Nicole Georges draws her world.
Here’s what you’ll learn about Nicole Georges from reading the second anthology of her autobiographical comic, Invincible Summer: she has dark hair that she teases into a funky beehive; she can barely see two feet in front of her without her black-rimmed specs; she shops vintage stores for granny-chic finds; she adores animals, especially her dachshunds; she adores drawing quirky-cute pictures of animals, especially her dachshunds; and she’s teaching the world, from kids to senior citizens, how to express themselves through ’zines. It’s mostly superficial stuff, really. If you’re not already familiar with the Oregon illustrator or her work (maybe you’ll recognize her from the 2007 Sister Spit spoken-word tour, which she chronicles here), you won’t come away from this book, which is basically a compilation of illustrated diary entries, with a profound understanding of Nicole Georges, her creative or intellectual influences, her family background, her romantic relationships, her worldview, or her professional aspirations. However, Georges and her drawings are so charming and likable, so endearingly self-effacing, that following her life is an easy pleasure. We watch as Georges cobbles together a livelihood as an artist, bops around Portland (which she depicts as a lo-fi version of The L Word) with her gal pals, and tries to be a dependable friend, a loyal girlfriend, a loving and attentive dog owner, and, eventually, a responsible homeowner. In black-and-white ink, Georges draws her world as fun, amusingly chaotic, and inspiring—not at all a bad place to be.
