A comiXologist recommends:
Husk #1: Monkey Brain ½
by: Dane Cypel
Husk #1 is a complex story. In one hand there is a deep science fiction element involving biomechanical super-suits in a slightly dystopian future. In the other there is a drug-addicted cop trying to cope with the rush of piloting a super-suit while still embodying the virtues of law and order.
These aspects of the story were not expected. Coming from American comics, I expected more action and less human interest. Above all else, I wanted to see more about these mechanized suits, called Husks, because powered battle armor is really, really cool (thanks Starship Troopers). But Husk is more about the characters and less about the setting. The setting does set up the various conflicts but the Husks and the environment serve as foils for the characters.
The story begins with the release of a new Husk. Unlike the previous versions, the new suit functions on a sub-cellular level. This type of biotechnological development hints towards the Husk’s ability to think and bend organisms to function better with the Husk’s needs. This story aspect alone brings up questions about the role of technology, where it is going, and how far is too far. And even though this technology does not exist, the ideas have a profound impact that feels familiar and interesting.
Husk #1 is nuanced science fiction, similar to the film The Fifth Element. The world is colorful and deep yet the characters are driven by shallow passions. One would imagine that in a world where people have colonized Mars and drive biotech suits, people would have loftier, more righteous goals. But that is not the case. The characters have flaws that are complicated by the world around them. In Husk, technology has not made life easier or better.
After reading Husk #1 you will immediately want more. It is a story that different from other contemporary comics. If you would like a change of pace and enjoy nuanced, complex sci-fi, read Husk.
[Read Husk #1: Monkey Brain ½ on comiXology]
Dane Cypel is a digital editor at comiXology and freelance illustrator based in Manhattan, though he’d rather be on Klendathu fighting the bug menace.