After making their print debut in 2014’s Megahex, depressed witch Megg and her black cat Mogg make their drug-addled return to the printed page in Megg & Mogg In Amsterdam, the latest collection of Simon Hanselmann’s strange, hilarious, and occasionally disturbing web comics. Megg and Mogg’s trip to Amsterdam is the focus of the book’s longest story. But before their departure, Hanselmann delves deeper into their dysfunctional domestic situation, which largely involves conflicts with their increasingly frustrated roommate, Owl.
In this preview, Megg and Mogg continue to infuriate Owl with their mistreatment of their home, which only gets worse when their friend Werewolf Jones shows up with his two delinquent kids. These pages showcase Hanselmann’s dark sense of humor and the bold expression of his characters, with details like the red curtain behind Owl intensifying his anger until he reaches a literal breaking point when an ashtray shatters his beak.
“Felt Hats” is one of the more straightforward stories in the book, which often ventures into psychedelic, surreal territory that reveals Hanselmann’s range as a cartoonist. Readers can experience more of Hanselmann’s distinctive storytelling when Megg & Mogg In Amsterdam hits stores next week—landing on 4/20, because Fantagraphics knows exactly who this book’s target audience is.