Boon Studios 2015
Written by James Tynion IV
Illustrated by Eryk Donovan
Coloured by Juan Manuel Tumburus
Lettered by Steve Wands
Alright so we already knew it was going to be good cause well James is writing it but I didn’t know how good, weird, off the wall and all around engaging it would be. From the opening and the argument two fishermen have regarding a dolphin, fish vs. mammal and we know the correct answer and so does one of them it’s clear this isn’t going to be anything close to normal. Me I think normal is an overrated illusion anyway.
The way this story progresses is interesting. We don’t really get a whole lot of why this is happening just that it is and that’s great. This kind of writing piques the interest and keeps the reader coming back to find out what the heck is going on. That it starts off with this great dialogue on a bus between an old man and a young man who just wants to be left alone well it’s actually extremely well crafted.
James has really made a name for himself since coming onto the scene and his work is among the best and brightest there is today. Not afraid to shy away from the norm or explore variations of life and characters he pushes himself and the readers to places that are unexpected and continually enthrall them. Often he showcases the variety of social life in his stories and this has made him one of the few to continually insert LGBT characters in such prominent roles and has garnered my support for his ability to use diversity in his stories. Also that they just are and don’t have undue attention to it, see normal aspect of life, make him on the progressive men in the field.
When we meet Annie she’s awoken in a hotel room and it’s a phone conversation she’s having with appears to be her husband. After all she has a daughter and is being “my wife” a lot in that conversation. Annie is an FBI agent and she’s in New York on assignment and as the ramifications of what the events that transpired on the bus start to mix with her and coworkers and what they are there for well it becomes something else.
Ah the Empire State Building always something interesting happening there. Be it a love in bloom or something tragic and unexpected. Well what happens is weird but fascinating I mean there’s some kind of hive mind mentality that is spread throughout these people that take away their individuality. We don’t know why or how it started but it’s here and draws Annie’s boss and her into it. Kind of like this was meant to happen here and now.
So when Annie’s family doesn’t listen to her warning and she abandons her boss she is seen taking matters into her own hands. What happens next well hell you gotta read the book because i’ve got news for ya this is the kind of stuff that’ll envelope you.
Eryk and Juan Manuel work really well together here. Eryk has a great understanding of what James is trying to convey and brings that to the page exceptionally well. Helps when you’ve worked together before I know so the synergy they have is incredible. The style here is his own and not really like anything else i’m seeing which again is wonderful to see and it adds this certain something to the book. The use of pages, panel layout to continue the story is great and as many dramatic moments happen some subtle ones are there as well. Plus anytime someone uses backgrounds and does that successfully i’m a fan.
This isn’t normal, there’s that word again, and that’s perfect. It seems like there’s this big idea here and we’re getting to watch it unfold and we’ve no real clue as to how that’ll happen. That’s the best kind of reading!