Item Specifics

Publisher

Drawn & Quarterly

Item Description

Condition: VF-NMFREEBIE FUN PACKS with EVERY package


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Optic Nerve #1-4

(Drawn and Quarterly 1994)

The Warehouse of Wonders presents the first 4 issues of the D&Q project compiling Adrian Tomine's self published Optic Nerve. Read through two decades of this critically acclaimed work about life in Northern California as told by its Asian-American characters.

Recommended by just about everybody. The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide is all over the first four issues:
"Standouts include 'Dylan and Donovan in 3 when two teenaged sisters try to come to terms with their divorced father on a cross country drive, and 'Fourth of July' in 4, superbly conveying the pain and confusion of a child trying to understand the adult world around him . . .each [issue] occupies the ground somewhere between Jaime Hernandez, Dan Clowes, and Chris Ware . . ."

Jim Johnson's comments in Comicbase:

Few comics are worth a long wait. But Optic Nerve is one of them. And, after an excruciating year-long hiatus, creator Adrian Tomine has now published another issue of his excellent, slice-of-life comic.

Tomine is among the industry’s best at portraying the subtle—and not-so-subtle—nuances of character interaction. As is typical for the series, each issue is a single story with different characters. This issue is set 11 years ago, at a high school under the shadow of the newly launched Persian Gulf War. Alex is a literate but alienated senior who’s suspected of being gay; another character is his only friend, Scotty, a junior whose naivete has insulated him from the pressures of his teen-age years. And there’s Cammie, whose partying ways are the stuff of school legend.

These three characters are the nucleus of the story, and their observations about each other showcase Tomine’s brilliant grasp of human relationships. And there are other, supplemental characters that further enrich the story. It’s almost a shame that each issue is a separate story, because these characters are so well-defined within the scope of their short existence that they are ripe for further exploration.

But it’s also the single-issue stories that make the delay between issues more forgivable, as each issue reads like the start of a new series. It would be a disservice to pass on this series due solely to its erratic publishing schedule. Anyone looking for excellent characterization (that’s well-drawn, no less) will enjoy this title.

All issues are VF-NM, bagged and boarded.

Read this legend for an understanding for how our grading system works:

M = Mint
a
perfect, unread comic. White pages, sharp corners, perfectly aligned
cover, tight staples, sharp square corners, no creases, marks, fading of
any kind - no flaw whatsoever. We have never actually graded a book as
Mint. to Quote Phil Seuling: "Mint is a flavor of chewing gum."

Nm = Near Mint
This
is what most comics look like when purchased new, presuming no
harassment on the racks. Tight staples, glossy cover, sharp corners, no
marks, white pages. Any flaws are HINTS of a flaw. Maybe look very
closely and you the perfectionist will see a miniscule mis-alignment of
the cover with the pages, or the hint of the rounding of a corner. Run
your fingers down the spine and you may feel a crease which isn't
visible to the eye. Those are the kind of things which mean that nearly
all "as new" comics are graded as Near Mint rather than Mint. You will
notice that in our 1000s of listings, we don't use this grade either.
VF-NM is usually our top grade.

VF = Very Fine
Excellent
condition. Sharp, bright and clean. May have minor spine wear or a
small corner crease, or slight surface wear. Often, at first glance a
Very Fine comic will appear Near Mint, although closer inspection will
reveal trace ( but distinct) imperfections. This is typically the best
grade seen for Silver Age comics.

F = Fine
a
nice book, still attractive to look at. An optimistic first glance
might reasonably hope for a VF or even a VF-NM. Staples still firm,
there is at least some gloss, good corners, but closer look reveals yet
more imperfections.

Vg = Very Good
a
solid book. Immediately visible but not dramatic flaws - conversely no
dramatic virtues either. Just clean somewhat worn and solid. Maybe some
creases but no significant tears. Staples still solid. Book still
solid, but clearly worn. 

G = Good
As
VG, but with flaws more pronounced. Creases are a little bigger, maybe a
larger tear, staples still well attached, but may have stress tears
around them. There may be small chips out of the cover. The wear is
everywhere but the book is still sound.

FR = Fair
A
Fair comic is well worn with large flaws, but the book and cover are
still, possibly a piece or two missing from the cover, a staple may be
loose. OK for a reader, a cheap placeholder for a collector.

Pr = Poor
Any
graded book should be complete. A book in POOR has its cover and all
its pages. Things may be loose or waiting to get lost, there may be a
piece missing here or there, but the book is there. Still readable. We
do not give incomplete books a grade. 
Note
that when a grade appears as (VG-F) or something similar, it means the
book was somewhere in-between the two selected grades. And when a
listing appears as (G+), it means that the book was slightly better
than the grade described, or slightly less in the case of (G-). 

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03/09/2010

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New York, United States

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Worldwide

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