Now that it's over, we can look back at Demo and figure out what it was. Or maybe not. One thing that defines Demo, especially in these last four issues, is that it is very personal, quiet storytelling, of a sort that leaves the reader affected, emotionally and intellectually. What started out as an exercise in more realistic exploration of superpowers drifted away from that in the middle to more of a vehicle for exploration of relationships to each other and to the world, and these last four issues are especially focused on how we deal with friends, lovers and ourselves. Figuring out what we want to do with our lives, correcting the things that have gone wrong, even knowing when to say goodbye, these are the themes of Demo #9-12, and while there is some commonality of theme amongst all four issues, the stories are all very different.
Demo #9 is the story of a couple breaking up. No supernatural abilities, just a very straightforward story of that last meal or last cup of coffee you have with someone you once thought you'd be with forever. By flashing back to the relationship as it was and then to how it is, Wood and Cloonan capture the universal heartbreak and wistful longing of a relationship gone sour, something almost everyone has experienced at one time or another. This one is almost painful in its emotional honesty and how easy it is to relate to, and Cloonan's art style on this issue has a sharp-edged, harsh quality that reflects the dangerous edges of the last day of the relationship. The flashbacks are often one or two panels of a larger flashback, and I'm reminded of the jump-cut barrage style found in Eternal Sunshine of the Beautiful Mind, which puts Demo #9 up there with the best relationship examining stories in recent years.
Demo #10 seems at first to be diving a little bit more into the supernatural vibe of the early stories. A yuppie in his twenties meets a homeless girl who seems to know all about him, and who starts giving him advice on how to improve his life. In the wrong hands, this story is a cheesy movie on Lifetime or the Sci-Fi Network, but in the hands of Wood and Cloonan, it's a gripping story of personal responsibility and tragic circumstance. Cloonan amps up her manga influence for this story, really amplifying the youth and energy of the young girl and making it easy to see her allure for Tommy Martin. She also does some beautiful photo-referenced New York City backdrops, and a stirring, shocking visual end to the story that I never saw coming.
My favorite issue of the bunch is Demo #11, which lightens up the mood considerably. It's ostensibly about three slackers in their twenties working a crappy night shift job, but it's really about learning when to grow up, when to change, just like the other stories in this last quartet of Demo tales. Again showing off her innate talents and her chameleon-like ability to shift styles, Cloonan creates this story in a style very similar to the wild style of Bryan O'Malley, which fits perfectly with the teen angst (OK, technically young adult angst) of the story. The banter between the three friends, the whole notion of a "slacker pledge" and Wood's ability to show life-changing events without getting too weepy and while remaining pretty funny is a testament to his talents.
My least favorite of the bunch is Demo #12, "Mon Dernier Jour Avec Toi," because it was just too damned weird for me. It's a pretty big departure from Wood's approachable, easygoing dialogue, with a story playing out visually as poetic narration tells the tale. In terms of mood, Demo #12 scores big, and has some of Cloonan's finest and most detailed work, but in terms of connection, it was a bit distant, not as emotionally engaging or personally affecting as the other stories in the series. The backup story, which Cloonan writes and Wood draws, is more in that style, but it's a pretty short tale, so it doesn't get its hooks in me the way the other Demo tales have. Again, certainly not a bad story, but a very big departure, and not my cup of tea as much as the rest of these issues (and this series) has been.
In addition to the main stories, these four issues are packed with extras. Wood and Cloonan provide a music list and commentary for each issue, and there are pinups from indy luminaries like Bryan O'Malley, Jen Quick, Steve Rolston, Kazu Kibuishi and Rob G. It's a fascinating series, and well worth breaking your "trades only" stance for. 9/10
