In the year 2050, companies achieve an assortment of technological advancements to the point that citizens can view reality through filters, making reality appear however they like. There are a few who choose to face reality for what it is, to live without filter, and one of those individuals is San Francisco’s Sam Dunes who is on a mission. Dunes is chasing a lead that will take him to the seedy underbelly of organized crime to solve the case of an old lover. Reality gets stranger than fiction, but can Dunes handle the weight of the case, or will reality be too much for him to take?
Although this series was on Comixology a year prior to physical publication, it is interesting thinking about the parallels to the world around us given the developments of companies using VR devices, A.I. generated art and other A.I. scraped generated tools that when given a glance could look almost as convincing as the very things that appear to mimic based on what data and material it’s fed. Sam Dunes’ journey into the depths of corruption explores other themes such as denial, fear, and complacency, which doesn’t seem too far off from those sentiments of today, which readers can resonate with as technology continues to develop. This neo-noir by Snyder is off to a solid start given its world, ideas, and well-paced writing full of the right balance of action and mystery. Even though it’s the first issue, this is one of Snyder’s strongest efforts. The enthusiasm for the story exudes off the pages, which makes every page turn something for readers to feel invested in.
Francis Manapul handles the art duties on this book and it is stunning to look at. Manapul’s panel work along with his use of complementary colors gives this book a visually satisfying palette for the eyes to gaze upon akin to the colors used in the Blade Runner and John Wick films. While Manapul is a fantastic illustrator, his use of colors are important as it distinguishes time, setting, and place, making it clear for the reader where the story takes place between events. One of the best things about this book’s play on reality is it allows for some artistic fun, which Manapul takes advantage of when displaying different styles of art that makes the book all the more fun to read along with Andworlds Design’s well-placed lettering. This is a solid entry from Snyder’s Best Jacket Press, and one to add to your pull list for new comic book day.
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