Beg the Question s/c by Bob Fingerman

by Bob Fingerman

Excellent Book

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Memoir

Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Recent releases are From the Ashes, a satirical "speculative memoir" set in post-apocalyptic New York (IDW, March 2010) of which The Onion wrote, “As a blitz of astringent satire, an unabashed love letter to his wife, and a love-hate manifesto aimed at the whole human race, From The Ashes is a gem; as an addition to the often-staid canon of post-apocalyptic pop culture, it’s a revelation… A“

In August 2010 my second novel, Pariah (Tor Books), a Pinteresque zombie tale, was released. It rec'd a starred review from Publishers Weekly and an A- from Entertainment Weekly and was Fangoria's Book of the Month selection. The mass market pocket edition came out in 2011.

My most recent release is the deluxe oversized hardcover collection Maximum Minimum Wage, from Image Comics (April 2013), which made Entertainment Weekly's Must List and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

Reviews

[D.M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are those who make great autobiographical (or even pseudo-) comics. You've got your Crumb, your Pekar (with other artists, admittedly), your Joe Matt and Ed Brubaker. These are guys who are unashamed to show themselves at their worst as much as they do at their (occasional) best, who know how to tell a story in the medium and manage to do so with skill and talent.
Then there's Bob Fingerman.
I have to say, back in the day (late 80s/early 90s) I was a sucker for Fingerman. I dug his art and his lumpy people, and found his stories involving and -- it must be said -- sexy. But I was in my 20s, and I've clearly outgrown these old tales of him around the same age.
Now, I just find his characters insufferable, and his writing too stilted and utterly unbelievable as humans speaking. Add to this my continuing disbelief that he needed to REDO the entire first book of Minimum Wage to make this book, then mysteriously cut off the last issue of that series for this reprinting of those stories, and I just get angry! Of course the final piss-off in this volume is Hoffman bitching about how comics aren't art -- mainly because that's the public perception of them, he says -- and that he can't wait until he breaks free of them. (Now, apparently, Fingerman has written a 'real' book. It's about vampires. Well done, man, NOW you're makin' art!)
By the last few pages of this book, I couldn't stand the characters (particularly Fingerman's petty and irritating alter-ego Rob Hoffman) one minute longer. And now I'm getting rid of this as well as the individual Minimum Wage graphic novels I've kept all this time.
Adios, Fingerman. Been not-so-nice knowing you.

[Hannah Garden · Rating 1 out of 5]

Full disclosure I hated this with the passion of a thousand bees and hard skimmed the last 15% because my god no thank you.

[Chris Everson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow.

So many thoughts about this and none of them positive. I don't know where to begin.

People have raved over this for some time (it's a collection of strips from Fingerman's 'Minimum Wage' series), so when I saw a hardback copy of this at my office's charity book sale for 50p I grabbed it. I was so pleased with myself. It's packaged really well and looks great.

Now on to what is inside.

I'm obviously not the demographic, not being a twentysomething, jewish or a New Yorker. I honstly STILL don't know what Fingerman's objectives are with this. Is it to shock? Is it to titilate? Is it to arouse pity? I have no idea.

It concerns pornographic cartoonist Rob and his girlfriend Sylvia and their relationship... and all of their frankly unlikeable friends. Neither Rob or Sylvia are nice. Everyone spouts absolute garbage that is quite nasty, but I get the feeling you are supposed to empathise with them. The sex=scenes are just embarrasing (an example being "That's it oooh yeah nice and gentle. Don't lick the button. Work around it. Make me go nuts"... I should have known when this was mentioned as a high point in the foreward. All that I find vile in people seems to be celebrated here. I just don't get it. The art isn't to my liking, which does not help.

But that's not the biggest fault. I don't mind smut. Even awful smut. What offended me most was that this was so BORING. Nothing happens. They're just a bunch of losers wasting their days away. And that's it. There is no more to the story. As I see it, this is the author showing his life as he wished it in a hand-jerk story where he is Rob. I say, good luck getting off to it before falling aslezzzzzzzzzz......

