BEST OF THE YEAR NODS FROM THE GLOBE & MAILL, AMAZON.COM, QUILL & QUIRE!
The Toronto cartoonist's first full-length graphic novel follows a
clutch of misfit ants, trying to maintain some semblance of civilization
in the shadow of war. Psychedelically gorgeous, uncomfortably
funny.-Sean Rogers, Globe & Mail Best Books of 2014
The debut graphic novel from a dazzling newcomer with a singular,
idiosyncratic style
In the few short years since he began his pamphlet-size comic book
series Lose, Michael DeForge has announced himself as an important new
voice in alternative comics. His brash, confident, undulating artwork
sent a shock wave through the comics world for its unique, fully formed
aesthetic.
From its opening pages, Ant Colony immerses the reader in a world that
is darkly existential, with false prophets, unjust wars, and corrupt
police officers, as it follows the denizens of a black ant colony under
attack from the nearby red ants. On the surface, it's the story of this
war, the destruction of a civilization, and the ants' all too familiar
desire to rebuild. Underneath, though, Ant Colony plumbs the deepest
human concerns-loneliness, faith, love, apathy, and more. All of this is
done with humor and sensitivity, exposing a world where spiders can
wreak unimaginable amounts of havoc with a single gnash of their jaws.
DeForge's striking visual sensibility-stark lines, dramatic color
choices, and brilliant use of page and panel space-stands out in this
volume.
