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Apr 20, 2016 Web Exclusive By Jeremy Nisen

I’m not sure if there’s ever been such a contrast between the beauty of a work’s cartooning and the cringe-inducing depravity of its characters as in Simon Hanselmann’s Megg & Mogg comics. Life must literally be hell for poor, poor Owl, who is everyone’s punching bag—his only saving grace is that the lives of Megg, Mogg, Werewolf Jones, and the other featured grotesques in the book are just as sad and pathetic, if not more so. But this isn’t just a gross-out comic making a reader weep for the state of humanity (as primarily represented by a witch, a cat, an owl, a werewolf, and a transgender boogeyman). There is real insight into human nature, social morés, depression, and identity. And there are little moments of poignancy that, amazing among gag-inducing behavior, give the reader a case of the feels (don’t worry, they don’t last long, more witch/cat bestiality is just around the corner).

In case the above doesn’t make it clear: Hanselmann is creating some of the best comics around, and Megg & Mogg in Amsterdam is a must-read for anyone interested in something more than excessive punching. (Though come to think of it, there’s a fair amount of punching in Megg & Mogg as well.) (www.fantagraphics.com)

Author rating: 9/10