What's the first book? Scenes from an Impending Marriage: A Prenuptial Memoir by Adrian Tomine.

What's it about? It's a collection of autobiographical cartoons by Adrian Tomine about the planning of his wedding. The comics were given out at the wedding as a party favor. For some reason, somebody decided that they should be published.

What's the art look like?

Do you recommend it? No. It's awful, self-indulgent, and it's actually bad enough to make me reconsider the rest of Tomine's work. I've been a big fan of his comics for a long time now, and I'd say his most appealing trait as an artist is his caution when it comes to clichés. This book is nothing but clichés. At best...at BEST...it's a shallow attempt to cash in on a cheap gift book that people buy for young engaged couples. At worst, it shows a worrying lack of self-awareness.

What's the second book? Daytripper, by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá.

(Continued after the jump.)

What's it about? It's a ten-chapter story about the son of a famous novelist who's toiling away in the obituary department of a newspaper. The story jumps forward and backward in time, and at the end of each chapter, he dies.

What's the art look like? It's beautiful, and I really like the watercolor-style coloring.

Do you recommend it? Oh, yes. This one isn't for people who dislike sentimentality; the writing is definitely of the heart-on-the-sleeve variety. But that's not to say we're in Harlequin Romance country. This is a vivid, gorgeous, ambitious mediation on love and family and mortality. If you can handle the occasional bit of dialogue about the power of dreams or living life to the fullest, you'll find something to love here. If you're a fan of the unabashed romanticism and dreaminess of Craig Thompson's Blankets, you should definitely read this book (Thompson even draws the introduction). It's a keeper.