Shortcomings, by Adrian Tomine

One hazard of reviewing graphic novels is getting material from critically-acclaimed authors that falls flat. Such is the case of Shortcomings (Drawn and Quarterly/$19.95), which collects material from Adrian Tomine’s comic book Optic Nerve (issues #9-11).

The book revolves around the life of Ben Tanaka, a movie theater manager with many issues for the reader to suffer through. Just about every conversation he has with girlfriend Miko ends in a fight, including one conflict centered on Ben’s obsession with white women. He has a slightly better rapport with Alice, his best friend and a lesbian who seems hellbent on hooking up with every woman she meets. Eventually, Miko accepts an internship in New York, leaving Ben to date around, first with an employee/performance artist, then with a bisexual grad student. After both potential romances fizzle, Ben goes to New York . . . not to woo Miko back, but because Alice finds some revealing photos of her that she comes across.

Sure, the art is neat and basic, but there are no characters to root for whole-heartedly. Ben is a socially stunted man-child, and there’s no real reason why he and Miko could have been a couple to begin with, given the number of arguments that they have. Alice not only chases women often, she drags Ben to meet her parents under the pretense that he’s her boyfriend. Miko herself seems nice enough, but the final act reveals a small secret of hers. Still, she comes off better than Ben, who is unable to change, unwilling to evolve. In the end, Shortcomings comes up short.

-Jason Borelli