Is the new Image title, “Oliver” a good buy, or are we having our pockets picked?
Thankfully, this new reconfiguration of Oliver is a delight. Well, I say “delight’, but of course, times are always tough for the Oliver character. You might remember him from the Charles Dickens book “Oliver Twist”. Or from the 1960 musical, the 1968 movie, and the 2018 Dark Horse comic title ‘Olivia Twist’.
This time, “Oliver” takes place in the dystopian future. Earth is a bad place, and things are rough. Same old dystopia. New, however, is the concept that mankind has found a way to create ‘humans’ in a factory. These ‘humans’ are not born, they are created. And are subsequently second class citizens, sent to war. Until the big catastrophe, which pretty much ruins things. You see, THIS is why we can’t have ‘nice things’.
And so starts the story of Oliver, who is a real human, born of a dying mother. And this is his tale.
Well constructed, quick read. Not a lot of chat. Mum’s the word, as Oliver comes to be raised ‘mumless’ by the second class citizens, the survivors of the bad days. Art is dark, life is dark, but the drawings are carefully tended. The colours are muted to dark value earth tones. But good gestures and good layouts.
Written by Gray Whitta, illustrated by Darick Robertson and coloured by Diego Rodriguez.
Go ahead, pick up a copy. Buy it, and be sure to keep your wallet close at hand!
Image Comics, Oliver #1, $3.99 for 27 pages of content. Teen +
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