What can I say about this book?   I can tell you matter-of-factly that it is the single most creative original series being published today.  I can tell you that Brian Wood captures perfectly the idea that it’s not the fact that these characters have special abilities or “powers” that is interesting, but that the circumstances that they are in, and how they deal with those circumstances that’s interesting.  I can tell you that Becky Cloonan is quite possibly one of the most versatile artists working in comics today.  Each issue of DEMO has a very different “feel” to it that meshes beautifully with the characters in the story.  This is no small task as each issue focuses on (thus far) very different and unrelated characters.  But, if you were to simply take my word for it, this would be the shortest column I’ve ever written.  Let me tell you about DEMO.

DEMO is published by AiT / Planet Lar, who, coincidentally, happens to be celebrating their 5^th year in the comics industry.  Happy Anniversary!   They’ve published much of the past works of Brian Wood-goodness such as Channel Zero, Couscous Express and The Couriers.  All of these books are worthwhile reading to any comics aficionado.  Couscous Express and The Couriers are like reading a John Woo film.   There’s so much going on that you’re literally in a hurry to turn the next page and see what happens.  DEMO is no different.  DEMO is scheduled to be a 12-issue limited series.  The first four issues are out now (issue 5 ships 03/24/04, I believe).

Lots of people that have read DEMO so far have made comparisons to Marvel’s X-Men.  Honestly, I can see some of the parallels myself to some of the more pivotal storylines like “Days of Future Past” or “The Dark Pheonix Saga”.   The thing that I think makes those stories stand out, however, is not what actually happened in them, but the way the characters reacted and dealt with the events.  This is the stuff of good storytelling and, in my opinion, that’s the stuff that Wood focuses in and elaborates upon.  In the back of the first issue, Wood himself states “I have no interest in the mainstream approach to that genre [superhero] anymore, but some of the background themes have always appealed to me.  DEMO is my chance to write those themes, in my way and on my terms, and exorcise some creative demons that persist in haunting me”.  And that’s exactly what he’s doing.

So, let me tell you about the first four issues of DEMO.  You can consider this a “catch up” review of sorts.  I’ll start writing regular monthly reviews of the title going forward, beginning with issue #5.

The first issue is about Marie and her boyfriend Mike.  They’re a couple high school students growing up on their own in New York City.  This issue focuses on their journey there a year ago.  It’s a strong issue about the general sense that just about everyone has had in their life that they’re somehow “set apart” from the rest of society.

The second issue is about Emmy.  Emmy is a young girl that you could say has had to grow up too fast.  Emmy learns very early on in life that words are powerful things.  So she doesn’t talk anymore.  This is probably my favorite issue to date.  The story is primarily a visual one and really showcases Cloonan’s ability to convey a message and feeling through her art.

Issue three is the story of Samantha.  She’s at her father’s funeral and reunited with her stepbrother Sean, whom she’s been out of touch with for 10+ years.  Samantha has had a stereotypical Americana broken childhood.  Reminiscing her younger years, she becomes resentful of the fact that she didn’t have a “normal” family.  In the process of spilling her heart out to her stepbrother, it becomes quite clear just how far from normal her family is – in a very different sense that she had previously thought.

Issue four is about strength.  It’s the story of James McMurray.  James comes from a long line of factory workers in his hometown.  When his boss offers him a promotion he’s faced with the dilemma of continuing that family tradition or doing something else with his life.  It’s clear that he’s got certain talents that he could use to travel the world and do other things.  Eventually, it becomes clear to James that the “unity” he’d previously sought from his friends has been available to him all this time from his family.

So there you have it!   Four great reasons to go sifting through the back issue bins at your local comic book shop!

Wood describes DEMO as “…twelve mini graphic novels linked by common themes”.  I think that’s a perfect description.  These books are so good that after reading each issue, you’ll find yourself going back and thinking about the story for the next week!  I’ve picked them up again and again over the course of the last month to flip through them and let the goodness of each story swish around into the corners of my brain and get all good and soaked in.

Thinking about waiting for the trade?  Let me give you word of caution about that.  Each issue of DEMO contains little “extras” that Wood has said you won’t find in the trade.   He’s turning the tables on the typical model to give readers who go out and try to find the individual issues a little bonus.   This is just the kind of thinking that this industry needs!  Challenge the way things have been done before!  What better reason to go digging for the individual issues?!

Let me tell you.  Each and every issue of DEMO is a gem - a diamond in the rough.  This series deserves the Eisner Award in just about every category that it can possibly be nominated in.  Do yourself a favor.  Go read DEMO.   You’ll be glad you did.