He’ll make you laugh, he’ll make you cry. Then he’ll kick you square in the nuts. Jason strikes again with this masterwork of surreal, melancholy, comedic nightmare. His characters rarely show overt emotion, but a world of hurt is still somehow conveyed through their quiet staring and slouching shoulders. How something can be such a joy to read and yet so disquietingly painful, I don’t know.
‘Emily Says Hello’ starts the volume off with possibly the most depressing hitman story I’ve ever seen. Nothing funny here. Not at all. Just so very, very sad. ‘Low Moon’ thankfully lightens things up with a wacky play on the conventions of Westerns. It features some genuine, laugh-out-loud bits, from the disappointing espresso to the cell phone talker to the sudden departure of Abe. I don’t even know if I fully understand ‘&’ but I understand some of the dark, dark places it goes to. It’s grim. Then there’s ‘Early Film Noir,’ which is another really bent tale, made that much more odd because everyone’s in animal skins for no reason. “Excellent! What a beautiful day. I think I’ll do some gardening.” And finally, there’s ‘You Are Here’ another sad tale about failed relationships, obsession, depression, and rocket ships.
Jason’s work is extremely quick and you can consume a story in no time. But I’ve found that his work stays with you long after reading. It’s poignant and absurd, funny and sad. And you’ve just got to read it.
Low Moon
Author/Artist: Jason
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
ISBN: 978-1-606-99155-8
Pages: 214
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