Case Study: "Clumsy"

"Clumsy"

by Jeffrey Brown

Context and Content

"Clumsy" is an autobiographical graphic novel illustrating moments in a romantic relationship between the author and artist of the piece, Jeffrey Brown, and his then-girlfriend, Theresa.  It is a very honest and blunt collection of memories depicted through a series of comic strips that vary in length but are often four panels long; they are arranged non-chronologically throughout the book.  These memories include many of the raw and sometimes embarrassing or awkward situations that can crop up in relationships and day-to-day life.  I believe these particular over-arching themes are reflected in the title: “Clumsy”.  Unlike picture-perfect relationships and perfectly formed situations and melodrama seen in movies and fiction, this depiction of a true and very real relationship reveals that the course of real-life relationships are not like this – they can be enjoyable, but can also be problematic, awkward, and indeed, clumsy.

The cover of “Clumsy” includes no pictures (apart from the small panel on the back) and involves only four colours: beige, dark beige, grey and white, making for a very minimalist and simplistic design.  

“Clumsy” is the first of many in a series of similar autobiographical graphic novels about the author Jeffrey Brown’s relationships; each of the books are in a near-identical medium, layout and style, and although not chronological as a series they all link together very well.  Others in the series include “Unlikely” and “AEIOU”.  “Clumsy” and the others also link with the graphic novel “Blankets” by Craig Thompson.  “Clumsy” and “Blankets” are similar because thy both tell honest autobiographical stories about a greatly influential relationship the author experienced.  Although “Blankets” is one single, long and chronological story, not a collection of separate moments in time like “Clumsy”, the concepts and bluntness of it still makes it very similar in many respects to “Clumsy”. 

In “Clumsy”, the lack of chronology and the vague way the splices of memory sometimes begin and end somewhat break the conventions of traditional narrative, and occasionally it can take a while for the object of an individual strip to be understood.  However, the individual memories do have a narrative structure within themselves.

Form and Process

The content of “Clumsy” involves no colour: there are only black ink lines on white paper to illustrate what is going on.  A minimal amount of lines are used to represent texture, and only a very small amount of texture is used, for example a collection of dots to simplistically represent stubble, or a thick scrawl of curved lines to represent dark hair.  The lines themselves generally are rendered the same thickness throughout, no matter whether they are representing something close-to or something distant.  Many of the lines seem unsteady and disjointed too, as if they were left to chance, giving evidence of the hand that made it.  Darkness or night-time is represented by a pattern of straight lines drawn directly over the drawing within the panel, or the specific area of darkness within the drawing; when I first saw this technique I was confused by it because rain in comics in general is often represented in a very similar way.  

The panels in “Clumsy” are very small so sometimes the drawings can be a little clustered – this is sometimes used to effect, for example if the scene is meant to have a cramped, uncomfortable or overwhelming atmosphere.  Similarly, backgrounds tend to lessen during, for example, a particularly intimate scene between Jeff and Theresa, perhaps to represent that they are focused only on each other and not on what is around them.  

Depth and perspective is also sometimes altered or distorted to represent discomfort or awkwardness or some other atmosphere or emotion within a scene.  

“Clumsy” holds together throughout, and as it is a work I really enjoy, it is difficult for me to find elements in the form that I dislike.  The simplicity and scribbliness of the drawings just add to the particular style and method of storytelling the novel portrays, and adds to its charm.  The only criticism I can think of is how the way darkness or night time is portrayed confused me at first, as I mentioned above. 

I believe Brown used such a minimal amount of materials and realistic detail to display to the reader the situation as close as it was in Brown’s mind as possible, without unnecessary distractions that take away from the content, atmosphere and emotions of what is actually happening.

The specific skills that the artist must have include the ability to draw comprehensible and distinguishable scenes objects, people, facial expressions and emotions, and the ability to portray the feeling or point that the artist wishes to portray. 

Personal Response

When I first started reading “Clumsy”, I was taken aback by the lack of chronology to the ordering of the individual strips, as well as how vaguely the content of some of the strips themselves were structured (for example how few seemed to have a definite, direct start and end).  However, I quickly got used to it and learned to like this structure and style. 

“Clumsy” really reminded me of “Blankets” by Craig Thompson as mentioned above, which I had read some time before.  Yet, at the same time, their styles are so different that they are almost incomparable. 

Although, as with many autobiographical pieces, it can be difficult to tell how one-sided or biased any parts of it are (if at all), it is clear to me that generally, it is a very honest portrayal of Brown’s memories. 

“Clumsy” is written in such a way that Jeffrey Brown makes it very easy to get emotionally attached to the characters, particularly Jeff himself, and I found myself really feeling for him and wanting things to go his way, and feeling his awkwardness or anger or sadness when they didn’t.