A body beneath : collecting issues of the comic book series "Lose" /

In the wake of the critical praise for DeForge's Ant Colony (2014) comes this timely sampling of his earlier work, collecting issues 2 through 5 of his comic-book series Lose. Like Ant Colony, these short stories feature maladroit characters whose inability to fit into the world leads to an unpleasant ending. They feature many of the themes found in Ant Colony the horrors lurking close to the surface in quotidian life, the constant threat of pestilence and infection, and the terrifying awkwardness of adolescence and possess the same overarching mood of dread. But lacking the distancing device of the characters being insects, the stories are even more disquieting. Drawn over four years, the comics show the young artist growing more assured and the artwork becoming more confident without losing its bizarre simplicity. The final issue's Living Outdoors, in which a pair of high-schoolers bond over a shared love of natural science and a curiosity about hallucinogenics, is the volume's high point. Fans who discovered DeForge with Ant Colony will not be disappointed by what preceded it.--Flagg, Gordon Copyright 2014 Booklist

"Lose #1 is a very bad comic," DeForge (Ant Comics, Very Casual) writes in the intro, by way of explaining why this collection of his ongoing comics anthology omits the first issue in the series. By issue #2, there's really not a whole lot to complain about-DeForge has already hit a remarkable stride. Like many of his more avant-garde contemporaries, his art is often near-psychedelic abstractions. But unlike a majority of those peers, DeForge is nearly always grounded by a terrific knack for worldbuilding and storytelling. It's not enough for his art to simply swirl and swim and float away-it exists in service of his stories, which live in a world where a profound delight is discovered in the deeply grotesque. In "Someone I Know," the Lynchian horrors of Dan Clowes's Like a Velvet Glove are taken to their Lovecraftian conclusion. "Canadian Royalty"-the funniest story in a very funny book-explores the downright shocking practices of that country's monarchy. Not every story is quite as strong as those two, but all bring something fascinating to the proceedings, veering off in directions one never imagined at the outset. This collection is a strong indication of why DeForge is one of the best young cartoonists working. (May)? (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Enjoyably grotesque, hauntingly violent, filled with disconcerting nakedness and uncomfortable sexuality, this work, collecting issues two through five of Lose (issue one was rejected by the author owing to its poor quality) will force readers to encounter the less seamy side of life. This meeting includes our unnamed protagonist, an unconfident man's failed series of hires to have himself shot in an insane attempt to secure the affections of a woman (what woman could resist the opportunity to nurse back to health a comatose person she's been dating a scant three weeks? The answer, any sane one, leads to an escalation of vain violence), the drug and sex escapades of teenagers caught in the angst of young love at the edge of adulthood, and, more surreal, a man who is infected by a parasite that will eventually turn him into a living gimp-suit. This collection also reveals DeForge's progression as an artist; the book's latter half is much stronger, both visually and textually. Verdict Recommended for fans of the avant-garde, the semiunderground comix scene, and readers willing to return to the pages repeatedly to draw out all the nuance and complexity (after several reads some stories still don't quite make sense to the reviewer yet remain oddly compelling).-Evan M. Anderson, Kirkendall P.L., Ankeny, IA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.