Box Office Poison by Alex Robinson

Although the story is about an entire group of people, story of Sherman, Dorothy, Ed, Stephen, Jane, and Mr. Flavor it focuses on friends Sherman and Ed. Sherman is just out of college, wants to be a writer, but for now works in a bookstore as a clerk. He moves in with Stephen and Jane at the beginning of the story and we see his relationships develop and revolve around the apartment and the bookstore.

The shy and insecure Ed wants to become a cartoonist. Ed's storyline focuses more on him trying to gain some confidence, honesty and loyalty in the comic industry when he gets hired to work for Irving Flavor a short unhappy man who Ed discovers created one of the most successful comic book characters evermade - Nightstalker. But never got more than the $50 payoff he took 20 years previously. So Ed's mission becomes getting Mr. Flavor the reconognition and money he deserves. But as we see Mr. Flavor's history we learn that reality is very different than the stories he tells.

Most of it takes place during a year but the ending gives you a look into their futures. Robinson does a great job at making the characters look like real people (flaws and all) and has a great way of writing dialog that feels real. While this may look like a graphic novel it is more of a visual approach to fiction as it is presented in chapters.