Matt Price, from the Daily Oklahoman, names Demo his Number One comic in the year's top ten list: "Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan examine the trials of youth, through the lens of young people with unusual powers. From issue No. 4's blue-collar James McMurray, third-generation factory worker, to No. 5's Kate, a young woman cursed to fulfill other's expectations, to No. 8's Nick, a man dealing with a lost love, Wood has created fully realized characters in 32-page installments."

Nate Southard says, "In a year where comics seemed to be taking a step backward, DEMO was a refreshing leap forward. Every issue of this sang without needing the previous issue to fall back on. It was a series so good that Brian Wood eventually decided to ignore his original 'normal folks with powers' concept... and I didn't notice."

Chris "Lefty" Brown has some kind words for Demo in his year-end wrap up: "I was thinking about writing a longer piece just on how great Demo was, and I still may do that, but I have to say this about Demo, it's timeless, heartfelt, human, and otherworldly. Becky Cloonan dishes out her talent in each page, each issue finding new nuances to suit the story's message (if there is one to be found). I find myself connecting with a great many of these issues, not that I've ever been a slacker, or a mill-worker, a military man, or a teen with hidden talents. Brian Wood does an exceptional job with finding the humanity of each issues protagonist(s), the characters may only find life in ink and paper, but they resonate with this reader. I was sad to let this series go, and have found myself picking up random issues and reading them. The only issue that must be read in a particular order is issue 12, it's a goodbye, and in my opinion should always come last in one's reading."

...and Dave Carter names Proof of Concept his Pick of the Week.