The Last Call

Lolos's art is the most striking thing about this book. Not unlike artists Paul Pope and Becky Cloonan, Lolos combines American, European and Japanese influences to create something very modern, and uses expressive dark lines to deepen the gaunt faces of the characters. The book starts with teenagers Sam and Alec riding around at night in a car stolen from a parent and listening to heavy metal. They are striking, with their squat bodies and big grinning mouths, but they soon prove to be the most normal characters in the book. Early on, the boys find themselves aboard a train filled with surreal creatures, showing how Lolos apparently loves drawing characters with various extended limbs and layers of bulk. The parade of oddities is intriguing, but it soon feels like a distraction. Sam and Alec are separated, but before that complication is investigated, more supporting cast members need to strut their stuff. Thankfully, by the second half of the book a story starts to unfold, and the script catches up to become as absorbing as the art. This pays off with a cliffhanger ending that blindsides the readers and leaves them curious for more. (Sept.)