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Writer: Rick Remender, Brian Posehn
Artist: Brett Parson
Colorist: Moreno DiNisio
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Do you need to be able to relate to a coming-of-age tale for it to be effective? If it is so specific to a particular time and place does it become a challenge to connect with if you are not presupposed to that exact culture, or within specificity can something universal be found that transcends time and location? Ultimately everyone’s answer to that question will differ, but the best coming-of-age stories are so vivid and captivating that you want to be a part of it even if you never were.
Part of that recipe is coming from an authentic place. Reading Grommets #1 it is clear these are creators doing just that. Taking place in 1984 Rick is in that all-so-precarious position of being the new kid in school. Despite his attempt to fit in, he is quickly rejected until he finds a fellow outcast like himself. They quickly bonded over their love of skateboarding and set off to their local skate park. Will it be an oasis of social freedom or just another place to be ostracized by the cool kids?
As often is the case with this genre this is not a story trying to identify itself with some inventive narrative. So far it is your rather standard affair of kids feeling out of place with a world that does not fully understand them. If that is the case what makes it stand out? Well, as the kids say it is all about the vibe.
Much of that vibe comes from the small moments, like Rick’s dad being able to order a Coor’s tallboy in a Drive-through on the way to school. You will find someone smoking on nearly every page with little regard for the health risks. As cliche as it sounds it was a different time and representing that time in a real way is part of what sets the book’s attitude.
Bringing this all together the artwork of Brett Parson and Moreno DiNisio. Parson’s style has a cartoony finish with strong lines and expressive faces. It comes off as a more mature version of a young adult style which immediately sets the tone. It’s juvenile but in the right way. He packs each page with extensive backgrounds and site gags you may miss at first glance. One of my favorite pages is when Rick leaves school and there’s absolute chaos everywhere. It resembles a Movie poster of the best National Lampoon movie that was never made. So much is happening to help capture that exuberant freedom that comes with youth. Calling it art with personality may sound like a backhanded compliment. However, it speaks to his character designs that give all the context needed to understand who the characters are and the time. It may lean into some stereotypical places at times but with the amount of characters put on the page, you can excuse it.
Moreno DiNisio’s color palette also gives this world the energy it needs. Being a book about teenagers it is bright and colorful in a way that is appropriate for the way you see the world at this age. It is never trying too hard to exist within the 80’s. The styles are not of today but they also do not feel overtly dated. When that happens everything can feel like a parody, and as mentioned a strength here is the authenticity. Letterer Rus Wooton remains one of the best in the world of comics today. He has complete control of the page and fills spaces with sound effects that further emphasize the book’s tone.
Once again this is a Rick Remender book with the creative team working in complete tandem. Not an unusual
aspect of his comics. Something a little unusual is the inclusion of comedian Brian Posehn. A celebrity’s name on a book raises a few eyebrows. Celebrities have used comics to try to sell previously failed ideas before. That’s not what is happening here. For one Posehn is not new to comics as he has worked extensively with Marvel previously. Also, I would argue Remender’s name on a book sells more copies than Posehn’s. So one would assume he is on this book because he has a story to tell.
So how much does Posehn’s presence change this comic compared to other Remender work? It is hard to say since Remender has so much variety in his work. The comedy is sharp and perhaps that is where Posehn helped. If anything this feels geared toward a younger audience than I would expect from Remender. Now this isn’t him doing his best Dav Pilkey impression, but for kids that get too old for Dog Man, I could see them graduating to a comic like this.
Will a younger generation get what I got out of Grommets #1? I could see doing for them what movies like Stand By Me that existed in a different time but told a story I wanted to be part of, because of the characters it created and the story it told. At the end of the day, a good story is a good story, and so far this is shaping up to be just that.
Overall: 8 out of 10
