Why I Like Adrian Tomine*

1) Mmm his drawings are just so black-and-white clean.

2) There's always one or two Asian/Eurasian characters in there. 

3) I can relate to his characters: they're always stumbling about unable to get over past loves or meet new ones. But -

4) His characters are severely fugged-up to an extent that I (hope) I will never be fugged-up. They have no self-knowledge, they never transcend their problems, and they are hopelessly, irretrievably emotionally disconnected. So while I can relate to them, I still get to feel slightly superior.

* Housemate Andrew and I are debating the pronunciation of his surname. Is it To-Meen? Or (and this possible given his Japanese-American background), To-Mee-Ne??