“This book argues for the validity of micromobility—bicycles, electric scooters, and the like—as both an organic design and a more reflective, slower‑paced way of life. The thesis unfolds gradually, accompanied by Furman’s distinctive, innovative visual style. His seemingly simple compositions and figures are a pleasure to behold, while his creative use of diverse vantage points—tilted angles, bird’s‑eye views, worm’s‑eye perspectives, and more—powerfully conveys our need to examine and address the challenges facing contemporary urban spaces and transportation patterns from multiple angles and fresh viewpoints.”
—Ingrid O’Malley, Professor in the School of Media Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University; author of *Modern Children and Children’s Literature, Popular Culture, and Robinson Crusoe*

“With dazzling artistry, Andrew Furman takes readers on a guided tour through video games, comics, and social theory, advocating the importance of slowing down and living at a walking pace. The narrative draws you in from the very first page, and Furman’s supremely confident imagery keeps you captivated, powerfully reminding us that this dangerous, fast‑paced world we inhabit can be changed: by prioritizing community‑oriented public spaces, both we and our environment can move toward a safer, healthier future. Keep calm and keep rolling!”
—Nick Sousanis, Associate Professor of Comics Studies at San Francisco State University; author of *Unflattening*

“This book further expands the boundaries of what graphic novels can achieve. Deeply thoughtful and densely packed with content, it invites you to turn page after page of Furman’s rich pen‑and‑ink illustrations. He immerses readers in every facet of personal transportation, examining the manifold benefits of replacing cars with bicycles, skateboards, scooters, and even walking. There are friendly cameo appearances by James Fulton, Michael Chow, and others. The book’s 150 pages brim with useful, engaging information about the history of urban mobility—and how we might do better. What more can I say? Go get it now!”
—William Stout, renowned fantasy painter, film production designer, museum muralist, and author of numerous works, including *The World of Fantasy: The Art of William Stout*, a retrospective of his five decades in the arts

“Drawing is seeing; seeing is thinking.”
—Katsuya Terada, manga artist, fine artist, and digital creator best known for *The Last Vampire: Blood* and *Terada Katsuya’s Journey to the West, Volumes One and Two*

“In this work, Andrew boldly embraces the medium of comics—offering us a fresh lens through which to observe as we navigate the city. Layer upon layer of imagery drawn from the world of comics (going far beyond the usual tropes) reveals new angles and techniques never before seen in this medium. It’s refreshing to witness such a deep love for comics, with its characters and stories, put effectively in service of ‘grand ideas.’”
—Peter Birkemoe, owner of The Beguiling bookstore and co‑founder of the Toronto Comic Arts Festival

“A wild ride: quirky, eccentric, and visually captivating.”
—Gerhard, illustrator and artistic collaborator on *Cerebus* and *The Aardvark*

“Half surreal dream, half visual essay, Andrew’s work is a truly original graphic novel. In this long love letter to the city of Toronto, Furman casts aside the established conventions of the form. Each page stands alone as a self‑contained work of art. The book is a joy to flip through, its innovative paneling and line work evoking Winsor McCay and Arthur Lansen. That this is a debut is almost hard to believe—but perhaps that’s precisely what makes it so thrilling.”
—Brian Hamelin, co‑owner of Silver Snail Comics

★ Graphic‑novel storytelling ushers in a new paradigm for visualizing large‑scale social science books: This work innovatively blends the visual narrative techniques of the graphic novel, brought to life by visual‑narrative expert Oriane Usner‑Kid. Through scene‑based illustrations and narrative metaphors, it transforms abstract “glideology” concepts, complex traffic flows, and urban spatial visions into vivid, dynamic, and powerfully evocative visuals. This symphony of words and images immerses readers and makes urban planning and transportation ideas come alive on the page.
★ Micromobility and Urban Space Reconfiguration: Drawing on in‑depth research into the interplay between personal micromobility (e‑scooters, bicycles, etc.) and urban space, the author combines global case studies with local practice to demonstrate how “small wheels” can catalyze shared streets, revitalize public spaces, and upgrade slow‑travel systems, offering a concrete blueprint for reimagining space in high‑density cities.
★ A Paradigm Shift in Mobility: Breaking away from the instrumentalist mindset of traditional transport studies, this book centers on “Glideology” to redefine the essence of urban mobility—not merely spatial displacement, but an organic unity of fluidity, efficiency, and pleasure—providing fresh solutions to the challenges of congested, fragmented urban transport.
★ A Dual Perspective: Combining documentary rigor with design vision, it offers both sharp insights into transport chaos and a systematic vision for “seamless mobility,” balancing scholarly depth with broad accessibility, enabling readers to experience through real‑world examples the transformative power of glideology on everyday commutes. ★ Chinese Insights in a Global Context: Discussions of “multimodal transfer” and the “return of street rights to pedestrians” resonate closely with China’s urban renewal, slow‑mobility initiatives, and carbon‑neutrality goals, providing domestic urban planners, designers, and transport professionals with cross‑cultural borrowing and innovative inspiration to build a more human‑centered urban transport ecosystem.
★ This book is also a psychogeographic journey for cycling enthusiasts, rediscovering bodily freedom and the poetry of the city between wheel and streetscape. It invites readers to once again sense the texture of the streets, the touch of the wind, the rhythm of turns—those everyday poetic moments long obscured by the car‑dominated urban frame—reemerging the instant one presses down on the pedals.

