A ( GRAPHIC) NOVEL IDEA
Comic motif makes condo home
Adam Bruno has three passions — cooking, comics and a dog called Boss. He spent his early life in Verdun, then his teenage years in the Laurentians. He was never very fond of school but when he had a part- time job as a dishwasher, he realized that he might enjoy working in the hospitality industry.
Bruno also discovered that he was good at cooking, so when he moved back to Montreal at age 18, he enrolled at the Pearson Adult Career Centre in LaSalle, garnering some formal qualifications in his chosen field.
After finishing his vocational course, Bruno got a job “pretty much right away” and he went on to work for many years at Queue de Cheval, the downtown steak house. Right now, he’s “between jobs” because he’s considering starting a business of his own. In the meantime, he’s enjoying taking it easy at home — a modern condo filled with comic- book art that hangs around the walls, lending a dash of colour ( and action) to the otherwise neutral colour scheme.
The condo is relatively new. Bruno is the first resident. Prior to his moving in last year, the apartment had been an office. He has 700 square feet of open living/ kitchen space, plus one bedroom and a balcony. The condo is in Côte- des- Neiges– Notre- Dame- de- Grâce, in an area known as Le Triangle — a neighbourhood undergoing an urban renewal program.
Q A lot of the buildings around your condo look as if they’re still under construction. What exactly is going on? A The revitalization plan calls for a large recreational area and lots of stores and restaurants — over 70, I think. There’s going to be a huge shopping centre near where autoroutes 15 and 40 meet, similar to the Quartier DIX30 on the South Shore.
Right now, the outside of my own building isn’t much to look at, but in the summer there’s a communal courtyard with a barbecue. It drops down into a patio area and there’s an indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and a gym. I have access to all those amenities.
Q Is that why you chose to live here? A Not really. I was really just looking for a space that would show off all my comic book stuff. Friends of mine who live across the street found the condo for me. We’re really close and they were keen to have me move into the area. Before here, I was living in Westmount, in an old building, and that was expensive!
( Throughout the condo, Bruno has a collection of artwork depicting well- known figures from comics and movies — Batman, Superman, Flash, Iron Man, the Joker, to name a few. Even his bedclothes have a comic book theme! His pillowcases and sheets are embellished with explosions of text — Boom, Pow, Zap. In a corner of his living room is a display case in which stand several action figures and memorabilia, like a Superman silver dollar and Captain America cufflinks.)
Q My goodness, you’ve got quite a collection. I’m impressed! A ( Smiles.) I used to have a lot more action figures, but I’ve stopped buying them now because they cost a lot. When I moved here, I decided not to display them any more but they’re stored in my closet.
( He indicates two large plastic crates. The condo is simply furnished, courtesy of IKEA. Next to the sliding patio door that gives access to a balcony, is a bed covered in pillows and a blanket, which appears to belong to Boss, who as we chat, plops down on it with a heavy sigh.)
Q He’s a lucky dog having a bed all to himself. I guess he’s annoyed that we’re not paying him very much attention. A Actually, he’s not mine. He belongs to a friend who travels a lot for work. I look after him for long periods of time. Once I had him for almost a year. My friend left again last November and I’ve no idea when she’s coming back. It’s a kind of an on- and- off arrangement.
Q Sounds like “rent- a- dog!” A Exactly!
Q Where do you walk him? A There’s a park right across the street.
Q By the way, where did you find all your artwork?
A Comic book stores, Walmart, HomeSense, comic book conventions. Some of the pictures are just cut out of a book. Eventually, I’m sure that one day, when I have a wife, I won’t be allowed to keep building my collection. I’ll probably be relegated to a room in the basement!