This issue has a lot in common with the previous episode in this series, in that both deal with the end of a relationship and the problems that tended to define them. This one, though, is far more grounded, setting aside the superhuman/supernatural character elements for the most part. Wood explores the notion of memory, how it can affect our moods and attitudes, and how we have to take responsibility for them by the choices we make when it comes to those memories. This is a thoroughly touching script that demonstrates that a relationship is hard work, because it's so easy to let one fall apart.
Gabe and Angie have been together for a long time. Their relationship started out with great passion, with them ending up in bed together on the night they first met. They fall heads over heels in love incredibly quickly, and it's not long before little quirks about each one begins to irk the other. Not long after that, the couple starts taking one another for granted, and Angie decides the time has come to end it. She meets Gabe in a coffee shop to break the news to him.
Cloonan tells the reader everything s/he needs to know about the progress of this relationship through the characters' eyes. At the beginning, there's passion and a softness in their eyes; we can see they care for one another in those looks. But there's a dark, harsh quality in their eyes at the latter stages of the relationship. Angie's anger shines through, and we can see how she sees Gabe. Cloonan's cute, manga-influence style shifts for one key page, depicting Gabe's recollections of one of the many times the pair made love. There's a maturity and sleek beauty at play that really grabs the reader's eye. It's not the sex that stands out, but the natural grace and beauty of a moment in which two people connect on an incredibly intimate level. The scene isn't a gratuitous one in the least.
People are creatures of choice, even when it comes to the things we remember. Wood seems to point out here that everyone has a choice when it comes to memory. We can't change our past and the mistakes we've made, but when it comes to reflecting back on them, there are options. I'm not referring to self-delusions. I'm referring to the choice each of us has to focus on the positives over the negatives. I often tell people I wouldn't change a thing about my past because it's led me to this point in my life.
Wood's dialogue boasts a wonderfully natural sound. The sharp, angry bursts that Gabe and Angie hurl at one another ring true, as do the exchanges from the past moments in their lives. There's a natural rhythm to their words. Wood has a strong vision of who these people are, and it makes it easy for the reader to relate to them. Demo may very well be the most human comic-book series on the market today. And given that each issue is a self-contained story with a new set of characters each time, it also stands out as the most accessible to new readers.