[Chloe A-L · Rating 1 out of 5]

jesus i can't believe i slogged my way through this whole shitty hateful boring piece of crap. i wish i could give this less than one star. i wish i could punch bob fingerman in the nose.

[Matthew Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first found Bob Fingerman's work sitting in the discount bin of an ivy league college bookstore alongside a bunch of Vaughn Bode, Jack Johnson, and (I shit you not) a near-complete collection of Omaha: the Cat Dancer; all of them like orphans adrift outside the purview of the pre-law, pre-med, and business-degree chasers. Clearly I owe a debt of gratitude to some idealistic employee who brought these comics to such an unlikely place in the hopes of someone like me finding them where they least expected and appreciating them. Maybe I'm over-romanticizing, but it's what I would do as a bookseller.

Now, to the book in question:

Beg The Question is the story of Rob and Sylvia. Rob's a struggling cartoonist paying the bills with a few kiddie gag cartoons and a lot of porno illustration and cartooning work. Sylvia is assistant-manager of a salon in New York where they both live. It’s a funny, often fun, very indie comic.

-Regarding the art, my edition has an intro by Jerry Stahl that describes Rob as "scrawny" and Sylvia as "a pretty Ernest Borgnine." Extremely apt. Fingerman's characters are delightfully grotesque caricatures, expressive, emotive, and strange. Yet the style actually dissuade wackier "cartoony" flourishes like bugging eyes and rubbery over-emoting of Warner Bros. that feels, to me, slightly off. It's somehow perfect for this story.

Bob, if I may call him Bob (and I shall), originally serialized this work under the moniker "Minimum Wage". He's gone back, retouched the art and added a grey tone. I wish he'd been a little more restrained with the grey. It seems a little overbearingly used. I've been thinking a lot about the use of greys in black & white art lately, and its use to aid the narrative flow and drawing the eye across the page. Bob doesn't do that here. He does use it well to add depth to his characters and compositions and as a shading to his world (the preponderance of grey fits Rob’s view of his world and New York’s omniscient presence).

I have other quibbles (mild spoilers): Occasionally Bob works in a borderless panel… did every single one of these need the figures greyed out? We already have a complete lack of background to bring attention to them, we need to additionally emphasize them? It works when used as a window into introspective moments, but not as EVERY moment.

The linework, originally published at magazine size, really tightens up nicely for the bookstore-sized collection. The retouches on the art are interesting. It looks like he used a light box to guide him and he retraced the artwork. As a result, the look of the book is really consistent for something done over a long period of time.

-If you’re noticing I’m spending a lot of time on the art and not the story, it’s because the art is easier to summarize. The story is, loosely, of Rob and Sylvia’s journey from “dating” to “living together” to “engaged” to the alter. Each chapter is a chronicle of mundane life: finding an apartment, dealing with aging parents, putting up with friends, Rob’s excursions in the name of a cartooning career, bickering over petty things and never really changing each others’ minds but (at best) accepting the decision to agree to disagree…

Little bits of life. Frustrations made bearable by little graces. Sex. Absurdities. More sex. Really a lot of sex. And really a lot of the story is held together by the very real and sincere relationship between Rob and Sylvia that is both autobiographical and fictional and works well as both (the autobio doesn’t get in the way of the fictional, and vice versa) which is a very, very hard trick to pull off.

It’s a loose story, good at mood, filled with two characters holding on to each other. The biggest theme might be dealing with the major changes in life (unexpected pregnancies, death, work and the lack thereof) that are thrown at Rob and Sylvia as they find themselves on the path to one that they can choose: the decision to marry. Life’s uncertainties herein particularly focus on life and death. Relatives die in at least two chapters, and an accidental pregnancy has to be dealt with as well. Rob is dead-set against kids, Sylvia wants them someday. Can they deal with this? They’re going ahead anyway?

