Image Comics 2019
Created & Written by Gary Whitta
Created & Illustrated by Darick Robertson
Coloured by Diego Rodriguez
Lettered by Simon Bowland
When heavily armed government forces come to London looking for Oliver, he decides to fight back against them, inspiring his adopted family of genetically engineered former soldiers to rise up against their oppressors in an unlikely rebellion.
There are just some things that a boy has to go through alone. Unfortunately he has to do so while being hunted by soldiers who see his very existence as a threat to their own. Isn’t interesting that man’s first instinct is to eradicate those who are different from them? Religious beliefs, mainly those crazy Christians, sexuality, the colour of their skin anything that is considered different is a threat to those who are so insecure in themselves. This is me musing over the book so far based on what I am seeing and I wanted to demonstrate the fact that what Gary does here with his writing is draw the reader in and then encourage them to expand what they see in their own personal ways. I love when that happens, everyone will have a different reaction or feeling to what they see and to me that’s beautiful in and of itself.
I am a huge fan of the way that this is structured. Whomever said there’s no rest for the wicked had it right, only I’m not so sure wicked would’ve been the word I chose. For while in the midst of a personal crisis, in his own mind-mind you, he’s thrust into something that he’s ill-prepared for and yet finds a way to handle it. I love the idea of instincts and finding that inner strength you didn’t you know possessed when it comes to character growth. With everything I have been through in my life there have been moments I thought I wasn’t strong enough but found a way and proving I’m much stronger than I believed. To see that in Oliver gives you this personal connection to him and that kind of relatability is truly universal.
What can I say about Darick that hasn’t been said a zillion times before? The man is immensely talented and the way we see the linework being utilised really is sublime. This for me is the epitome of what comics should look like. The composition in the panels and how detailed it all is, including the backgrounds, have this way of mesmerising the reader. It is literally so gorgeous that at times I just want to sit and stare at it. So with Diego’s contributions doing some masterful colour work here the end result is simply beyond all others. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show this master eye for storytelling.
(I’m living in a )Chain Reaction (you took a mystery and made me want it) okay so a chain reaction or the domino effect regardless of how you see it the actions of one seen by others has the ability to change their actions thus a chain reaction of events, thinking and circumstances change the way people can be. Gary demonstrates what is capable as well as what is at the same time in ways that the layering of the story is so intricate, bound and overall giving the reader a myriad of looks that can resonate in our outside world.
An orphaned boy, living on the streets struggling to survive. Taken in by strangers and made to feel a part of the community, always however on it’s fringes. It is a familiar story and while it’s told in a new way, one that can easily transcend it’s original genre come to life in this Dystopian world. There is so much goodness in these pages and I’ve only touched upon a few so if you haven’t experienced yet than what are you waiting for?