Nip, tuck, restructure

Dr. Fingers, the plastic surgeon, has a top-notch clientele, including the two hottest stars in Hollywood. He’s obsessed with actress Vanessa, constantly trying to “perfect” the look he’s sculpted for her and rejecting his wife while he’s at it. When his assistant, Dr. Tatsu, strikes out on her own and creates a fairly cheap and extremely popular machine that will replicate Vanessa’s face, Dr. Fingers is forced to take a good look at his obsession with appearances. The deceptively simple drawing style is a great match for this tightly cut, cinematic book—and frankly, it feels more honest and realistic, despite the slightly sci-fi overtones, than something like Nip/Tuck, the TV series about a pair of plastic surgeons. The format offers a really great way to address our perceptions about beauty and the cultural norms that accompany it, as well as the consequences for people who don’t meet those standards—or who “age out.”