I've been thoroughly enjoying this series, but I have to confess that as compelling as the disenfranchised teen characters are, I don't really connect with them. My teen years were pretty uneventful and nowhere nearly as traumatic as they were for others. It was during my early days as an adult that I felt angry or lost or rebellious. As a result, I found I connected with the protagonist of this latest episode of Demo far more. Wood's story of a guy in his mid 20s choosing between different loyalties, between comfort and responsibility, really spoke to me, and Cloonan's manga-influenced artwork really captures the dark, mature mood that envelops the hero.
James McMurray lives in a small New Jersey town and works at the same plant as his father and his grandfather. He feels he's never earned anything on his own, and he feels he's destined to the live the exact same lives as the other men in the McMurray clan. Then there's his friends. They don't see him as just the latest in the McMurray line, but they don't exactly see him as a unique individual either. James has... talents, abilities that see his friends treat him more as a means to an end than an equal. James has two paths before him, and he doesn't know which one to choose.
Cloonan's style clearly boasts a Japanese influence, but there are others at play in her work as well. At times, her work here reminded me of the art of Jim (Grrl Scouts) Mahfood and Sean (Sleeper) Phillips. There's an inky, dirty quality to the art in this issue that's in keeping with the working-class elements in the story. Cloonan includes backgrounds at times that are rich in detail despite the thick-lined, heavily inked qualities of the art in general. The artist also manages to convey that these characters are in their teen years like those from previous issues. She achieves a nice balance between the youthful look of these 20-somethings and their emerging adulthood.
Wood walks a fine line in this story. He's careful to show the main character makes the right choice, but he also has to convey that he's not ust settling for the life that's been laid out before him. James chooses an honorable path, not an easy one. He reaches out to the people who don't just accept him for what he is, but who appreciate him for what he is. Other stories in this series have touched upon a child's need to reject the parents, but Wood explores the opposite notion here. When you're a kid, it's easy to hate or resent a parent, but adulthood brings with it a different perspective. When you're a kid, it takes courage to walk your own path, but as an adult, it also takes courage to live up to responsibilities.
