Style and Structure of "Scenes"

While reading Scenes from an Impending Marriage, I noticed that the book followed a specific structure within its pages – a nine panel grid per page with the occasional single panel comic in between each story told. Following the different sketches or different ‘stories’ (vignettes), you can see a definite timeline appearing. Things that were mentioned in one sketch, showed up as a story of its’ own. For example:

Excerpt form "Scenes"; the couple try to figure out
what they still have to do.

Both of these comments developed into sketches that depicted their adventures in registering at Crate & Barrel, as well as their conversation in creating Scenes from an Impending Marriage.

In drawing Scenes from an Impending Marriage, Adrian Tomine seems to have stepped away from his usual style of illustration or comic-book art. Rather the short-stories and vignettes that are depicted in this book take on a more cartoon-like feel. It was reminiscent of reading a newspaper comic strip - which I haven't done in years - and quite enjoyable to read. It was a light, short and funny read. One review I read, even mentioned that Tomine's style for "Scenes" was "reminiscent of Charles Schulz", the creator of Peanuts (Randle, 2011). If you wish to read the rest of the review for this book, you can find it here.

Personally, I do not know a whole lot about styles and structures of how comic books or graphic memoirs should look like. However, what I do know is that I am usually not a fan of autobiographical work, but this memoir was different. It was short, interesting, had pictures! I had a lot of laughs reading this, and I really did feel like I had gone back in time to when I was younger and actually looked at the comics found in the newspaper. Each vignette was delightful and with each panel, I looked forward to reading more. It was great seeing how the two interacted with each other, sorting out their differences in choice, and I loved the fact that there was even an epilogue. I liked how even after all the trouble they went through to have a specific playlist, the song they firmly told the DJ not to play, was still played. I also liked how the couple themselves were so busy that they were unable to eat at their own reception. I liked how the book ended as well with the two enjoying their first night as man and woman eating burgers in fries in their hotel room. 

Excerpt from "Scenes"; the couple finally get to eat!

Although I enjoyed everything about the book, I think what I really liked the best was the single panel sketches that were included in between the short stories. I liked how they each one, managed to show one crucial detail that just seemed to catch my attention. Several weeks after reading the book for the first time, I still randomly see the image of Adrian Tomine getting his eyebrows tweezed by his fiance, or the image of the two exercising with him lagging behind. Of course I cannot miss the captions that went along with these images, such as: "This nonsense stops the minute we're married" (Tomine, 2011). I think the style and structure that Tomine used to present "Scenes" was perfect and he managed to create a big and lasting impact upon each reader.

Excerpt from "Scenes"; Sarah forcefully
tweezes Tomine's eyebrows