Image Comics 2016
Written by Caitlin Kittredge
Illustrated by Steven Sanders
Coloured by Paul Little
Lettered by Steve Wands
Kimiko is thrust front and center in the fight against the agents of ULTRA when both Abby and Dean are taken prisoner. Desperate to find and rescue Dean, Kimiko undertakes a risky procedure to restore Abby's full memory of Abby's time in the program that transformed her into a ruthless, nearly superhuman assassin— but in the process, Kimiko triggers the full extent of Abby's programming. Now, no one is safe—especially not Elizabeth Ostrander, the woman who turned Abby's life upside down in the first place.
I like the look we get of Kimiko in the book’s opening. Seeing her in college and her professor using the Kobiyashi Maru reference when it comes to her computer work. Yeah that argument was pretty well done. As was how she ended up working for the NSA. How her particular skill set and how good she is at it caught their attention in the first place and the offer of a job, conditional as it is, was a very interesting development. It also does a very nice job fleshing out her personality through this background information.
I’m really rather impressed with the Abby segment though. I love seeing what they’ve done to her in action and that our pale white friend is leading her through these paces to test the work done on her. It’s not that far fetched to think that someone’s memory can be wiped, played with, given the information and data needed to make them believe they’ve lived a life they never did. Implanting skills, languages and everything else it’s the kind of Black Ops that we think don’t exist in the real world but the possibility it does is both thrilling and terrifying.
Dean and his old man. What a relationship these two don’t have and how does one see their own child this way. This is crazy stuff and all I can see is that dad sees Dean as a prop or a weapon he can use to his advantage. Not someone who he gave birth to, wants to protect or mentor and even if i’m wrong about that, which thanks to the dialogue and the writing here i’m thinking i’m right, it’s still some really good perverse father/son time. Though the one thing we do get is learning where the title of the series comes from. Now I understand what a Throwaway is in this context.
Steven and Paul do a nice job on the interiors. The flow of the book through page layouts with angles and perspective are well handled. There’s background use though i’d like to see them used in every panel because it really does help with the overall mood, tone, feeling and giving us that broader feel of where they are at that particular moment. The attention to detail in the characters is nicely done and I like the individuality that gives each person.
The end of this issue spells trouble for those who did what they’ve done to Abby. I can’t wait to see how she and Kimiko are about to get their action on. Things seem to be ready to head down the roller coaster and hit the first set of curves and the anticipation and excitement of that build is wonderfully done.