Review Mister Wonderful by Daniel Clowes

MANGA & GRAPHIC NOVEL SPOTLIGHT 

 

  Marshall and Natalie are navigating one of the most dangerous events of single life: The Setup. 

Both are wounded and nervous and as the date unfolds ( after Natalie arrives 40 mins late) there is definitely attraction on Marshall's part. Coffee leads to dinner and an awkward discovery of each other. Natalie needs to leave due to a party and  Marshall watches her leave, the temporary brightness in his life dimmed once more.

 

Fate however is not through with these two though. A stolen purse, a broken arm , and a party that leads to a broken television heightens the emotion and despair of Marshall and the reader.

 

Daniel Clowes is a masterful artist and writer. Every thing about this volume is top notch. From it's rectangular shape to the gorgeous vibrant art and shading of the interior art.  This story really drew me in. I could resonate with both the characters, Marshall struggling to reach for light and brightness through his loneliness, and painful echos of a failed marriage. I felt the strong emotions Natalie feels when confronted with a newly married ex whose wife is expecting a baby, the one thing he never would with Natalie.

A beautiful bittersweet tale. I really couldn't tell the direction Clowes would take take in the final few panels. I held my breath , prepared for tears, only to find a gentle , profound resolution. This book is a definite buy for comic fans and for the graphic novel "curious" ;) This is one of those books that goes well on a coffee table, its eye catching and a treat for anyone who is willing to step into Clowe's world.