In the few short years since he began his pamphletsize comic book series lose, michael deforge has announced himself as an important new voice in alternative comics. Comic kunst world of books comic styles comic page storyboard art direction art reference storytelling character. Underneath, though, ant colony plumbs the deepest human concernsloneliness, faith, love, apathy, and more. May, 2014 before he published the high profile ant colony earlier this year, michael deforge had been annually releasing. Externally baffling but internally consistent, it does what great art comics often do it teaches you how to read it. Add michael deforge s ant colony to the canon of great. Big kids, an even teenier hardcover than michaels petite shorts collection dressing, follows the teenaged adam through a conflict with his cop uncle, a mysterious collegeaged stranger named april moving in with him and his family, and a jarring breakup with his jerky. The result is the immersive ant colony, a new collection of the ontario cartoonists acclaimed web comic. Ant colony by michael deforge, 97817704676, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. His series lose is published annually by koyama press, and his graphic novel ant colony will be released by drawn and quarterly in 20. The centrepiece of the book, after all, is a twopage spread of ittybitty insects at war, a colourful, lighthearted orgy of carnage and.
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. The toronto comic arts festival is proud to present its first poster image for the 2014 show, by toronto artist michael deforge deforge is an integral part of torontos comics scene and community, and has come to international prominence for his rapidly expanding catalogue of work. Michael deforge isnt satisfied with his work unless hes in over his head and the 29yearold canadian cartoonist has become one of the comic. Underneath, though, ant colony plumbs the deepest human concerns loneliness, faith, love, apathy, and more. Poster for black golds screening of tongues untied black is.
Feb 20, 2014 ant colony follows the denizens of a black ant colony under attack from the nearby red ants. At what point did you know that this was going to be a graphic novel as opposed to a short piece. I thought of each strip as selfcontained, trying to get some sort of resolution at the end of every page. In just a few years, deforge has become a critical darling of the artcomic world, his. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. Like ant colony, these short stories feature maladroit characters whose inability to fit into the world leads to an unpleasant ending. Jan 28, 2014 ant colony is exactly that kind of book.
Never strictly comic or tragic, but always horrifically both at once, deforge s tone wavers. His oneperson anthology series lose has been nominated for, or won, every major comics award including the ignatz and eisner awards. After a few years of experimenting with short strips and zines, he created his pamphletsize comic book series lose, of which the first issue won best emerging talent at the doug wright awards. In his work, deforge has tackled performative art activism, communes, and awkward love. Ive published very casual, a body beneath and dressing with koyama press and ant colony, big kids and sticks angelica, folk hero with drawn and quarterly. Keri wiginton chicago tribune hip hop family tree by ed piskor, blobby boys by alex schubert and ant colony by michael deforge. Michael deforge primary author only author division. A body beneath collects issues two through five of michael deforges multiaward winning anthology lose. Ive not written about deforge yet, but i think one of the most impressive things about his work is how its very distinct and individual and. Since michael deforge burst onto the comics scene a few years ago, the.
Oct 15, 2012 justin and tyrell discussoveranalyze death of a crow by liam cobb, incinerator by michael deforge, sentinel by mike walton, the man that dances in the meadow by sam alden and a reply leave a reply. Deforges quasiphilosophical graphic novel about a collapsing ant colony begins with dark humor and travels in circular fashion through bleak tragedy and the occasional bout of slapstick. Michael deforge comics and graphic novels wow cool. Lacking friends who shared his interest, he got into the music. He has crafted a phantasmagoria of stories that feature a spiderinfested pet horse head, postapocalyptic dogs dealing with existential angst, the romantic undertones of a hired hit, and more. Sep 10, 2014 today its the turn of the man whos pretty much trademarked the finest cartoonist of his generation im getting really good with these introductions, eh tag for the past few years, michael deforge. He has released seven issues of his solo comic lose through koyama press, coedited the anthologies root rot and thickness adults only.
Primarily known for his webcomics, deforge has won multiple awards. Michael deforge is currently considered a single author. May, 2014 before he published the high profile ant colony earlier this. It analyzes ant colony as a work of narrative art, and also as a theory of narrative art. In the past five years, the canadian artist michael deforge has published ten comic books, including brat, ant colony, and leaving richards valley, and worked as a character designer on cartoon networks adventure time. Ant colony 2014, deforge s first booklength story, collects his web based weekly strip ant comic. His completed daily comic, leaving richards valley, is archived and available to read on instagram. The narrative provides a striking analysis of human nature through an intimate at times very intimate look at the inhabitants and interactions of. Michael deforge was born in 1987 and grew up in ottawa, ontario. Michael deforge has 54 books on goodreads with 15489 ratings. News and media for adaptations based on comic books are welcome. Ant colony, by michael deforge the washington post. On the surface, it s the story of this war, the destruction of a civilization, and the ants alltoofamiliar desire to rebuild.
