I have to confess that I had no idea what How Loathsome was about when I ordered. All I knew was that Ted Naifeh -- the creator of Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things -- was one of the creators behind it, and that was enough for me. I expected to find a much different book than Courtney, though, and I did... but I didn't expect such profound and intriguing ambiguity. This character-driven book explores the shadows and hidden edges of modern urban life, and it makes it easier to relate to figures who live their lives according to the unusual rather than the everyday.
Out of boredom more than curiousity or arousal, Catherine tags along with a couple of drunken, horny friends to a private S&M party, and there, she meets Kelley, whom she feels will change her life. The lesbian and transsexual connect almost immediately, and to cement their bond, the pair embarks on a drunken and high spree of hedonism, debauchery and filthiness, exploring each other by exploring the city's dark underbelly. In the midst of it all, as Catherine sleeps, she imagines herself and Kelley as players in a rural Victorian horror tale.
It's easy to recognize Naifeh's style from my exposure to Courtney, but that doesn't mean he offers the same sort of visuals here as he does on that other title. There's a much more realistic level of detail at play here. I love how his sleek, sharp linework maintains a vague tone when it comes to the gender of the two main characters. I was also impressed with the visual shift in the short story found in the middle of the book. While Naifeh's work usually reminds me of Dan (Nocturnals) Brereton's style, his artwork for "The Wood" reminded me more of Guy Davis's and Mike Mignola's dark, gothic leanings.
The writers keep their audience guessing early on about the sexuality and gender of Catherine and Kelley. Rather than confusing, though, it's an intriguing and engaging challenge to divine the subtleties of the script and art in the opening pages. The complexities of the relationship arise from the complexities of the selves here. Do Catherine and Kelley really know what each of them wants? Do they know who they are? It's not entirely clear. They pull away from each as quickly as they became engrossed with one another.
There's something that's both enticing and disquieting about the "deviant" lifestyle that Catherine embraces here. She gets swept up in Kelley so quickly, one can't help but envy the intensity of their passion for one another. Their immersion in pleasure and adventure is attractive as well, but at the same time, it makes one relish the comforts of the conventional lives one likely leads.
