Grand Gestures
By Robert Ullman
Published by Alternative Comics
See, this is exactly what I'm looking for.
Grand Gestures is a human and unpretentious look at a group of friends, presented with honesty, humility and a sense of fun -- a charming but not cloying character piece that possesses a quiet lyricism suggesting the general themes of Adrian Tomine married to the charms of James Kochalka.
Ken, Perry and Brady are three 20-something guys with very different approaches to life and romance. Ken is involved in a relationship with Audrey, who loves him and is serious about their relationship. Unnfortunately for her, Ken wants out and is trying to find the perfect moment to escape. Perry has an unspoken crush on a bookstore employee named Martha, and decides to make his move after she leaves her job. Perry is a roguish ne'er do well (you can tell because he has Wolverine's hair -- kidding, Robert, I'm kidding) who manages to score just about every time he tries.
The three have a solid, uncomplicated three-way friendship, and its dynamics ring true for me. The totality of Grand Gestures has that subtle sense of verisimilitude, little moments and tics that show Ullman to be a keen observer of people and their interactions -- and he is skilled at translating the complexities into pen and ink. Despite their occasional loathsome habits, virtually all the characters here have a redeeming quality to them, something about them that convinces you they'd be fun to spend time with. As, indeed, they are.
They're not all fun and games, though -- Ken, especially, seems a bit of a shitheel, despite a general sense that he's a decent guy. The conclusion of the first of two stories in this issue finds him unsettled and pained at the knowledge of what he has chosen to do to his girlfriend to let her know he's done with their relationship. Ullman manages to keep the reader sympathetic with him, though -- no small feat. If I have any complaint at all, it would be that Ullman could have spent more time examining why Ken is so unhappy in his relationship with Audrey -- but perhaps that's fodder for future stories.
The concluding story in this issue is "Late Show," a five-page vignette focusing on the efforts of Ken, Brady and Perry to get to the last showing of a movie before it starts. It's a slight piece but rich in character, and oriented away from the more relationship-fueled drama of the longer, opening story. It's a nice PS that highlights Ullman's versatility as a storyteller and has a funny, Seinfeld-esque arc.
Ullman has a few nice transitional moments that demonstrate his strengths as a cartoonist -- an alarm clock signifying the start of a new day, or one of the characters concentrating on a crossword puzzle. The technique proves Ullman's confidence in his narrative, marking him as a true storyteller who knows how to lead the reader through his tale to achieve the beats he wants to convey. It's not terribly unusual in a gifted cartoonist, but it is surprising in someone who's work is so new to me and relatively unknown.
The presentation of Grand Gestures is top-notch, a smaller-than-usual comic with a cardstock cover, elegant production design and unusual choice of inks -- a pale gray that's almost black but not quite, reproduced on cream-coloured paper. The combination of paper and ink colour suggests a wistfulness, as if we're seeing these events somewhat nostalgically. I'm not generally a fan of full-length colour experiments, but this one works spectacularly well and enhances rather than distracting from the reading experience.
Grand Gestures is one of those works that instantly sells me on its creator, putting Ullman on my must-read list for future projects. I'd love to see more issues of this title, but on the strengths of the story I'd check out anything Ullman chooses to do in the future. Grade: 4.5/5