In some ways, this beautiful book comes preapproved. See more ideas about art, illustration and how to make comics. His published books include very casual, a body beneath, ant colony, first year healthy, dressing, big kids, sticks angelica, folk hero and a western world. Deforges singular vision reveals the menace in the mundane, the humor in the horrific. Keri wiginton chicago tribune hip hop family tree by ed piskor, blobby boys by alex schubert and ant colony by. I want to show characters who dont have much agency, says michael deforge, about his new graphic novel, ant colony. Incinerator by michael deforge study group comic books.
Mar 07, 2014 michael deforges ant colony is a wonderfully whole piece of comics craftsmanship. His oneperson anthology series lose has received great critical and commercial success, having been nominated for every major comics award including the ignatz and eisner awards. Michael deforge currently lives and works in toronto as a cartoonist, commercial illustrator and designer for the hit cartoon network program adventure time. He has since published a handful of comic books, which have received industry praise and two eisner award. The third installment of the comic book club will feature ant colony by michael deforge. Jan 28, 2014 the result is the immersive ant colony, a new collection of the ontario cartoonists acclaimed web comic.
Collecting issues of the comic book series lose michael deforge. These are the ants of michael deforges graphic novel ant colony, the collected, book form version of his onceserialized strip ant comic. Michael deforge and his wickedly weird comics quill and quire. At times, when signing books, someone might ask for a pretty lady. 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. Michael deforge on his graphic novel ant colony interview. Comic kunst world of books comic styles comic page storyboard art direction art reference storytelling character art. Michael is also a character designer on adventure time.
Jan 21, 2014 michael deforge was born in 1987 and grew up in ottawa, ontario. Deforge, who works as a character designer for adventure time, presents a. Cartoonist michael deforge on butter tarts and anarchism. Leaving richards valley, torontobased comics artist and illustrator michael deforges newest graphic novel, follows a ragtag crew of outcasts who are forced to live in the toxic outside after their exile from a cult. Ant colony started as a one page color strip in an issue of smoke signal. Deforge, who works as a character designer for adventure time, presents a fairly bleak vision of an ant. He worked as a designer on adventure time for six seasons. Everything related to print comics comic books, graphic novels, and strips and web comics. Lacking friends who shared his interest, he got into the music scene, making posters and playing in bands. Jan 29, 2014 michael deforges ant colony, a debut graphic novellength work, exists in the same vein. Ant colony 2014, deforge s first book length story, collects his web based weekly strip ant comic. His completed daily comic, leaving richards valley, is.
Today its the turn of the man whos pretty much trademarked the finest cartoonist of his generation im getting really good with these introductions, eh tag for the past few years, michael deforge. Telegraph gallery serves up community alongside graphic. Combining a deep examination of shakespeares play with memories of wimberlys own teen years, prince of cats is. Anders nilsen reads from rage of poseidon and michael. In the few short years since he began his pamphletsize comic book series lose, michael deforge has announced himself as an important new voice in. Best experienced in a single reading, its a book that you swim through. Growing up in ottawa, deforge always knew he wanted to become a cartoonist. Michael deforges ant colony, a debut graphic novellength work, exists in the same vein.
For three dollars a month, i will send you 1020 pages. Spinning out of a contribution to the newsprint anthology smoke signals from desert island comics in brooklyn. Michael deforges ant comic blowncoversblog comic layout. Mar 03, 2020 in the past five years, the canadian artist michael deforge has published ten comic books, including brat, ant colony, and leaving richards valley, and worked as a character designer on cartoon networks adventure time. The debut graphic novel from a dazzling newcomer with a singular, idiosyncratic style in the few short years since he began his pamphletsize comic book series lose, michael deforge has announced himself as an important new voice in alternative comics. Telegraph gallery serves up community alongside graphic art. It was easy to miss amid the seemingly neverending torrent of incredible comics pages hes posted to the internet over the past couple years, but michael deforge, the doug wright awardwinning creator of lose from koyama press, has quietly launched a biweekly webcomic called ant comic. Michael deforge 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.
Mar 27, 2014 i want to show characters who dont have much agency, says michael deforge, about his new graphic novel, ant colony. Jan 28, 2014 michael deforge was born in 1987 and grew up in ottawa, ontario. Released in january, ant colony is fresh off the press from montrealbased publisher drawn and quarterly. He has since published a handful of comic books, which have received industry praise and two eisner award nominations. His brash, confident, undulating artwork sent a shock wave through the comics world for its unique, fully formed aesthetic. Add michael deforge s ant colony to the canon of great funny animal comics. Ant colony follows the denizens of a black ant colony under attack from the nearby red ants. His father read comic books, primarily of the superhero variety, which led to deforges discovery of peanuts, his favourite strip. His brash, confident, undulating artwork sent a shock wave through the comics world for its unique, fully. As the headlines say, michael deforge is making the most exciting work in comics today. His comics and illustrations have been featured in jacobin, the new york times, bloomberg, the believer, the walrus and maisonneuve magazine.
717 663 1508 998 673 1502 360 105 1478 166 1147 1221 1127 875 360 416 1306 202 941 796 304 1042 698 105 1249 1398 1236 329 1417 342 984 1013 1063 137 1134 309 181