Demon, Volume 1

Starred review from September 5, 2016
Suicidal Jimmy Yee’s multiple attempts at killing himself result in a Groundhog Day–like resetting of where he began, but with bodies piling up with each try. To say any more would spoil intriguing revelation after revelation, as Jimmy begins to sort out what’s happening and comes to a startling conclusion—one that solves the mystery but adds a new layer of horror. What can be said is that Shiga (Meanwhile) has woven a tight and tense narrative that keeps readers intrigued and guessing along with Yee, as he endures the mind-bending ramifications of his situation. Shiga’s art style is a perfect accent to the story, largely due to its resemblance to clip art and the aesthetic of Sesame Street. The rounded, cartoony cuteness adds a perfect icing of incongruity to Shiga’s rich cake of twisted tension. As with Shiga’s other books, there are puzzles aplenty to solve, with an added layer of urgent narrative drive. Originally serialized as a webcomic, the story will prove just as addictive for readers finding it in print.

Starred review from September 15, 2016

At the literal end of his rope, Jimmy Yee has lost his family in an accident and commits suicide. Yet he wakes up alive. He tries again with a revolver, then with pills. Eventually, he figures out why he can't die--and so does the clever agent Hunter, who wants Jimmy to work for him. This is Jimmy's idea of a fate worse than death, and he sets out to best his adversary with murder, mayhem, and impromptu weaponry. Shiga's (Bookhunter) childlike, blobby characters create an effect that's both unsettling and engaging. Many simple, almost wordless two-color panels invite readers to scheme along with Jimmy, an amoral character who yet inspires sympathy and chuckles. Three more volumes are coming, so expect many more paradoxes (Shiga has a math degree), twists, and corpses as two brilliant minds try to outfox each other. VERDICT Shiga knows how to run a premise into the ground with supreme goofiness, and crime buffs looking for something completely different will be drawn into Jimmy's conundrums. Plenty of adult content makes this for older teens and up.--MC

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2016
Jimmy Yee has a rather unique problem: he cannot die. After a botched bank robbery, Jimmy decides to take his own life, only to continuously find himself alive again shortly after his death. What seems to be a terrifying curse turns out to be a macabre superpower of sorts, as Jimmy soon must evade government agencies (by killing himself, of course!) to avoid capture. The premise is as gruesome as it is original, but those willing to stick around will be floored by the absurdity of the concept and lured in by the surprising, suspenseful turn of the second half of the piece. Dark humor abounds in Jimmy's straightforward thinking through his morbid problems, as his flippant willingness to die in a variety of ways quickly becomes comically disgusting. Shiga's simplistic cartoon style helps soften the blow; with his characters' bug eyes and rounded structures, murder and suicide have never looked so adorable. Like Jimmy's new lease on life, this is fresh, with plenty of potential, and definitely a series to watch develop.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)