New York Drawings

While many of his graphic novels are set in his home state of California, Adrian Tomine relocated to New York City in 2004, and has provided illustrations for The New Yorker since the early 2000s. The newly released New York Drawings collects his contributions to the arts and culture magazine, and serves as both a showcase of his talents as well as a love letter to the title city. Listing Tomine's work chronologically, the book traces his involvement with The New Yorker over the years, starting with cartoons that accompanied movie reviews, to his first cover, "Missed Connection," which graced a November 2004 issue. Featuring two young people in opposite-moving subway trains who briefly glimpse each other, the image captures the romance and alienation synonymous with New York; it has since gone on to become Tomine's best-known work. Other gems that take a slice-of-life approach include his series for a January 2008 issue: "Be Kind," "Be Pure, "Be Fair," etc. These depict such everyday dramas as two persons racing for the same taxi, or a commuter having to decide whether to help out a stranger -- at the risk of missing his train.

Thanks to the author's clean art style, reminiscent of Daniel Clowes, the architectural details of New York pop visually. However, what gives the city its soul comes from the author's occasional sense of whimsy: "Bored of Tourism," for example, depicts a teen who would rather read her book than snap pictures of passing sites; meanwhile, "Winter Break" features an ice cream truck parked in the midst of a snowstorm. New York Drawings reflects on Tomine's artist/muse relationship with his adopted city, but it's also a diverse collection of well-executed cartoons inspired by a one-of-a-kind setting.