Minimum Wage

Bob Fingerman’s Minimum Wage (Fantagraphics, 1995–present) is a sharply observed, black-and-white slice-of-life series following a young illustrator navigating the absurdities of New York City’s creative underclass in the mid-1990s. Written and drawn entirely by Fingerman, the two-issue run captures the gritty, pre-gentrification East Village with a blend of deadpan humor, romantic misadventures, and economic anxiety. Its unflinching portrait of struggling artists and low-wage survival remains a cult touchstone for its era.