Image Comics 2017
Written by Ales Kot
Illustrated by Andre Lima Araujo
Coloured by Chris O’Halloran
Lettered by Clayton Cowles
So last issue we were introduced to a trio of teens who are at different places in life and yet have come together to hack into a place so they can transfer funds into an account of their own making. Yes they are stealing and one of them needs it for, well I want to altruistic reasons but let’s face it stealing is stealing and these kids aren’t necessarily bad but perfect examples of this generation. I want what I want and I’ll just take it, we’re raising kids who don’t know how to think for themselves who feel entitled to anything they want and don’t understand the value of hard work, okay so maybe i’m projecting a tad but that’s how I see it.
So while they were trying to hack the place they in return were the ones being hacked. Akio infected them with something that came through the computers and it gave them superpowers in a way that seems like something out of a horror movie. I gotta say it was a most impressive display too!
This issue picks up shortly after the last one ends. Elena is off in the sky seeing how far she can fly and the boys are on the ground trying to figure their own powers out. I like this because the way Ales presents it is so accurate to me. Elena with a phone to her ear talking to the boys below while flying is so now. Reception issue be damned right lol. They are kids and they act like it and the characterisation is so strong and on point.
Akio and the General however is where the real story is at. These two men are proud and determined individuals. It’s almost like watching two male lions fighting to be leader of the pride only through words, veiled threats and underhanded knowledge of each other’s lives. One could say it’s like a chess match where they keep using their words to gain the upper hand, either way this is where we learn more about the why it happened and again how Ales has approached telling this story is amazing. He’s not doing things traditionally and I like it, it’s through the banter, hidden behind words and threats that we actually learn what’s going on.
Andre’s work on the interiors here continues to impress. The faces are something I just can’t get enough of they are so individual and expressive that they do so much to help expand the story. The use of page layouts is nicely done, the no border look is something I absolutely adore seeing. The angles, perspective and the utilisation of backgrounds here really do wonders for the flow of the story as well as give us that broader look at this world.
One of the things that always draws me to what Ales is doing is that he’s so cerebral. I’m never sure if i’m seeing what he wants me to see or if it’s just me interpreting it my as I read it. You have to think here, see the bigger picture as much as the smaller one. From clues about Baldwin and his ability and what he’s hiding here to Nick who is trouble with a captial T. He’s a loose cannon ready to go off, the proverbial volatile youth and Elena is head over heels for the boy who doesn’t want her anymore. So while they are being used and manipulated without their knowledge we get to see in somewhat real time how they are dealing with everything life is throwing at them and that is huge. All of it is meant to make you think, see beyond what is one the page and make you question things. He’s really very good at that and I love that about him it’s why I continue to read what writes.