Back in 2002, Jeffrey Brown picked up a sketchbook and inked his memories of a recent long distance relationship. Those sketches became “Clumsy,” the first of what would become known as his “Girlfriend Trilogy.” Now, two decades later, Top Shelf Productions has gathered all three into “Loved And Lost: A Relationship Trilogy,” due out on June 14th.
The three graphic novels, “Clumsy,” “Unlikely,” and “Any Easy Intimacy,” explore love and relationships in honest, messy, and awkward detail. Described by Top Shelf as “combining the voyeuristic thrill of reading someone’s explicit diary with the poetic beauty of the best indie songwriting and film,” the books would earn him the praise of “Ghost World” creator Daniel Clowes and This American Life host Ira Glass. “American Elf” creator James Kochalka would call “Clumsy” his “favorite graphic novel ever.” Brown would go onto a career that would see him win both an Ignatz Award (in 2003 for “I Am Going To Be Small”) and back to back Eisners (“Darth Vader And Son” in 2013 and “Vader’s Little Princess” in 2014).
We spoke to Brown about “Loved And Lost.” Also, socks and Jerry Springer. And we’d like to thank him for his time!
“Loved And Lost” drops on June 14 this year, two decades since “Clumsy” first hit shelves. Since then you’ve won multiple awards, written and illustrated seven Star Wars books, and co-wrote a feature film. What’s it like to look back at these early, very personal works?
Jeffrey Brown: It’s very surreal to look back at these autobiographical comics. It’s almost hard for me to believe that I made them, or even that those stories were things that happened to me. Part of that is just the natural effect of time passing, but I think it’s accentuated by all the other work I’ve made, especially so much Star Wars. I’m also kind of jealous of the me that was able to write those graphic novels, because I don’t think I can make comic like that now – so unfiltered and raw, not worrying about anything but what I felt I needed to draw and write.
Going back to when these books came out, did you have any sort of apprehension about publishing something this honest? Because you weren’t shy about some of the more awkward moments.
JB: I was showing Clumsy to a few people before I made the photocopy edition, and the response to that gave me confidence that it was okay to be vulnerable in the work, and that the book could go out into the world. I found that if I trusted the reader in sharing these deeply personal stories the way I would with a friend, for the most part people reacted the way a friend would. Maybe some readers turned out to not be very good friends in that sense. All in all, just owning the awkward, embarrassing mess of those relationships ended up cutting off the effectiveness of a lot of the more personal criticism. I know I was an idiot, that’s what all these stories are about! So it’s not quite as bad a burn to hear someone point that out.
Also, would you recommend watching Jerry Springer with all prospective romantic partners?
JB: Considering the relationship didn’t last, I think I’d have to advise against it. No offense to anyone who still watches shows like that! Instead, I’d recommend watching Our Flag Means Death or Ted Lasso.
Going back even further, how did “Clumsy” come about in the first place? You were studying to be a painter at the time, right?
JB: I was pursuing my MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, thinking I’d become some sort of gallery artist, but people there were decidedly underwhelmed by my paintings. I wasn’t happy with my work, either, but that’s what I was in art school trying to figure out. So to take a break from “serious” art I decided to draw comics, and draw the way I did when I was a kid – just not worrying about anything, and trying to enjoy making art again. Since so much of what I saw in art school was conceptual and self-referential, I chose to make my comic as much about real life as I could possibly make, and it seemed natural to write about the long-distance relationship I was in. Once I started making comics, I realized that was probably the art I should be making. I didn’t really paint the rest of my time at SAIC, and Clumsy was my MFA thesis.
Continued belowEach of the three stories are episodic in their own way, which sort of reflect how quickly the dynamics in each relationship could change. How much of their overall structure was planned out going in versus how much came together organically?
JB: With Clumsy, it was very organic – I’d have an idea of a handful of short stories that I’d want to put in, and then I’d arrange them in a way that I felt captured the ups and downs of a relationship. I let the memories connect and lead to the next thing, trying to capture the way we deconstruct our relationships when we think about them. With Unlikely, I wanted it to be straightforwardly chronological, so there would be the buildup of pressure and expectations until it all inevitably collapses. That required a lot of planning, and I essentially had a panel-by-panel script for the whole book before I started drawing it. With Any Easy Intimacy, I mixed those two extremes – I had an idea of how the book would flow overall, basically following the ups and downs of the relationship, but picking and choosing which moments to depict based on whatever felt right.
Top Shelf Productions has put out your work since almost day one, picking up “Clumsy” after you self-published. How’s it been working with them over the years?
JB: It’s been a great journey. Starting out with Top Shelf allowed me to grow as a cartoonist at a reasonable pace, and I learned a lot about the business side of comics. Chris [Staros] and Brett [Warnock] were always supportive, creatively, financially, emotionally…I had the freedom to make the things I wanted, and always had a spot in their booth at conventions to sign and sell art at. Even after my career evolved and I started working on projects for other bigger publishers, they’ve always been there for me. I feel fortunate to have them as my first publisher, it’s hard to imagine how things would’ve gone with anyone else.
Did you ever get your socks back?
JB: I didn’t, but I have plenty of socks. And of course now that I’m a successful cartoonist, I wear higher quality socks than I did back then.
What about Pokémon Monopoly?
JB: I didn’t get that back, either. I’m sure I would’ve gotten rid of it at some point years ago anyway, so I don’t mind.
