Dan Clowe's brilliant new graphic novel: Wilson

Wilson is cartoonist Daniel Clowes' first graphic novel (that is, it's not an anthology of a serial comic book strip). It's about a lonely, unemployed, self-loathing, passive-aggressive sad-sack who goes through life making himself and the people around him miserable. In the beginning, the pages seem to be unconnected, but about a third-of-the way in I had been swept up in the plot, which involves the highly-opinionated Wilson coming to terms with various relatives that he has deeply flawed relationships with.

Like all of Clowes' work, Wilson is darkly funny and moving, and the art is outstanding. He's in top form here. Clowes uses many different cartooning styles to tell the story, which is masterfully presented in a series of 70 one-page vignettes. For the last 10 years or so, Clowes has been writing screenplays, which has sharpened his storytelling and character development skills. The Wilson character is repulsive, but at the same time he is sensitive, intelligent, and insightful about the human condition. I cared about what happened to him.

If you live in or near Los Angeles, Clowes will be at Skylight Books on Friday, May 14, 2010, at 7:30 pm.

After the jump is a video flip-through of the book. Buy Wilson on Amazon

• [Rev. Syung Myung Me]

  “Wilson” is possibly Clowes’ best work, and that’s saying something. If anyone is curious, I did a review of it too, at my site, but the basic gist is:

  a) It’s really good.
  b) It’s Dan Clowes, so of course it’s good
  c) But it’s even really good for Clowes.

  So, y’know, if’n you don’t wanna bother clickin’ that link.

  Seriously, though, Clowes is just amazing.

• [Anonymous]

  Sounds like Harvey Pekar redux

• [David]

  I read Wilson earlier today, by myself, in a mostly empty Starbucks, and it was one of the most depressing experiences in the last year or so. (It was just edged out by a Passover Seder in a hospital room.) A little too close to home, perhaps.

• [OntarioJer]

  Umm, am I the only one who thinks that that guy looks like Kevin Smith in the first frame?

  • [Anonymous]

    I immediately thought Adam Savage from Myth Busters when I saw the first frame.

• [Anonymous]

  This is surreal. My name is Wilson, and that guy and his dog look just like me and my dog except I’m not bald. Am I awake right now?

• [caldrax]

  Also applicable to the final frame, as usual: “christ, what an asshole!”

• [Ernunnos]

  It’s about a lonely, unemployed, self-loathing, passive-aggressive sad-sack who goes through life making himself and the people around him miserable.

  And it’s about time.

• [VoiceUXGuy]

  Hello headline typo!