Why Would You Do That?

This charming debut collection by rising comics star Tsurumi includes stories that fall into two camps: comically absurd and downright surreal. Not every strip has an intended punch line; sometimes Tsurumi is content to juxtapose a few seemingly disconnected ideas and revel in the unexpected outcome. The book has a similar sensibility to Lisa Hanawalt’s, though the content is not quite as even. There’s plenty of fun in watching the unfolding of the secret history of poodles or the eternal battle of cake vs. pie. The humor is more playful than biting, but even the slightest ideas are made enjoyable by the artist’s outstanding pen-and-ink linework. Tsurumi uses a different cartooning style from one page to the next, showing off formidable illustration chops. (May)