Dynamite Entertainment 2016
Written by Amy Chu
Illustrated by Kewber Baal
Coloured by Schmerys Baal
Lettered by Troy Peteri
468 years after the Great War, the last remnants of humanity live comfortably underground in the metropolis of Blackwell. But four teens start questioning everything around them, and search for the truth about their past. And what they are about to discover are secrets
that will rock their world…
I’m very impressed with the opening what Amy does with it is akin to some of the best propaganda film you’ll ever see. Well as a reader I can see it being propaganda to those witnessing it it may have seemed like the best way for them to stay alive at that time. Surrendering control of the city to this establishment so they can not only survive but thrive as well. It really feels like the machinations of a mad dictator who wanted to rule and couldn’t do it in a normal way rather than a last ditch effort to save humanity. Or like some cult leader who found a way to spread his influence in other more technological ways. Either way what this film does is explain Blackwell beautifully.
The city has protectors, robots that are inspired by Kiss members and they ensure that peace is kept within the city. Again there’s something they cannot do and that’s protect the children from doing what they do best, question everything. There will always be those that think there’s more to the world than there little section of it no matter how hard their brainwashing in school is. What Amy does with all this so far is utterly fantastic. I’m drawn into this world and the fact that the four kids who have discovered parts that were off-limits to civilians where they find stuff that will shatter their existence and what they’ve been taught. It reminds me of that line from Jurassic Park, “life will find a way.”
Loving what the Baal’s are doing with the interiors here too. The attention to detail is superbly done. The use of page layouts through angles, perspective and the backgrounds really go that extra mile in fleshing out the story. Also the twins are very important here because thanks to the interiors they represent the genetic anomaly that makes them different from all the other citizens.
There’s an excitement and freshness about this story already that Amy is able to bring to the page that makes this unlike any other end of the world type scenario we’ve seen told before. With Morpheus and its revelations and the fact that the council of Elders have deployed their forces of Protectors for these four kids, two of whom are considered expendable, really show off that there is more here than meets the eye. That what they are doing represents that much of a danger that this kind of force is sent after them well that just boggles the imagination and makes me want to know more.
So many clues so little answers it’s all being played out for us perfectly so that we have that innate desire to know more. It also engages the mind beautifully and with some extremely good interiors this is definitely a surprise hit for me.