Daddy's Girl

Drechsler's quiet but formidable reputation in alternative comics can be traced to a series of melancholic short strips dealing with the incestuous victimization of a young girl by her father. This collection includes those dark tales as well as others that relate the painful experiences of Lily as she deals with both the usual problems of teenage adjustment and the ominous presence of her father. In ""Sixteen,"" Lily's efforts to be social veer into an episode of sexual degradation and teenage cruelty. But Drechsler's touching stories of familial gloom also feature veins of subtle irony and hope-laden humor. In ""Helping the Poor,"" Lily's self-righteously benevolent mother insists the family deliver gifts to a poor black family, and the delightful encounter between the children of the families reveals Drechsler's knack for wit and gentle pathos. Her drawings are characterized by an expressive linear flair and dark, vividly patterned forms-a stylish and poetic example of nuanced cartoon realism perfectly attuned to these affecting, humane vignettes. (June)