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Scenes from an Impending Marriage

By Troy-Jeffrey Allen
March 2, 2011 - 14:12

Romance comics. Ugh. The very mention of such mawkish funny book twaddle makes this he-man/fanboy want to disgorge his chicken and cashew nuts. The idea of replacing a perfectly good superhero brawl with 56 pages of touchy-feely optimism can only be followed by a century-long eye roll. Yes, I'm bitter --- lemony, even --- so why does Adriane Tomine's powder blue graphic novel of pre-wedding jitters sit in front of me? Why have I read it from cover to cover completely satisfied? Well, because Scenes from an Impending Marriage is devoid of sentimentalism. Because it typifies the unspectacular portions of romance…and that is a relationship that I can understand.

In Scenes from an Impending Marriage, Adrian Tomine (Optic Nerve) recounts the passive aggressive tug of war that led up to his real life wedding day. Living out of New York, he and his future wife (Sarah) have to find some sort of balance between tradition and finances. They debate over the location of the wedding, who to invite, and music, all while trying desperately to not slight their parents’ endless advice. Essentially, all the boring stuff that makes it palpable.

While "Adrian" and "Sarah" are comic book characters, they do have flesh and blood counterparts. Real world Tomine has seemingly kept their idiosyncrasies intact as he translated his non-adventures to paper. Particularly (in a very appropriate Woody Allen-styled approach) he seems more than willing to poke fun of his own quirks. The writer/artist depicts himself as the overly-sensitive creator hiding behind his own cleverness (guilty as charged). Humorously, Sarah has to constantly call him out on his B.S.

Fortunately for Earth-Prime Adrian and Sarah (and the reader), their funny book versions make a likeable pair. Their dynamic is clear and their relationship is written with agreeable matter-of-factness. So much, in fact, that it doesn't even spotlight the wedding itself. Scenes from an Impending Marriage doesn't need it. The graphic novel contains so much relatable understatement that even the world's most jaded heart will feel compelled to wish Adrian and Sarah all the best.

Rating: 7 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12