Michael Deforge

February 27, 2013 5:24 PM

Canadian cartoonist and animator Michael Deforge has been furiously productive over the past few years, producing a seemingly endless series of minicomics, four issues of his increasingly influential one-man anthology series Lose, short pieces for magazines, concert posters, and dozens of one-off illustrations, blog posts and anthology contributions. His comics are a queasy mix of body horror (reminiscent of his countryman David Cronenberg), creeping anxiety, and surprisingly sharp humor.

In "The Burden of Promise," the Comics Journal's Rob Clough considers Deforge's style (and its startlingly rapid evolution) in the context of so-called "fusion comics," visually inventive and formally playful takes on genre material (such as Brandon Graham, Josh Simmons, Dash Shaw or recent Johnny Ryan).

Comic artist and journalist Matt Seneca interviews him here about his recent mini-comic "Incinerator."

And did I mention he works on Adventure Time? Because he totally does that. While his design work has been featured on multiple episodes, the recently broadcast "Little Dude" is the first episode Deforge has storyboarded. Check out Deforge's title card here, and watch a short clip here.

In May Koyama Press will release Very Casual, a compilation of some of his best comics work (including "Cody," "SM," "Cop Comic," "Incinerator," "Queen" and others), followed by the fourth issue of Lose in June.

Some (but by no means all) of Deforge's work available online:

Queen (for Arthur magazine, reprinted in The Best American Comics 2011)

Kid Mafia #1

Cody

First Year Healthy

a selection of comics at What Things Do, including the new-ish Splitsville and Leather Space Men

Michael Deforge previously on Metafilter:
Spotting Deer
Rescue Pet
Ant Comic

posted by Merzbau (10 comments total)

I've had this in the works for a few days, but I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to post after Rollick's post on Ant Comic this morning. Please delete if this isn't a good fit.
posted by Merzbau at 5:25 PM on February 27, 2013

This is fascinating material. There's much, much more here than in rollick's one link post.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 5:48 PM on February 27, 2013

Wow this is wonderful. How have I missed all of this? Thank you for the post.
posted by Kloryne at 6:10 PM on February 27, 2013

Deforge hits that Total sponge wormsweet spot growing outside my brain on a stalk and covered with wretched goo that I lick from, on occasion.
posted by The Whelk at 6:38 PM on February 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

Ant Comic as linked in the other thread is just amazing. Wow. It's amazing the economy with which he creates his own entire little world there with ants as referents, yet completely unbound by reality. I want some of whatever spider milk dude is drinking.
posted by threeants at 6:56 PM on February 27, 2013

That Ant Comic post already got me a little obsessed with Mr. Deforge, so as far as I'm concerned this is a perfect MetaFilter post.
posted by Jonathan Harford at 7:35 PM on February 27, 2013

I discovered Deforge long enough ago (not really that long ago) that his stuff feels like one of those things made especially for me, which I must guard jealously. NONE OF YOU CAN TRULY LOVE HIM LIKE I DO
posted by shakespeherian at 8:12 PM on February 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

WE'RE GONNA MAKE HIM CRASS AND COMMERICAL
posted by The Whelk at 8:32 PM on February 27, 2013 [2 favorites]

Huh. Ant Comic totally gave me the same vibe as Forming, and now knowing that both Deforge and Jmoyns work on AT ties it all together.
posted by cthuljew at 11:38 PM on February 27, 2013 [1 favorite]

This is fascinating material. There's much, much more here than in rollick's one link post.

Agreed, this is a great post. I saw Ant Comic linked on facebook and thought it was good enough as a standalone, but I wasn't familiar with the artist beforehand. Lots more to appreciate, thanks!
posted by rollick at 2:51 PM on February 28, 2013