a dresser in her room.

The new restaurant appears to be a money pit, and when an opportunity to change one mistake in her life arises, Katie takes it. It may be that she is just hallucinating because of stress, but she eats a magic mushroom and follows a set of directions because she finds herself at her wits end. Not to spoil things too much, but when she wakes up the next day her life is different, and she sets a very complicated series of events in motion.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Oliver Sava commented that this book "arrives with high expectations, and it meets them all, delivering the style and humor of O’Malley’s past works with greater emphasis on mood, detail, and complex character relationships." Jesse Schedeen wrote, "while it's easy enough to predict the general course of the plot, O'Malley keeps things interesting through a combination of wit and creative storytelling." Matt Little gushed, "I cannot say enough good things about this book. I put it down and immediately wanted to read it again."

Seconds was published by Random House, who provides a preview and much more here.

Over Easy

Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and even though I was not around when much of the book takes place, Over Easy really brought me back to my restaurant roots. Although it is a fictionalized autobiography, so much of it is based on real events that it features a great sense of verisimilitude. Set in Oakland in the 1970s, the narrative follows Margaret, a recent art school graduate in her 20s as she finds her way in the world. Low on funds and prospects, she finds herself frequenting diners and drawing in her sketchbook.

Margaret ends up with a job in the restaurant, working first as a dishwasher and then moving to the front of the house as a waitress. What really stood out to me was the realism and vitality of the characters and situations. The tumultuous relationships between cooks and waitresses, the vulgar banter, the periodic romantic dalliances, the annoying customers, and the regulars with their unique personalities all combine to create a community, which is lovingly and intricately captured here.

But this book is not just a version of Kitchen Confidential, it is also a time capsule for the period, a look at a time of cultural transformation. I appreciate the blast from the past, but I also see a vibrant cast of characters in almost soap operatic situations. Over Easy is a wonderful concoction of history, high and low culture, and a coming-of-age tale all told in masterful and expressive drawings and monochromatic watercolors. The flourishes of creativity and energy in the artwork complement the narrative expertly.

The creator of this book is Mimi Pond, a writer and artist with multiple magazine credits and also a writer for TV shows like Designing Women, Pee Wee's Playhouse, and The Simpsons (the very first full episode). You can read more about her in this profile at the LA Times. She reveals more about this book and her career in this interview with Publishers Weekly. Or if you prefer to listen to a podcast interview, there is this one from Virtual Memories.

Reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. Los Angeles Review of Books' MariNaomi found much to relate to. Shathley Q summed up that this book "simply comes with the highest praise, and quite simply, deserves to be read." Jeff Provine commented that Pond depicted "life in the restaurant realistically yet magically." NPR's Etelka Lehoczky called this book "a sweet tribute."

A preview and more are available here from Over Easy's publisher Drawn & Quarterly.

The Line, Volume 1

As someone who grew up in a family who owns a restaurant (if you are ever in New Windsor, NY, go visit!), I can vouch for some of the insanity that goes on behind the scenes in your favorite kitchens. The mix of interesting and diverse personalities, languages, customers, and stresses can make for a dynamic and even explosive combination. This webcomic collection well captures that energy as well as the idiosyncrasies of working in a restaurant. Also, although it does flirt with stereotypes, it quickly fleshes out its cast into strong and unique characters.

The Line, Volume 1 follows Linda Park, the hostess and newest employee at Chef Paul Greenfield's new restaurant. The chef is an egomaniac who does not even remember hiring her. Chase Harvey, the manager, is a heavy drinker who has no time for training rookies or dealing with most problems. As they all navigate the opening of this new restaurant, they have to deal with some major obstacles, including nearly killing their first reviewer, some dangerous and unsanitary kitchen activity, and mishaps with coupons offered via a social networking site.

The Line is written by Kevin Church and drawn by Paul Salvi. Church is building up a strong cache of work called Agreeable Comics. Included in these comics are series set in the same universe as The Line, including The Rack, which is set in the comic store, and Lydia, which follows Linda's sister at a corporate job. Other series he has written include The Loneliest Astronauts, about a couple of unfortunate people involved in a botched space mission, and the mystery story She Died in Terrabone.

I have not found many reviews of this comic online yet, but it has been covered at CBR's Comics Should Be Good blog. There Brian Cronin praised Paul Salvi for his story-telling and his "bang-up job of conveying the precise mood of each character, just by their expressions." He also added that "Church’s humor in this strip is very character-driven, so being able to convey emotions is key."

The Line is an ongoing comic and more recent storylines can be found here. This print collection offers a number of extra features, including guest strips, pin-ups, early development art, and a short strip where Chef Paul teaches how to properly season and bake a chicken. You can buy a copy of the book here.

In all, I felt this was a very hip, human, and humorous comics collection. I'll definitely be back for seconds. (Sorry I could not resist that horrible, horrible, obvious, and horrible pun.)

Thank you, Kevin Church, for the review copy PDF!