It’s nearly impossible to enter a comic book shop and not see one of Peach Momoko’s wonderful covers. Her style is definite in a powerful way; I’ve found myself thinking a lot about her Star Wars cover featuring Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, which is among my favorite images of those characters. That skill was put to creating an entire Marvel Universe as defined by Momoko, and the results are gorgeous.
Demon Days is a book that will immediately conjure images of other notable Japanese works, particularly the lush palettes of Studio Ghibli and the cinematography of Kurosawa. Both are obviously worldwide cultural juggernauts, so they’re not exactly unique in their influence here, but when Shonen manga and anime have become their own cultural juggernaut, it’s easy to see as the basis of a superhero universe. Instead, it feels like something less zeitgeist-y, less of this moment and more ephemeral, which allows for it to feel so much more like the folklore it’s drawn from.
I think it’s an obvious thing to say, but the reason to read this is for the art. Momoko getting the opportunity to just draw the hell out of landscapes is reason alone for this to exist (and to seek out the Treasury Edition if you can). It’s just so fun, and perfectly establishes the vibe of the thing, giving space to soak in the style.
The use of space is especially masterful in the page composition. I’m not really interested in pasting a bunch of pages in a review where I’m telling you to just go look at it, but it’s really just great example of visual storytelling after great example of visual storytelling. Where I think American comics are getting more and more trapped in trying to create as many out-of-context panels as possible, Demon Days feels like something that’s just trying to be a beautiful comic.
The designs are simple and recognizable, but still new, and fit into the wider aesthetic narrative. The action is beautiful and fun to read. The diversity of characters is something I’m really happy with too, where it wasn’t just Japanese characters being pulled into this new universe, but ones that plug into the story’s aesthetic basically perfectly. Venom and Hulk may not have been the most obvious choices, but they make perfect sense in context, and Momoko molded them into fitting it all perfectly. I particularly love how she chose to reimagine Logan.
Marvel Comics
Demon Days generally is a comic that is sold largely on atmosphere, floating from points of high stress, and staring at beautiful landscapes. The vibe is so important, and was clearly labored over, in order to make it an apex example of this kind of work.
At a certain point, I think it fair to say this book’s plot isn’t really the reason to show up. It’s mythic in a way that’s easy to digest, and that’s all it needs to be; the plot just exists to deliver the art to you. It feels like a purposeful choice, where Momoko knew she could sell the thing with her style and skill. Which she did!
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