Advance Review: Jesse Moynihan’s ‘Forming’
by Tito W. James
As comic readers, there can be a feeling that we’ve seen it all before. When that feeling starts to set in, superhero comic readers branch out toward indie comics, and indie comic readers move towards underground comix. The world of underground comix is experimental and often abrasive, but one thing is for certain … you will discover something new.
Such is the case with Forming by Jesse Moynihan, which acts as an avant-garde neo-myth that charts the universe from humanity’s creation to the heat death of the universe. This graphic novel is a synthesis of a multitude of mythological traditions that’s grounded with a through-line of an artist’s journey. The comic explores the value of subjective personal expression in a world that rewards materialism. The socio-religious themes are accessible to readers of any belief system, including non-believers. The author renders creation myths and ancient alien conspiracies through a lens of absurd humour that’s entertaining in its own right.
Forming is an ambitious project that’s taken Moynihan over ten years to complete. Moynihan’s artwork improves as the saga develops; the initial cartoon characters and strict grid-like panel layouts evolve into gorgeous hand-painted pages with jaw-dropping clashes between celestial Titans.
The cosmic world-building of gods and mutants combined with philosophy and psychedelia make Forming a challenging and rewarding read. Fans of Moynihan’s work, Adventure Time and Midnight Gospel will find a New Age personal mythology within Forming. Once in a blue moon, a graphic novel comes along that blows the lid off of what I thought was possible in the medium of comics — Forming is one of those rare graphic novels.
Forming is now available for pre-order from Fantagraphics.
