Chris Ware’s Rusty Brown Finds Humanity in the Quiet Corners of Omaha

April 15th, 2026

In this edition of Between Two Covers on KVNO’s Arts Today, Dr. Todd Robinson, Associate Professor in the UNO Writers’ Workshop, turns his attention to Chris Ware’s ambitious graphic novel Rusty Brown, published by Pantheon in 2019.

Set largely in Omaha, the book follows a wide cast of ordinary, often awkward characters as they move through life, work, and loss. Though rooted in 1975, the narrative bends time, shifting fluidly between past and future, building what Robinson describes as a series of “tender, unsettling portraits” of human experience.

Ware, who grew up in Omaha, places much of the story in the Dundee neighborhood and in a school reminiscent of Brownell-Talbot. Within these familiar settings, students, teachers, and families navigate everyday frustrations and small moments of connection. On the surface, the world can feel routine or even bleak, but beneath it, Ware reveals emotional depth, history, and longing.

What distinguishes Rusty Brown, Robinson notes, is its extraordinary attention to detail. Every panel is carefully constructed, inviting readers to slow down and look closely at both people and place. The book’s structure and visual language reflect influences ranging from Art Spiegelman to James Joyce, blending fragmented narrative with rich visual composition.

Attention itself becomes a central theme. Robinson invokes philosopher Simone Weil, who wrote that “attention, taken to its highest degree, is the same thing as prayer.” In Ware’s work, this kind of attention becomes an artistic method—an almost spiritual act of observation.

One of the novel’s most striking passages lingers on snowflakes, unfolding into several pages of intricate illustrations and reflective text. Ware writes about the fragile uniqueness of each snowflake, shaped by its own path through the atmosphere. In doing so, he offers a quiet meditation on individuality, chance, and the forces that shape a life.

Though often described as bleak, Ware’s work carries a subtle tenderness. His characters may struggle with isolation, indifference, and missed connections, but the act of depicting them with such care suggests a deep belief in the value of paying attention.

As Robinson reflects, Rusty Brown becomes more than a story about Omaha or its residents. It is also a mirror, asking readers to recognize themselves in its pages.

Chris Ware will be in conversation with UNO illustration professor Caitlin Kass at the Joslyn Art Museum on April 22 at 6 p.m.