If you're of a certain age and temperament, you know exactly who Adrian Tomine is. The cartoonist is probably best known for "Optic Nerve," his series of comics published by Drawn & Quarterly that ran in the late '90s and was compiled into "32 Stories," which every college kid had tucked under their arm at one point. It established a style that would become his calling card — almost obsessively straight-lined design that usually managed to capture the loneliness or heartbreak of the characters he often sketched. And he's a good fit for his latest gig.
He was recently tapped by the New Yorker to ink an illustration to go with Anthony Lane's review of Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" in the magazine, and it's pretty gorgeous stuff. The simple image captures Suzy and Sam, the two protagonists on the run from the man to chase down their own ideal of love, and it perfectly captures the romantic, wistful vibe of the film. Great job all around, and it kind of has us hankering to give another look at "32 Stories" or track down one of Tomine's subsequent books like "Summer Blonde" or "Shortcomings."
"Moonrise Kingdom" is in theaters now and in case you missed it, we think it's one of the best movies of 2012 (so far). [Criterion Corner]