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.
A comiXologist recommends:
Josephine #1
by: Amelie Milet
As part of the “French invasion” of Delcourt books launching in English this week, Josephine #1 consists of a series of one page vignettes offering glimpses into the life of Josephine, a young twentysomething woman dealing with the typical encumbrances of daily life. Such familiar struggles that many readers will be able to relate to include meddling family members and friends, the social awkwardness of the dating scene, and the elusive quest for motivation to enter that evil realm known as the gym. Things may not always go according to plan for our protagonist (especially in the love department) but she somehow manages to pick herself back up after each mishap and you can’t help but root for her and admire her tenacity.
One of the things in the artwork that struck me was the innate fashion sense every character seemed to possess (maybe because they are all French), giving me a serious case of wardrobe envy as I swiped from panel to panel. Life is complicated enough as it is, why not look fabulous and wear a cute outfit amidst the confusion? Author Pénélope Bagieu, whose book Exquisite Corpse was also recently released in English, has managed to successfully inject humor into the mundane, exaggerating the situations in the book for comedic effect and bringing to life an endearing female character experiencing the trials and tribulations of life just like the rest of us. It is not often that a book revolves mostly around the banality of the day-to-day but Josephine #1 is a delightful and entertaining story that reminds us that life can be messy and weird and that it is okay to not have it all figured out just yet.
[Read Josephine #1 on comiXology]
Amélie Milet is an International Production Coordinator at comiXology and will be first in line if a Josephine Boutique ever opens up in New York City.