Black Mask Studio 2016
Created & Written by Tini Howard
Created & Illustrated by Devaki Neogi
Coloured by Jen Hickman
Lettered by Aditya Bidikar
So much talk about protecting the future, and no one even asks the kids who will be living in it. Max and Mary take Evgenia and Vasily out into the real world, with some help from a few clever disguises. Plans and bonds are made. If you want the world saved, sometimes you've gotta do it yourself.
Alright so after Max ran off after the twins called them out for not having psychic powers is where we pick up here. As things are really starting to heat up and get interesting for the now quartet of teenagers. To be honest I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this issue after the way the last one ended. I mean I honestly thought we’d be focusing more on Max and Lo but I like that Tini is surprising me here. Not just with the fact that the twins seem to have actual abilities and not just twin powers.
I think that I have no idea where Tini is going to be taking this is a huge factor in why i’m enjoying this now more than ever. I was thrilled by this to begin with so imagine my surprise when it suddenly hit a new higher level. Writers just don’t get the credit they deserve for being able to come up with new original ideas like this one. I love that it’s set in the past and that when you think you have a handle on what’s going on you realise that no you don’t. This aspect of the Cold War where the world’s two major superpowers are vying for new means to spy and in a not so covert way and the flip the script so utterly well it’s really quite fun.
I like the interiors here and the way these kids dress. The sixties were a great time for fashion and to see those looks here and in a few instances in particular are great stand outs. Plus seeing how plain the twins are by contrast does a lot in the background information department. The use of page layouts utilising angles, perspective and backgrounds are beautifully done here.
This story continues to surprise me with every issue so far and that’s been pretty hard to do. The character development, growth and story direction seems to be as fluid as a con either of the kids might play and that kind of freshness and unpredictability is great to see. I think this wildly fun, original and full of a different aspect of life than one we’re used to seeing and that makes this a series that stands apart from the crowd.