In Image Comics’ new title, Made In Korea, a software engineer in Seoul, South Korea thinks he’s made a breakthrough. 
Chul the coder then creates a connection to a childless couple in Conroe, Texas. They’re purchasing a ‘proxy’, an electronic child. But there’s something special about their new proxy daughter Jesse!
Vermont US-based Writer Jeremy Holt (Skinned, Virtually Yours, Before Houdini, etc) has a strong concept behind Made in Korea. The future of AI is being written in the real world, and a fascinating topic to explore for science fiction. The scenes are clear, the dialogue is succinct. Holt’s characters are quickly and efficiently tossed into a salad mix of drama, conflict, and goal setting. It’s imminently readable.
Likewise, Barcelona artist George Schall (Chasing Echoes, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, etc) keys in on the essentials. His sparse clean line style is ideally suited for speculative fiction, software labs, and domestic drama. By making us focus on the expressions and body language of his character renderings, Schall advances the story in a smooth fashion. His colouring is likewise carefully applied, and hooray for the wide-open atmosphere.
A tip of the hat to letterer Adam Wollet, whose word balloon tails; modes of expressing whispering; his clean font style are impeccable and a good fit for Made In Korea.
The backup story rates mention too: “Together”, or “Proxy Stories Case # 004347”, is written and illustrated by Ron Chan. This three-page story manages to touch our mind and emotions. Totally wordless, this case about a proxy has beautifully rendered panels, nicely styled characters, and the ability to convey the essentials in a truly wonderful and human way.
Image, Made In Korea #1 (of 6), $3.99 for 28 pages of content. Rated Mature, but really, “Teen” would suffice. No graphic violence or adult content.
Newsdesk