Written by DCist contributor John T. Porvaznik

The world of printed comics has largely been the realm of the underwear-on-the-outside monthlies or the punchline-every-three-panels newspaper dailies. Real-life comics usually fall by the wayside, with stories that are too mundane for the geek crowd and too inaccessible for the mainstream.

Local author Jim Dougan, along with artist Danielle Corsetto, nevertheless attempted to create a graphic novel that appeals to the in-betweeners with the Seinfeldian Crazy Papers. While Papers won’t be found in the Sunday funnies, the story is anything but inaccessible — particularly to the twenty-something D.C. urbanite.

Papers follows the exploits of three best friends over an extended weekend. Melanie is caught in a thankless job at the Georgetown admissions office, and welcomes a visit from her L.A. resident best friend Amanda. Violet completes the group of three as the somewhat quirky ‘other’ best friend. Easily infatuated, Amanda meets her beau-to-be Patrick on their first night of bar hopping in the city. Melanie and Violet are then dragged along on a wild ride that strings together anecdotes like spotty memories returning during a heavy hangover.