Michael DeForge is a comic creator who stands out. His art, his tone, style, stories, they all have that vibe. In the same way where when you see a Wes Anderson movie you just know it's by him, a DeForge comic is just so...DeForge. What does that mean, however? Generally, a DeForge comic is funny, weird, has surreal art, and is just a hoot to read. "Holy Lacrimony," is a new comic by DeForge (published by Drawn and Quarterly) and it is unquestionably a treat.
"Holy Lacrimony," starts with a vaguely-popular musician named Jackie being abducted by aliens who are a huge fan of his work. They don't like his music, but they're fascinated with him because he is the saddest person in the World. These aliens don't understand sorrow, and out of everybody on Earth, somehow Jackie is the most depressed--and these aliens love it. Jackie has mixed feelings about this for sure and the half of the book that involves him on their spaceship doing, "Performances," of his sadness contains some of DeForge's amazing surreal artwork running wild. Shapes twist, and turn, and are trippy as can be. A sexual moment between Jackie and an alien is as erotic as it is disorienting, and the whole chunk of the book in space is a treat--I loved the running gag of the aliens encouraging Jackie to, "Get your bearings," for no other reason than it is a statement I use too. This is only half the book, however.
It isn't too much of a spoiler to reveal halfway through the book Jackie ends up back on Earth (the back of the book discusses this). He's plopped back on his home planet with nary a goodbye and a whole lot of stuff he needs to process. The book then shifts to more, "Grounded," art as Jackie forms a support group for survivors of alien abductions--a group full of people he can't quite determine the sanity and/or truthfulness of. This half of the book is less wild in DeForge's drawing but brings a ton of snarky humor--after all, in a group full of people who claim to have seen aliens what right does anybody have to say someone else is off their rocker or making shit up?
"Holy Lacrimony," is a Michael DeForge comic that feels like another perfect Michael DeForge comic. That sounds infuriatingly vague and specific at the same time, but that's the best way to describe the masterful creations of DeForge. He's a creator in a league of his own whose work over the years has only gotten better, sharper, and more delightful to consume. You should definitely read, "Holy Lacrimony," and enmesh yourself in its bizarre vibe. If you find it overwhelming you can always set it down for a few minutes to get your bearings. Heh.
5 out of 5 Stars.
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