Grommets

2025 NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST NEW COMICS FOR ADULTS

"This throwback gem offers rewards for readers well beyond the Thrasher set." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Grommets captures the raw feeling of being an outcast kid in the 1980s, and why skateboarding became such a sacred salvation to a lucky few.” —Tony Hawk

Two outcast best friends navigate the Sacramento suburbs of 1984, where they find a home in skateboard culture and punk rock. Perfect for fans of John Hughes' Brat Pack teen movies, Freaks & Geeks, and Dazed & Confused.

Grommets is both an authentic look at ’80s skate culture—a snapshot of the generation that turned skating into a worldwide phenomenon— as well as a heartfelt coming-of-age story following two friends from troubled homes navigating their damage in an era when no one cared.

The series’ title springs from skater slang, a “grommet” is a commonly used term for a young up-and-coming skater or surfer. Since the ’60s it’s been used to describe the next generation of kids who, with youthful exuberance, love the sport but want to put their spin on it.

Collects the complete story, Grommets #1-7.