Story by Brian Azzarello
Art by Eduardo Risso
Published by Image Comics
Our very complicated story so far: It’s a future Earth dominated by the one percent. The one percent live behind a Great Wall of the United States (presumably). The 99 percent live in squalor and poverty in what look to be the remnants of drowned East Coast cities although we’re not precisely sure where or when we’re at. Could be Miami or it could be New York. Our genetically modified castoff hero (Orson) is fighting to save the life of a Reality (“Realtee”) tv star. His main opponent would seem to be another and more intimidating genetically modified person whose name I forget but who dresses like James Bond and seems to be paid better as a merc of sorts. We’re not sure if the cooler better dressed genetically modified dude wants to rescue Tara or kill her.
I had thought that the series had dipped a bit over the last several issues but it comes up to speed real fast as this is the next to the last of the nine issues and all the plotlines are wrapping up. One of our villains named “Terror” ever so appropriately has taken the Kickstarter concept beyond comics, albums and films and offered a more tangible outcome. Give him “fuck you money” or Tara, daughter of the Hollywood like Bradgelina couple that runs a reality tv show full of kids, dies in one hour. I guess that would be a killer incentive (Rimshot.). Early results would seem to indicate a Robin like ending to the one hour public polling.
While this is going on Tara is being pursued by both the police and our genetically modified superfriends, who actually aren’t friends. In fact, Carter has already beaten up Orson at least once. But you get the idea that Orson might be able to find a way to beat this guy. Here’s a funny bit of dialogue on page 14 as Carter and Orson enter the building where Tara is being held.
That “LOL” is the new degraded language that Azzarello has given us through his hard work. But honestly it’s tough to read sometimes especially since he seems to be adding new additions to this particular story’s “Newspeak”. There are some tough sentences to “braind” and/or “scope”. I admire the ambition in creating your own future dialect but it does make the story a hard slog at times.
The final pages leave us with a blown up swat team, Orson probably looking to take out Carter with a pipe, and some kind of deal between the “multi nat” that runs programming and the old fashioned unincorporated criminals who can contact both the kidnapper and Carter. I imagine the finale will be designed so as to get the most viewers. That could mean a happy ending with Orson saving the girl. Or it could mean everyone dies. Can’t wait to “scope” the final issue. 4.575 stars out of 5.
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