Writer/Artist: Leela Corman
Publisher: Alternative Comics (ISBN: 1-891867-14-8; Diamond Code: STAR 16775)
"Hey, you'd be pretty if you smiled."
"It's a grievous fucking world."
Things weren't so straightforward for me when I was in my teens. Admittedly boarding school's a bit different, but we didn't tend to have girlfriends or boyfriends. We had infatuations, we had sex, and I for one fell in love with a friend but did nothing about it except kid myself, evade and obsess, while making-do with others (the ratio of ingredients was something like 3 parts ignorance, 2 parts denial, just 1 part evasion and 94 parts obsession; the 'making-do' bit is on a need to know basis, and I can't think that anyone here needs to know). But none of us would have said we were 'going out' with anyone, no matter how close, nor did we define ourselves as single.
On top of that, routine self-defence lay in verbal sabres, competition between supposed friends, and sniping behind backs before being unexpectedly ambushed with public confrontations, in an ugly rat race which I can honestly say I consciously got the fuck out of before I even took 'O' Levels (GCSEs). The whole thing seemed dangerous, unstable and completely dishonourable - and no way to live your life.
Leela Gorman has all this down to a T. Tina's young life lacks most of the elements that commonly define its boundaries. With no particular direction, she's left to dream wistfully of her best friend Evan, a laid-back indie type, who does have a girlfriend, Julie, in Germany. Evan and Tina are so obviously comfortable together, even physically so, until Evan, generous in his affection, attempts any form of compliment, anything approaching a progression from friendship. In the meantime Tina makes do with James, a brat with a piggy nose, some disgusting habits, and a complete lack of loyalty, sexual or otherwise. Her friends bitch about her behind her back, something that shouldn't come as any surprise since she's happy to join in dishing the dirt on boys along with the rest of them - but it does, brutally, when they round on her in a cafe.
As the book moves on it becomes increasingly clear that Evan and Tina would stand a chance of being happy together, that Evan is genuine in his overtures, not just attempting to boost a friend's confidence, but Tina allows herself to be manipulated by James into a meaningless act ("What's the point in hanging out if we never have sex?") just to "get it out of the way", and between that and the confrontation with her girl friends, Tina resorts to an angry defence which threatens to drive them apart forever.
Gorman surprised me here. Her earlier work, QUEEN'S DAY, seemed self-indulgent, awkward and pointless. And although I'm not entirely convinced the art is still fully accomplished, it is a vast improvement, with a bold simplicity and a certain style and confidence. Moreover she's managed to evoke an area of relationships difficult to define, and done it with pin-point accuracy.
Visit Page45 Online!
What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!