In regards to many of these bigger moments, Fingerman handles himself well and his characters act and reflect with sincerity and define themselves by their actions. It’s in the minutiae between moments that Fingerman can’t seem to get out of his own way.

It isn’t enough that Rob has a nightmare about being eaten alive (literally has the hand that would feed them bitten) by his potential offspring, not enough that he wakes up and has a pretty frank and comprehensive conversation with Sylvia about their unfortunate pregnancy situation, he then has to underline it with a though balloon in a borderless panel with a grey-toned face. “Show” or “tell”? Fingerman chooses the latter.

It is, in fact, a dense book. Very wordy. Sometimes this works fine because the dialogue is funny and quick, sometimes it’s clearly the work of a young cartoonist who can’t always bear to part with his precious words. It requires slowing down and taking the comic in on its own terms. It took me a while to get into the comic because of that.

Looking over what I just typed, there’s a lot of criticism mixed in with the appeal, and while it’s kind of fitting for the tone of Bob’s book, every problem I may have had with Beg The Question was the result of an author’s decision – and at least they’re clearly choices made consistently by an author in control of the story he is telling. So if I’m saying this is a good comic despite myself, then I’d be interested in reading more Bob Fingerman comics in the future, right? I beg the question (even if I may abuse the phrase).

[Allisonv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compilation of the main story from the Minimum Wage comics that is probably my favorite graphic novel. Fantastic witty snarky dialog and great depiction of the joys and pains of an adult hetero relationship. Friends, family, love, sex, identity, jobs, money, crazy landlords, public transit drama, and much more. The detailed imagery of NYC is incredible, from subway stations to the assortment of maniacs on the street at any time. Makes me laugh and cry. Lots of sex and naked people. Depicts the hipster geek world without trying too hard.

[Giacomo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book sounds, looks, smells true, but it's also very funny and poignant. This is not Yet Another Tale of Saddos a la Daniel Clowes, and it's not as crazy as your usual Charles Burns' follower. It's a very Gen-X tale of people struggling to live their own unique life as everyday new-yorkers, and it's sad and funny and crazy as real life is. If you want to "do an indie book" because you're into Clowes, then you should read this first and understand that the bar is much, much higher.

[MariNaomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book (much of the original material I'd read in the mid-nineties in the Minimum Wage comic) made me nostalgic--for youthful, turbulent relationships, for urban life (and clothing styles) in the nineties, for misanthropic twenty-something boys, for the days when left-leaning folks were less politically correct (and sometimes downright offensive). I don't miss those times, not at all. But it was interesting to revisit, if only to show me how much has changed in the past fifteen+ years. Oh, and the art is amazing.

[Michael WOZNY · Rating 4 out of 5]

A snapshot of one of New York City's recent Pre-Guiliani past, Fingerman details his life of NY squalor with many vivid details. Beg The Question is alternative or indy comics at their best. It takes everyday life and elevates it to art. Through attention to detail and rich observation, Fingerman bestows his poverty laden characters with empathy and nobility.

[HeavyReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this comic about relationships. I assume it's based on the author's own life, but I'm not sure. A good read.

[Chris Estey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect semi-autobiographical underground comics. Great dialogue and art I could look at for years.

[Regan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. It was OK. I enjoyed it enough to keep reading, the art was interesting, the characters were pretty interesting, it was a decent story.

Then. Bob Fingerman did one of Regan's Reading Cardinal Sins. He put HIMSELF in the semi-autobiographical graphic novel. As a character. That his main character talks to. You know, because the main character isn't ALREADY HIM.

OMG I cannot even TELL you how much I HATE HATE HATE OMG HATE self-referential writers! I don't mind if you are writing about yourself and you refer to yourself that way. I certainly don't mind if you've written other stuff and you refer to it as a natural continuation of a world, even if the books aren't a direct overlap.

But when you insert yourself and bring my fourth wall CRASHING to earth? It makes me want to set your book on fire and then throw it into the deepest part of the ocean after it burns. Seriously. Do not do that. Ever.

