Twenty-Somsething Love in Pictures fiarteenist Robert Kirby eeais with life, sex, relationships in second curbside “graphic novel" BY PAUL OLSEN tate Rep. Nancy Sheltra (R- sDerby) won’t be reading Robert Kirby’s new book, Curbside Boys: The New York Years. Afier all, it was Kirby’s “Curbside” comic strip that led Sheltra to protest the presence of Out in the Mountains in the Vermont Statehouse. She claimed a strip featuring two bare-chested men kissing and a story line about obsessions with ex-lovers was “pomographic.” At the time of the contro- versy, Kirby welcomed the publici- ty his Curbside strip received in Montpelier. “Although that strip was very innocuous and I don’t know why anybody would be offended by it, I have to admit that I get a little thrill out of pissing off right-wing Republicans,” he said. With his new book, Curbside Boys: The New York Years ($10.95, Cleis Press), Kirby is likely to continue pissing off right-wing Republicans while entertaining the gay and lesbian community. This is the second collec- tion of Kirby’s “Curbside” comic strips in a book fonnat (the first was Curbside and collected the “early largely autobiographical 'years”.) In -it, Kirby cleverly and accurately deals with relationships, clubbing, work, sex, mourning the loss of a lover, one-night stands, and Gay Pride Day. The book’s main charac- ters are Kevin, Nathan, and Drew, three gay men sharing a Manhattan apartment. Nathan is adjusting to his new life in New York City where he works at a coffee shop and fantasizes about having sex with attractive customers. Drew, an aspiring writer who vomits under stress, is mourning the AIDS death of his lover and develops a crush on Nathan. Drew and Nathan even- tually fall in love and Kevin is lefl to watch, and mediate, as the rela- tionship develops. Throughout the book, Nathan and Drew deal with et Small Dog Electronics be your gut the Digital Universe! ‘and Drew as a graphic novel, a — Curbside since 1991, eleven-plus sex, commitment, and infidelity. Cartoonist Kirby was born in Detroit, Michigan, and lived in Manhattan for a time (hence “the New York years”). He now lives and works in Minneapolis. He is also the creator of two queer comics anthologies, Strange-Looking Exile and the “all- male, altema-gay”gBoy Trouble. In a brief email interview with OITM, Kirby wrote that this storyline was always a book in ‘ installments: “Right from the get- _ go I envisioned the saga of Nathan self-contained story, so it’s satisfy- ing to have it all bound into a sin- gle volume. I think the story works very well in book fonn. Nathan and Drew encapsulate every twen- ty-something relationship I ever _ had, so Curbside Boys is pretty close to my heart. “A graphic novel is liter- allyowhat the term would suggest: it’s a novel with pictures. I don’t care how folks want to read Curbside Boys — in the can, on the couch, on the bus; if they want to read it all in one sitting or in dribs and drabs (the latter is how I’m currently slogging through D.H. Lawrence’s Women In Love): if they are reading it, and more importantly, if they are relating to it and liking it, that’s good enough for me!” Kirby has been drawing Cartoonist Robert Kirby to contribute,” he wrote. I Ask whether the issues have changed in all that time, Kirby responded, “My strip really isn’t issue-oriented, it’s more personal, character—based work. Curbside years. “It began running in OITM in I believe 1997, when the editor at the time, Chris Moes, asked me At Smalldog.com, you will find the full line of Apple products in both new and factory refurbished models. We carry a printers, displays, software and much more! We also have more Apple Product Professionals than any other dealer in Vermont! We are uniquely qualified to provide the professional advice you’re looking for. Visit us on the web at: http://www.smalldog.com 1673 Main Street, Waitsfield, Vermont 05673 Phone: 802-496-7171 E-Mail: sales@smalldog.com started out as a largely autobio- graphical strip (‘Rob’ — i.e. myself — was the main character) but over time 1 found that format limiting, so I began to branch out. In some ways the strip is still autobiograph- ical, only now I don’t have to take the heat for what my characters do and say! In the current storyline — taking place after the events chroni- cled in Curbside Boys —I am using elements of the mystery and sus- pense genres, which is fresh, fun and challenging to do. So stay tooned!” In praise of Kirby’s book, Vennont’s Alison Bechdel, creator of “Dykes to Watch Out For,” says “You must take these sweet, loutish, calculating, ingenuous, raunchy, romantic boys home with you right now.” Alison Bechdel is right and, once again, state Rep. Nancy Sheltra is wrong. V complete selection of Electronics Slllflllllllfljlllll Apple Speciahst,