◎This graphic novel explores road traffic and its related issues—speeding, road rage, and the miniature wars waged around us against bodies in motion outside enclosed vehicles.
◎Drawing on original research and anecdotal evidence, it sheds light on the “madness” of contemporary transportation while proposing a more sustainable, multimodal approach to public space.
◎It examines how we travel from point A to point B every day and questions our behavior when sharing the streets.
◎Combining personal research with firsthand experiences of various commuting methods, the author has crafted a fact‑based, anecdote‑driven comic that will resonate deeply with anyone who has endured the chaos of modern urban traffic.

This book investigates the public facility we call the “street” and how we choose to use it for mobility. Streets are so crucial today because they allow multiple modes of travel to coexist in public space, rather than being dominated by any single one. The term “Glideology,” coined by the author, evokes childhood memories of coasting downhill on a bicycle or sledding in winter. Glideology represents an optimistic vision of the near‑term future of transportation: common sense will prevail, urban public spaces will be improved to meet diverse mobility needs—short local trips, mid‑range journeys within 15 minutes or less, and a range of transport options. These alternatives can shift habits like driving to the corner store for milk, offering a more sustainable, convenient way to get around. Presented as a comic, the book explores many shared experiences and feelings in urban commuting, examining how streets can accommodate multimodal shared lanes, giving pedestrians genuine choices.

“Glideology,” or “the study of smooth travel,” centers on advocating for and investigating how to achieve a seamless, efficient, enjoyable, and sustainable urban experience of personal mobility. It goes beyond discussions of individual vehicles, focusing instead on the fluidity of the entire journey and its systemic optimization. This concept establishes a structured framework and set of goals for “how to move gracefully through the city,” precisely capturing the contemporary urban traveler’s combined demands for efficiency, experience, and sustainability, and promoting a vision of fluidity and a lifestyle for the future of city travel. The idea seeks to evoke fond childhood memories of cycling down a hill or sledding in winter. Glideology offers an optimistic outlook on near‑term traffic conditions, predicting that common sense will ultimately guide change and that urban public spaces will be enhanced to serve diverse mobility needs: short local trips, mid‑range commutes within 15 minutes, and a variety of transport options—all providing viable alternatives to driving even for routine errands like buying milk, enabling people to adopt more sustainable, convenient ways of getting around.

Presented as a comic, this book delves into many shared experiences and emotions of urban commuting, exploring how streets can integrate multimodal shared lanes to offer pedestrians real choices.

• Glideology is the study of gliding… it refers to movement between walking speed and roughly 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour). Beyond that threshold, except in enclosed vehicles, all other forms of transportation enter a dangerous realm—while exposed human bodies cannot naturally withstand such high speeds.
• Glideology encompasses both historical and modern technologies that help us move—from shoes and skateboards to Wi‑Fi maps on our phones and electric bicycles… Movement in public space is a shared activity, and individuals can switch roles—going, for example, from cyclist to driver, then to pedestrian, and back to cyclist again. It is multimodal, allowing people to transition smoothly among different modes of travel.

Andrew Furman
Andrew Furman is a professor of design at Toronto Metropolitan University. He holds dual degrees in interior design and architecture and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at both Toronto Metropolitan University and York University.
His work spans Canada, encompassing numerous projects across these two fields. His research and creative interests focus on exploring the roles of active transportation, eco‑mobility, personal mobility, and design agency in public indoor spaces and urban areas. Recent projects include public art commissions for Toronto Metropolitan University, the Tarragon Theatre, and Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
He lives in Toronto with his wife and three children. He enjoys cycling and wandering through ravines.

Other contributors: Peter Burkmor, Andrew O’Malloy, Orion Usna Kid.