Like. EVER.

So. A book I otherwise liked OK became a book that I wanted to destroy in a serious way.

I still finished it. But I was mad the whole time.

[Scott Ollar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good. As a youth, I was a huge comic book reader/collector. As I grew older, I found myself abandoning the artform, and selling most of my 26,000 volume collection. Except for the first 200 issues of the Amazing Spider-Man. A man's got to preserve some ties to his youth, after all.

In college, I found myself drawn to underground comics, especially adult themed books. R. Crumb, Omaha the Cat Dancer, and other similar titles dominated my last years collecting.

Recently, I have found myself slowly returning to the genre. I prefer graphic novels, so that I can read reviews and find titles that I might find interesting. I really enjoyed Fingerman's work and art. It's a layered tale of two young lovers trying to figure out their place in the complicated world of NYC, dealing with relationships, sexuality, marriage, children, death and careers. Read it.

[Michael Kitchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend guided me to "Love and Rockets" by the Hernandez Brothers, and since then I've appreciated stories/graphic novels of sequential art featuring real people in a fictional real world. No superheroes, sci-fi, or fantasy.

Beg the Question (and it's the 2002 hardcover edition I read, not featured here on GoodReads) is such a real-world story. I enjoyed the art and I felt like I knew these characters from my own experience, (except the women...which is by fault of my own sheltered, suburban life). I enjoyed this thoroughly.

[Kevix Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

It contains references to nyc I recognize as Creedmoor, Mt. Golda Cemetery, Moma, Lydia Lunch, the Subway and more

[J. Gonzalez- Blitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collected, largely autobiographical collection of Fingerman's "Minimum Wage" series follows the relationship of a young bohemian couple in New York in the early 90's, from their decision to move in together to their wedding day. (I assume this is not a spoiler as the cake topper is the book's cover) "Rob Hoffman" is an aspiring comic artist currently relegated to providing wank material for low level porn publications and Mad magazine knockoffs. Sylvia Fanucci is a hairdresser and apparently some sort of aspiring musician, though we never see her really pursue this in the book the way Rob pursues his art. Between all this, they deal with friends, family, landlords, and above all else, New York City. Which is a big part of why I enjoy this so much - it's a portrayal of life in NYC see that I can relate to far more than anything that occurs in "Friends" or "Sex In The City" or what have you. I recognize these locations; I know half of these people (or at least know who they are.) And whether Fingerman is lampooning strip joints, comic conventions, the CoT circle (LOL @ the names "Bedelia Brunch" and "Dick Coyne") or even the endless carrot on a stick that was "portfolio drop off day" with art directors, he pretty much nails it. Which is not to say that this book is just some wankfest for New Yorkers in the know, it's not that at all. The real strength of the book lies in the depiction of the relationship between Rob and Sylvia as they face the challenges of everything from jealous friends to abortion (kudos to Bob for not flinching away from this subject or having the characters apologize for their decision!)Though they have their moments of tension, Rob and Sylvia are a loving and mutually supportive couple. Rob's relationship to most of his friends, however, seems a little more one-sided, which I suppose is one of the pitfalls of working in the autobio milieu. Often Rob comes across as more savvy and together than his crew of friends, neurotic Jack, self-absorbed trustafarian Matt and self-pitying Max. There's also a guy named Brian who shows up from time to time, he seems cool except in one instance where he refuses to back up Rob in an altercation he is indirectly responsible for. Only Rob seems to enjoy a healthy relationship--though Matt is dating a stripper, he seems definitely more invested in the relationship than she is. I'd love to see a follow up to this book that perhaps focusses on what happens to these other characters, but Fingerman seems to have moved on to other territory.

[Ero · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent book that seems like it should be really irritating: it's about fairly obnoxious young gen-xers in 1990s Brooklyn. We live the details of their lives with them, and for the most part their lives are grating and loathesome: they're snobbish and neurotic, more than a little misanthropic on occasion. What's remarkable is that they remain likeable; the writing is strong enough that we can feel for them. And the art is top-notch.

