maine bird, Michael DeForge
A new release from Michael DeForge should be greeted with trumpet blasts throughout the book universe. With his artistry, intelligence and wit, it’s a mystery why he isn’t called the next Dan Clowes or Chris Ware.DeForge’s style resembles his two flag bearers in ’90s comics. It does not mean that Nor is it that he hasn’t garnered his share of praise since he started publishing in the late 2000s. However, he deserves to be known even by those who don’t necessarily follow the manga.
Like its two predecessors, Sticks Angelica, Folk Hero and Leaving Richard’s Valley, Birds of Maine began as a webcomic. The subject matter is ridiculous: a fictional society of birds living on the moon. They may have left their home planet behind, but these are Earth birds with an interest in Earth. They are alternately jealous and attracted to each other’s plumage and wingspan. The three young men are at the center of many strips in the book, acting like his teens everywhere. They form a band but worry that their songs are monotonous. all It is to inform other birds of nearby food sources. “
The first thing that strikes you about “Birds of Maine” is DeForge’s trademark abstraction. Without squinting, it’s hard to understand what his paintings represent, at least until you get used to his unique style. His compositions are nods to the work of great artists, but paradoxically it’s his sly, relatable sense of humor that gives “Birds of Maine” its intellectual payload. Most episodes have the same cadence as Sunday Funnies, with equally corny punch lines. This not only prevents the reader from equating abstraction with highbrow. She is forced to quietly ask what is considered “serious” art and what is not.
As DeForge’s larger story takes shape, the irony underlying his light humor is revealed. Absurdity aside, this is the story of the cataclysm and its aftermath. Birds have emerged and left the earth to escape the effects of global warming. Maine is now underwater, and the remaining humans spend most of their time apologizing for the catastrophe. The astronaut who came from Earth to the Moon was too preoccupied with his ex-Blood to pay attention to the wonderful surroundings. It is eventually absorbed by the fungal internet and does no harm.
DeForge doesn’t seem to have decided how they feel about conventional narratives. The Astronaut plotline is one of several that he advances throughout the book, but never weaves them into the overall story. As a result, “Birds of Maine” meanders more and more over the last hundred or so pages. By the time the book reaches its end at 459 pages, it all seems frustratingly repetitive. It’s a tweaked blend, DeForge should be familiar by now.
Etelka Lehoczky writes regularly for comics and graphic novels for NPR.
maine birdMichael DeForge | | Illustrated | 459 Pages | Illustrated & Quarterly | $34.95