Minimum Wage, Book One: Focus On The Strange

 When we last saw Rob Hoffman, he had just married the love of his life, Sylvia, and all seemed right with the world.
Did anyone think that was going to last?
(Rob's previous adventures were collected last year in the superlative MAXIMUM MINIMUM WAGE hardcover, reviewed here.)

 I was never a fan of the strange-looking, whacked-out Sylvia, so I was happy to see that she was no longer a factor in Rob's life. Sylvia fans might not be as happy as me. If she has fans.

 MINIMUM WAGE, BOOK ONE: FOCUS ON THE STRANGE collects the first six issues of the new MINIMUM WAGE series, published by Image Comics, and while there's plenty of strange stuff to focus on, the real focus is on the newly-single Rob as he attempts to get over Sylvia by re-entering the dating pool, while trying to find a new place to live and steady work as a cartoonist.

 Writer/Artist Bob Fingerman is at the top of his game here, delivering a slice-of-life story that, while certainly funny, never makes it's protagonist the butt of the joke. Rob, and his friends and associates, feel real and have voices and personalities of their own, which can be a rare thing in comics these days. Big, big thumbs up to Image Comics for publishing an important talent like Bob Fingerman. A unique voice like his could easily be lost in the glut of capes that take up most of the shelf space these days...Thank goodness he's not only being published, but being published by a company with such an eclectic publishing slate. This is funny, touching, beautifully-told stuff, and I can't recommend it enough.

 Image Comics provided a review copy.