Demon: Volume 2 by Jason Shiga
In the second volume of Jason Shiga‘s Demon, we find Jimmy Yee pondering his options.
As he found out in the previous book, he’s a demon who possesses the body of the closest physical person to him every time he takes his own life.
Across the course of that story he experimented with the limits of his power and is now close to mastering the logistics of his macabre gift.
Unfortunately (at least from his point-of-view), you can’t leave behind a trail of bodies without attracting attention.
Agent Hunter leads a special military taskforce that knows what he can do and how to counteract it. His mission is to recruit Jimmy to the American government by any means necessary.
But in a surprise twist, the nihilistic actuary finds another reason to live, and any offer Hunter can make him becomes secondary to securing his freedom. So it becomes a battle of wits between them: Hunter’s resources and expertise versus Jimmy’s ruthlessness and intellect.
Jimmy is certainly an anti-hero in the truest sense of the word, but we learn more here about his history and family life. Despite the chaos he leaves in his wake, you can’t help but root for him as he tries to evade his pursuers in increasingly inventive ways, and Shiga’s distinctive artwork manages to be both grisly and cute.
Demon Volume 2 is a quick, clever, mildly disturbing little read, and not one that’s easily forgotten.
I know someone who would love these books — thanks for putting them on my radar, Rebecca!