good life don weaken good life don weaken graphic novel canadian cartoonist appeared collected volume issues comic book series mock autobiographical story tells author obsessive search work fictional forgotten cartoonist presents fictional book work autobiography features figures life friend fellow cartoonist minimalist artwork draws styles early new_yorker rendered thick heavy blacks blue wash story nostalgic tone scenes reader tour landscapes book gained reputation autobiographical comics trend 1990s won awards ranked best comics 20th century background cartoonist based toronto drew attention work took art duties brothers toronto publisher april launched comic book montreal publisher drawn quarterly time artwork evolved style inspired new_yorker cartoons 1930s 1940s self autobiography prominent genre alternative comics early 1990s drawing influence works earlier underground generation focused autobiographical stories friends appeared prominently fellow toronto based featured autobiographical comics work fiction presented good life don weaken autobiographical story approach inspired mixed autobiography fiction comics showed far restraint content work matt brown comics revealed personal details authors habits share melancholy self approach synopsis cartoonist collecting cartoons items eras modern world criticizes particular friend fellow cartoonist searching information cartoonist comes cartoon signed new_yorker fond older style resembles sets find obscure cartoonist begins relation woman named spots conducting search toronto reference library remains self absorbed pays little attention interests shows enthusiasm discovers real learns spent life childhood hometown makes visit refuses allow accompany month later breaks relationship later regret years progress finds run real estate business daughter inherited death returns interviews daughter year old mother learns spent years cartoonist new_york gave real estate returning marrying mother kept collection son work lost moved nursing home end cartoons found book publication good life don weaken serialized issues december june comic book published drawn quarterly appeared collected form september publisher said mother title phrase growing cover labelled work picture allowed avoid term graphic novel instead use sounding term term later book length works fiction book translated number languages french edition appeared edition faithful production original english blue wash pages different translation italian version followed editions appeared german spanish dutch editions appeared danish korean polish style analysis story takes place 1980s follows cartoonist life revolves collecting nostalgic items feels ill ease modern world eras time began serial developed style derivative new_yorker 1930s 1940s book appendix describes possibly new_yorker greatest stylist sophisticated satirical mood thick sense work simple organic gives attention buildings landscapes weather conditions background details thick black shadows figures near abstract blue wash accents black white novel printed yellow paper giving aged feeling book scenes atmospheric landscapes particular focus older buildings section opens sequence plot detail buildings greater simplified characters self twist character point discusses love new_yorker style story drawn manner brown expresses appreciation lack enthusiasm cartoonist fictional revealed book produces cartoons new style distinct art rest book use real person comment work makes fictional cartoonist existence plausible actual photograph final page strongly nostalgic tone narrative character searches peace meaning life narrative presented displays protagonist problems self doubts point depicted naked talks obsession past childhood earlier eras dialogue friends streets encounters tend sided revealing reactions city foot cars public transportation rarely appear talks friends rifles book shops literary theorist character fits wandering urban pedestrian touch time obsessed past past collects consumer items earlier 20th century focus primarily period 1930s 1950s time feels particularly canadian goes far wear old fashioned broad hat passing teenagers saying looks like declares chester think life simpler easier people find personal happiness brown saying think difficult people happy future allows memories childhood dominate thoughts recognizes criticizes decay old things evocative sadness vanished past buildings perfectly preserved wouldn despite consciousness continues pursue collecting photographs motif family portraits wedding shots focus motif old apartment building image appears moments questions search neglected work similarly unnoticed left decay male centred viewpoint dominated english language comic books 20th century exceptions placed women subordinate roles victims sex objects academic narrative viewpoint follows tradition book little common masculine generally associated mainstream comic books author female characters play peripheral roles character obsessive collecting self absorption relationships females times encourage find meaning life outside comics advice ignores book highlights overwhelmingly masculine collector world hints book brothers book store character panel store sign obscured book visible suggesting book inherent collecting intelligent provides love interest manages feed self absorption attracted physically takes second place life obsession real discovers finds know satisfactory answer chester like leads conversation thoughts interests changes subject ends leaving event conversation protagonist draws parallels read comics withdrawn personality risk taking declares true quotes character comic strip problem big complicated run away mother home calls sealed amber changes provides safe berth changing modern world comics scholar giving duties provides protagonist opportunity evaluate life failed obsessive collecting relationship family particular mother home emotional safety zone character declares like inside cardboard boxes close enjoyed safe confined space mother place lot like boxes finds hard understand fact cartoonist career find happiness years life come accept visit mother nursing home discovers collection remain incomplete family filled cartoons long ago threw away end story found mere mother reveals choice face anxiety life choices good life mean mother son past provides contrast views deals world reception legacy middle reviewer called good life don weaken essential potential medium publication good life primary inspiration cartoonist efforts thoughts potential graphic novel form book won award inaugural ceremony collection book placed best comics 20th century book appeared graphic novels read list british journalist list best graphic novels ranked scottish herald greatest graphic novels time list rolling_stone list novels book publication achieved particularly high level critical popular recognition compared canadian according academic canadian graphic novel crossover underground praise mainstream praise cartoonist solo exhibit art gallery ontario toronto good life sold copies english called primary influence reputation design led books enlisting designer new_yorker obsessed managed work published new_yorker including cover march issue followed good life similar work nostalgic began following issue finish published number stand books
It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken