comixology:A comiXologist Recommends (a book about the little details in life) The Less Than Epic
comixology: A comiXologist Recommends (a book about the little details in life) The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal Amal Chakravarthy, an anxious med student, has made a deal with a laid back stranger to drive them from Berkeley, CA to Providence, RI in time for Amal’s sister’s graduation. It’s the kind of decision you make when you come out to your parents, ruin their arranged wedding plans for you, get disowned, and get trashed. TJ, his passenger, has offered to pay for all expenses while the pair drive from coast-to-coast, growing closer together as they run away from their problems in California. This is their less-than-epic adventure. The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal is a comic that explores the little details we tend to miss when our world gets turned upside down: the complicated lives of the other Waffle House patrons, oft-overlooked natural beauty, the subtle expression you make when a casual conversation takes a personal detour. Cartoonist E.K. Weaver ( @bigbigtruck ) breathes life into every page with her focus on conveying emotional beats, taking the time to nail each expression and communicate the feelings behind everything her characters say, and the thoughts that go unsaid. Her sublime visual storytelling makes it feel so sincere and earned whenever TJ and Amal find unexpected understanding out of their disparate lives, and it exposes the heart of the funny road trip conversations that Weaver writes with equal charm. Weaver grounds TJ and Amal’s goofy hijinks in true-to-life locales. Her gorgeously rendered environments convey the specific atmospheres of each rest stop and hotel the pair find themselves in between the coasts. Each location is filled with unique characters with rich internal lives, adding to the authenticity of the adventure without losing the focus on Amal and TJ’s relationship. The strong command of body language that Less Than Epic’s storytelling hinges on adds layers of character development to Amal and TJ’s intimate moments, and, to be blunt, it makes these scenes even hotter. Tight visual storytelling and beautiful anatomy sell each little beat, channeling the perfect amount of emotion while making each act feel tangible and, uh, appropriately sweaty. Each steamy scene is essential; they beautifully portray the evolution of Amal and TJ’s relationship, with their vulnerabilities fully on display, but that undercurrent of anxiety raises the sexy bar instead of making the sex come across as an unfeeling narrative device. The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal is an emotionally rich joyride across America, exploring two vulnerable and fully realized men as they discover something new on the road to Providence. This collection is the definitive edition of an all-time favorite comic, so don’t miss this exit! Eric Alexander Arroyo is a Brooklyn-based cartoonist and a Digital Editor at comiXology. He’s probably drawing giant robots and listening to ABBA. -- source link
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