A Couple of Guys

A Couple of Guys is the name of a comic strip about the lives of a gay male couple, their friends and family in New York City. The strip was first published in September 1996, and is written and drawn by Dave Brousseau.

History
The strip was first published in the now-defunct The Weekly News, a gay newspaper in Miami, Florida, in September 1996. It was syndicated in June 1996, and is now published in newspapers across the United States. and on several websites.

Brousseau has acknowledged that two of the characters, Eric's sister and brother-in-law, first appeared in a comic strip he drew in college. Mary Ann Parker and Marty Dinkleman were supporting characters in Guy Average, Average Guy, which also appeared in the Xavier University Newswire. However, the current Marty is somewhat different from the previous incarnation in that the college version was never openly homophobic, and had curly hair, and was not a native New Yorker. The college version of Marty appears to be from Cincinnati, Ohio, where Xavier is located.

Main characters

 * Eric Parker: An Actor and waiter originally from Columbus, Ohio. Eric is basically a good person, but can be at times overly-sensitive and quick-tempered. He has an active imagination, and sometimes launches into elaborate daydreams.
 * Joey Romelli: A New York City police officer, and the boyfriend of Eric. Joey is much more practical and even-tempered than Eric, and often tries to convince his boyfriend to see things from other people's point of view. Joey has one sister, Gina, who lives in New York, and two brothers, Vincent and Anthony, who live elsewhere.
 * Sue Fletcher: Eric and Joey's neighbor in their apartment building. She's an English professor at New York University, and is known for using stilted language. She's a bit of a snob and tends patronize others, particularly Eric.
 * Simone Curtis: Sue's live-in girlfriend. A native of Washington, D.C., Simone is a sculptor and ceramist, and known for her sarcastic quick wit.
 * Andy Parker: Eric's bisexual, punk-rock musician brother, who lives in Columbus. Andy is a stereotypical slacker and player.
 * David Gersh: A friend of Joey and Eric. A hairstylist, who closed his previous salon, David's Coiffeteria, and opened the day spa Eden.
 * Miguel Martinez: David's boyfriend, an attorney.
 * Matisse: David's pet, a gay Jack Russell Terrier.
 * '''Lou and Berta: A married couple. Lou is Joey's former police partner
 * Hector Velázquez: a student at Hunter College, previously made homeless after being disowned by his parents for being gay. Hector was later taken in by Lou and Berta, and works as an intern for The Gay Old Times, a fictional gay newspaper in the strip.
 * Marty Dinkleman: A somewhat boorish homophobic radio shock jock.
 * Mary Ann Dinkleman: Eric's older sister, and Marty's wife, who also lives in New York with her family.
 * April Dinkleman: The young daughter of Mary Ann and Marty.

Supporting characters

 * Sister Gina: Joey's sister, a nun who works at a youth center.
 * Desiree Wilson: A hairdresser at David's day spa Eden.
 * Carter: David's rival, a loudmouthed day spa owner.
 * Al & Mae: The fry cook and waitress, at a diner frequented by the regular cast members.
 * Phyllis “Phil” Faversham: Joey's friend, social worker, and active member of the Metropolitan Community Church.
 * Angel and Devil: Apparitions that occasionally appear to Eric, serving as his conscience and dark side. The two apparently have some sort of a relationship together.
 * Tim Krieger: A young bisexual man who was Andy's first boyfriend. Though he and Andy were not in a committed relationship, Tim was frequently jealous when Andy would express interest in other men or women.
 * Ronnie/Veronica: A cross-dresser, and Andy's current romantic interest.
 * Ted: The bartender at the Pipeline, a neighborhood bar frequented by Eric and Joey.
 * Omar: A regular at the Pipeline.
 * Frank and Joyce Romelli: Joey's parents, who live in St. Petersburg, Florida. Frank is a retired plumber.
 * Bill and Lois Parker: Parents of Eric, Mary Ann, and Andy. They live in Columbus, Ohio, and are active in the local PFLAG chapter. Bill is an investment banker.
 * Annie O'Malley: Lou's replacement as Joey's police partner. Although married to Charlie, but once confessed an attraction to Joey.