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. In his work, deforge has tackled performative art activism, communes, and awkward love. 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. At what point did you know that this was going to be a graphic novel as opposed to a short piece. His brash, confident, undulating artwork sent a shock wave through the comics world for its unique, fully formed aesthetic. Spinning out of a contribution to the newsprint anthology smoke signals from desert island comics in brooklyn.
Keri wiginton chicago tribune hip hop family tree by ed piskor, blobby boys by alex schubert and ant colony by. Jan 21, 2014 michael deforge was born in 1987 and grew up in ottawa, ontario. Michael deforge is currently considered a single author. Jan 28, 2014 ant colony is exactly that kind of book.
Externally baffling but internally consistent, it does what great art comics often do it teaches you how to read it. Lacking friends who shared his interest, he got into the music. See more ideas about art, illustration and how to make comics. 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. Lacking friends who shared his interest, he got into the music scene, making posters and playing in bands. Jan 28, 2014 michael deforge was born in 1987 and grew up in ottawa, ontario. Michael deforge primary author only author division. 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. It analyzes ant colony as a work of narrative art, and also as a theory of narrative art. Primarily known for his webcomics, deforge has won multiple awards. The result is the immersive ant colony, a new collection of the ontario cartoonists acclaimed web comic. Keri wiginton chicago tribune hip hop family tree by ed piskor, blobby boys by alex schubert and ant colony by michael deforge.
Poster for black golds screening of tongues untied black is. Deforges singular vision reveals the menace in the mundane, the humor in the horrific. These are the ants of michael deforges graphic novel ant colony, the collected, book form version of his onceserialized strip ant comic. He has released seven issues of his solo comic lose through koyama press, coedited the anthologies root rot and thickness adults only. Michael deforge was born in 1987 and grew up in ottawa, ontario.
If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. He has since published a handful of comic books, which have received industry praise and two eisner award. Comic kunst world of books comic styles comic page storyboard art direction art reference storytelling character art. Deforge, who works as a character designer for adventure time, presents a. 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. His completed daily comic, leaving richards valley, is archived and available to read on instagram. Incinerator by michael deforge study group comic books. Feb 20, 2014 ant colony follows the denizens of a black ant colony under attack from the nearby red ants. For three dollars a month, i will send you 1020 pages. Mar 07, 2014 michael deforges ant colony is a wonderfully whole piece of comics craftsmanship. His completed daily comic, leaving richards valley, is. 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. I thought of each strip as selfcontained, trying to get some sort of resolution at the end of every page. Michael deforge on his graphic novel ant colony interview.
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. At times, when signing books, someone might ask for a pretty lady. Growing up in ottawa, deforge always knew he wanted to become a cartoonist. 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. Ant colony by michael deforge, 97817704676, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Comic kunst world of books comic styles comic page storyboard art direction art reference storytelling character. He worked as a designer on adventure time for six seasons.
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. 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 follows the denizens of a black ant colony under attack from the nearby red ants. His oneperson anthology series lose has been nominated for, or won, every major comics award including the ignatz and eisner awards. 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 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. Never strictly comic or tragic, but always horrifically both at once, deforge s tone wavers. Jan 29, 2014 michael deforges ant colony, a debut graphic novellength work, exists in the same vein.
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. Anders nilsen reads from rage of poseidon and michael. Michael deforges ant colony, a debut graphic novellength work, exists in the same vein. Acclaimed cartoonist michael deforge discusses life, work and his first fulllength graphic novel, ant colony. In some ways, this beautiful book comes preapproved. His comics and illustrations have been featured in jacobin, the new york times, bloomberg, the believer, the walrus and maisonneuve magazine. 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.
The third installment of the comic book club will feature ant colony by michael deforge. 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. A body beneath collects issues two through five of michael deforges multiaward winning anthology lose. Telegraph gallery serves up community alongside graphic.
Ant colony started as a one page color strip in an issue of smoke signal. On the surface, it s the story of this war, the destruction of a civilization, and the ants alltoofamiliar desire to rebuild. Michael is also a character designer on adventure time. Everything related to print comics comic books, graphic novels, and strips and web comics. His series lose is published annually by koyama press, and his graphic novel ant colony will be released by drawn and quarterly in 20.
Ant colony, by michael deforge the washington post. Ant colony 2014, deforge s first book length story, collects his web based weekly strip ant comic. Ant colony 2014, deforge s first booklength story, collects his web based weekly strip ant comic. Underneath, though, ant colony plumbs the deepest human concerns loneliness, faith, love, apathy, and more.
His father read comic books, primarily of the superhero variety, which led to deforges discovery of peanuts, his favourite strip. Best experienced in a single reading, its a book that you swim through. Add michael deforge s ant colony to the canon of great funny animal comics. Michael deforge has 54 books on goodreads with 15489 ratings. Michael deforge comics and graphic novels wow cool. 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 centrepiece of the book, after all, is a twopage spread of ittybitty insects at war, a colourful, lighthearted orgy of carnage and.
Michael deforges ant comic blowncoversblog comic layout. Deforge, who works as a character designer for adventure time, presents a fairly bleak vision of an ant. Like ant colony, these short stories feature maladroit characters whose inability to fit into the world leads to an unpleasant ending. Since michael deforge burst onto the comics scene a few years ago, the. 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. The narrative provides a striking analysis of human nature through an intimate at times very intimate look at the inhabitants and interactions of. As the headlines say, michael deforge is making the most exciting work in comics today. 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. Collecting issues of the comic book series lose michael deforge.
Cartoonist michael deforge on butter tarts and anarchism. Released in january, ant colony is fresh off the press from montrealbased publisher drawn and quarterly. I want to show characters who dont have much agency, says michael deforge, about his new graphic novel, ant colony. 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. Michael deforge isnt satisfied with his work unless hes in over his head and the 29yearold canadian cartoonist has become one of the comic. News and media for adaptations based on comic books are welcome. He has since published a handful of comic books, which have received industry praise and two eisner award nominations. 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. Mar 27, 2014 i want to show characters who dont have much agency, says michael deforge, about his new graphic novel, ant colony.
Michael deforge currently lives and works in toronto as a cartoonist, commercial illustrator and designer for the hit cartoon network program adventure time. Combining a deep examination of shakespeares play with memories of wimberlys own teen years, prince of cats is. Add michael deforge s ant colony to the canon of great. His brash, confident, undulating artwork sent a shock wave through the comics world for its unique, fully. Underneath, though, ant colony plumbs the deepest human concernsloneliness, faith, love, apathy, and more. Michael deforge and his wickedly weird comics quill and quire. In just a few years, deforge has become a critical darling of the artcomic world, his.
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