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OVERTIME GN
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
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Cyberosia Publishing
Writer: Marc Bryant
Artist: Mal Jones
Price: $9.95 US/$15.95 CAN |
This sci-fi story is based on a clever idea, and it boasts a surprisingly dark, twisted and subtle sense of humor. There's a strong Twilight Zone sensibility to the plot, and the script is clear and down-to-earth. Jones's artwork is easily the most unique aspect of the book, and while it boasted an odd but entertaining surreal quality, it did make the story a bit hard to follow.
Four hundred years in the future, the greatest crime one can commit is no longer the taking of a human life, but the creation of one. It's a reality that's been brought about by massive overpopulation, caused by a global epidemic of immortality. Kay Desoto is a rookie nativity detective, and on her first day, she and her partner discover the most unlikely of circumstances: a baby.
Jones's art is rather difficult to describe. One can see a hint of manga influence in his sketchy figures. There's a dreamlike, hazy quality to his work that's actually kind of refreshing. In the end, though, it's rather difficult to tell the characters apart, and one doesn't really get a strong sense of visual flow until about halfway through the book.
Bryant could have easily dwelled on the ethics of birth control, free will and the challenge of overpopulation with this story, but he leaves those questions up to the reader. No moral is hammered into the reader's head, and avoiding that particular cliche bolsters the strength of the story. The writer's exploration of the shifting nature of punishment in a different kind of world was entertaining as well.
The sci-fi setting, society of immortals and flip-flop priorities in the law could have made for a rather alien story, but Bryant's script kept the characters' feet planted firmly on the ground. Desoto's inexperience humanizes her, just as her partner's slight amusement at that fact does for him. I also love how Bryant often plants his tongue firmly in cheek at several points in the story. His introduction of the immortality idea early on in the book had me smiling from ear to ear.
This book was not among this week's new releases.
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