The portraiture of the city itself is fascinating-- having lived in Brooklyn, but only in the Bloomberg era of prosperity-for-most, I recognize the grimy scenery but not the feeling of squalor/rancor. In the Brooklyn I know, gentrification's made a playground for the wealthy, and the poor have been pushed out-- nowadays this is a paradise for middle-class white kids like the ones in this novel. (Well, as long as they continue to be able to pay the ever-escalating rents). Whereas the characters here seem desperate to escape the dinginess of their environment. I have to think that the richness of the feeling of place in this book says a lot about how well it's written & drawn.

There's abundant amounts of joyful (and emotionally engaged) sex in the book, which is primarily about the main character's reluctant steps toward emotional commitment (um, specifically, marriage) with the woman he loves.

All in all, very entertaining, and touching too.

[C.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

According to the Author's Note, Beg the Question (which began its life as a series of smaller works called "Minimum Wage") took something like ten years to create, which is amazing since it seems to be unfolding in real time, right in front of you. I'm not one for delayed gratification most of the time, and especially not when I'm enjoying something as much as I did this book, but fortunately a hectic schedule forced me to read it slowly over the course of a week, and that let me savor it in a way I might not have otherwise.

Fingerman's dialogue is fantastic, and his renderings of the characters, while cartoonish in a way (a way that is ENTIRELY unconnected to his choic of medium), make each of them real and alive. Like any good work of fiction, I saw something of myself in these people and their lives. I felt like I understood them, and if I met them, they might understand me. I wanted to be their friend. That's not an easy thing to achieve in a book, especially a graphic work (where you not only hear the characters in your mind, but see them on the page), but here Fingerman makes it seem effortless and natural. Like they were waiting to meet me this whole time.

[Mpho3 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't say I enjoyed this book. I hate to be shallow but one huge turn off for me is that I found his work aesthetically unappealing. Fingerman has some talent and yet his drawing are sooooo ugly. I couldn't stand it. It's not that I only like to look on "beautiful" people, but I literally found Fingerman's drawings grotesque. Case in point: Rob Hoffman's eyebrows look like Vienna sausages, and you can't tell if the characters are sweating or have pustules on their skin. As far as the storylines go, I guess I didn't find it terribly interesting. Realistic, yes. Interesting, not really. I think there is a lot of potential there--as individuals all the characters are interesting, but their experiences together weren't particularly engaging. Overall, I'd say the book is nothing special.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting graphic novel about Rob and Sylvia. Rob draws porn comics while Sylvia cuts hair. Various strange characters come in and out of their lives. Recommended for those who like graphic novels with regular people, rather than super-heroes!

[Stephen Hines · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this twice now and it was even better the second time around. If you love great art, comedy, and intelligently neurotic characters then you should read this. Be forewarned: there are sex scenes, curse words, and the protagonist looks just like me. GULP!

[Jazzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very good story. seemed autobiographical. a little heavy on the words sometimes.
a good story about love and friends.

[reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

sweet collection of stories about a cartoonist and his hot musician girlfriend in new york. not nearly as depressing as most 'real-life' comics are.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book about nothing a la Seinfeld but not as funny.

I bought this book without realizing what it was while at a charity book sale. It is entertaining in parts, over the top vulgar in others.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much a Gen-X graphic novel. Not bad, but at times I did feel a little dirty reading it.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason, I initially had trouble getting into the story, but once I got going I enjoyed the portrayal of a young couple in NY & their friends.

[Michelle Hoogterp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the drawings. Awesome realism. Jack is hilarious. Love the characters and the sexuality. It's a very real life. It's a terrific story.

[Hamish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly this just made me want to read Hate instead.

[Patrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

More pointless, gen-x cliche, alternative young people in the city doing nothing.