I’m not sure if there’s a better formula for Minimum Wage; Fingerman might have found it. It balances out all the content between humor, outlandish humor and self-observation. There’s some time spent on Rob’s love life, then a lengthy comedic subplot, then some stuff with his male friends. Not too much with them, but enough for the pop culture references (though Fingerman opens with a great one and it’s Rob and the girl) and manly one liners.
This issue continues with two of Rob’s ladies–almost called him Bob, maybe because one has to wonder how much of Wage is non-fictionally inspired–with Deputy Deedee successfully transitioned into being Rob’s buddy’s girl. Instead, there’s an idyllic main girl plot with Sheila, Rob’s boss. But Fingerman keeps up the humor and character work to make the idyllic hilarious.
There’s also a great homage to various artists Rob (and Fingerman) like.
Wage is fantastic.
CREDITS
Writer and artist, Bob Fingerman; publisher, Image Comics.
Comics Fondle 
I picked up the first 5-6 issues of the original ’95 series at the Fantagraphics store in Seattle recently. They’re pretty great, and also full of comics allusions – the third or fourth issue is at a convention, there’s a lot of caricatures. Then last night I picked up issues 4, 5 and 6 of this new series, and – he and Sylvia split up?! The original series is all about how crazy they are for each other! What a bummer. I do like this new volume though. Especially the weird little detail of being a circa-2000 period piece…Rob and Sheila walking out of “Hollow Man” disappointed made me smile.
I should check out the original series. I wasn’t reading comics in ’95 and if I had been, I would have missed it for crappy superhero stuff.
It’s got to be strange to see Sylvia as a sympathetic character in the original.