Detail-oriented, perfectionist, highly-caffeinated, self-conscious (and self-critical) readers of Adrian Tomine's comics memoir will relate –  and laugh – while absorbing every word, line and nuance of this work;  especially his fellow cartoonists, as who more embodies these traits than them?  This cleverly – and attractively – produced volume is a facsimile of the sketchbook – complete with blueline grid – in which it was produced, adding to the frisson – again, especially for fellow cartoonists – while providing at least a simulacrum of the vicarious pleasure of looking at the work in situ.  

As always, Tomine's cartooning is highly engaging and one is propelled through the pages – it really is hard to put down.   Tomine's recollections begin nearly forty years ago with his first days at a new school and continue on from there, along the way strongly reinforcing the conclusion reached by many psychological studies (Exhibit A), that negative incidents make stronger memories than positive ones and that these are also more often – and more clearly – recalled.  Here in the pages of The Loneliness of the Long Distance Cartoonist, humiliations loom larger than successes, and the sting of awkward moments continues to echo through the years long after the good vibrations have faded.  But there are, to be sure, uplifting moments as well, and a case can be made – and Tomine appears to be making it – that, at the end of the day, these painful memories are what spur us on into our futures...

Here's an interview with Adrian, conducted by Shelby Shaw, just up on The Believer.