Slasher by Charles Forsman Review

The only bright spot in Christine’s life is the love she’s found online with an emaciated teenager and their shared love of blood/leather/knife play fetishes. Then Christine buys a knife and, after one fateful night, her whole world changes and she discovers who she really is. She’s happy, she’s in love - and a lotta people are gonna have to die…

Chuck Forsman is one of the most original and talented cartoonists working today and Slasher is another brilliant book from this remarkable creator. Slasher reminded me a bit of the bleak, troubled romance of TEOTFW but taken to the next level - ie. much, much darker - and mixed with the bloodiness of Revenger.

I can see why some people might not like this book very much: Christine is unlikeable and severely unhinged. Things escalate without rhyme or reason and seemingly gratuitously, barrelling towards total nihilism. But I also think that’s part of the book’s appeal: it’s so unapologetic in what it is, much like Christine learns to be. As fucked up as everything in this book is, this is love for Christine - it’s not most people’s idea of love, but she’s also not most people.

And that’s the other thing: this is a love story. Yes it is, and I really like that there is a blip of human tenderness and soul amidst all the carnage. It’s a love story I’ve never read before and I appreciate Forsman giving us a different take on this oldest of story types.

The story is completely unpredictable and, for all its horror, utterly compelling. The twist is impossible to predict as is Christine’s behaviour in general. Forsman’s writing is very artful and minimalist - he’s not going to explain any of it to the reader - so it’s a little unsatisfying in that you’re left with some questions that’ll never be answered; I still really enjoyed Slasher regardless.

One of the many things I love about Charles Forsman’s comics is how unique they are. There’s nothing comparable to them out there and his stories are always imaginative, thoughtful, memorable, and so well put-together. Slasher is definitely a disturbing read but bold, challenging and gripping regardless.