The Resistance reads like a cross between The Matrix, Blade Runner and various other dark futuristic stories, with an emphasis on action and style. This second issue establishes a couple new characters who are the combat heavies, and that means plenty of room for action scenes and explosions, but Gray and Palmiotti are also working in some interesting social science-fiction with the notion of a world with very limited births and "body bag" quotas for heartless cops. Don't get me wrong, though; while the book has a brain in there somewhere, it's most attractive qualities are things going fast, guys and girls looking hot and high-tech sexy and stuff blowing up, all depicted in beautiful style by Juan Santacruz, Francis Portela & Paul Mounts.
I'm really enjoying the pacing on this book now that I've got the feel for it. The characterization takes place in the beats in between the action, and the focus is definitely on fast-paced action sequences. Gray and Palmiotti cram in a lot of action in this issue, with a chase scene, a club scene, a hostage negotiation that quickly turns ugly and of course some Russian Roulette. The book proudly advertises the fact that it's aimed at today's youth, with skimpy outfits, bleeding edge technology, body modification and club going atmosphere mixing together in the book's biggest scene.
Santacruz's work on the club is fantastic, and it seems clear that he and the writers are on the same page. You can practically hear the techno music going on in the background and see the flashing strobe lights as the new kid is introduced to "The Orphanage," and the sexy and deadly Version Mary is very clearly both, despite having no dialogue to indicate her personality yet. Santacruz and Portela are a big part of this book's appeal in general, with an incredible vision of this high-tech, messed-up morality world. The strange appearance of the robotic villains, the slick designs for the agents, and the spectacular pyrotechnics in the gunfights and chases all bring the book to life. And Paul Mounts does fantastic color work to finish out the job, keeping things dark and gritty with grays, yellows and browns but using plenty of vibrant colors as well to keep it from growing dull.
While I love the action focus of this book, there's certainly more going on than stuff blowing up for no good reason. The moral crisis of Agent Hicks seems to be leading him somewhere very interesting, and the members of the Resistance are all interesting characters as well. I was particularly taken with the slightly insane weapons man of the group, and the Morpheus-Neo relationship between the new kid and Surge is hard to miss, even if Surge is a damn sight more hard-boiled than Morpheus.
If you're looking for a deep insight into the human condition, so far that's not what The Resistance is about. But if you're looking for a great science-fiction premise with a dark edge and plenty of stuff getting blowed up, the comic-book equivalent of a big budget science-fiction action movie, The Resistance is your ticket.
