Tedward

The socially inept, perpetually uncomfortable protagonist of this wicked dark comedy from indie cartoonist Pettinger (Werewolf Jones & Sons) shuffles his way through a series of awkward and disturbing scenarios. Depicted as a feckless man-child, Tedward navigates a world of hustlers, lovers, malcontents, and weirdos, all of whom see untapped potential in their ineffectual friend. When he’s dumped by his girlfriend, for example, Tedward doesn’t mourn long—because he gets recruited by a mysterious stranger for a prestigious job power-washing upper-class patrons of Eyes Wide Shut–style sex parties. But Tedward doesn’t fit in with high society—or anywhere, for that matter. His cluelessness and inability to read social cues lead to a series of romantic and other misadventures, such as an ill-fated gig as a television salesman. Throughout, Pettinger highlights ill-advised fashion choices, the tension between Tedward and his elderly mother, and random violence. The hapless-yet-chipper oddball and his milieu are brought to life through crisp yet creepy art reminiscent of Dan Clowes’s early Eightball comics and Gilbert Hernandez’s idiosyncratic sci-fi tales in Love and Rockets. Fans of such gonzo cartooning will revel in the absurdism of this grotesque saga. (Mar.)