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COMIC BOOK REVIEW: Tokyo Ghost #1

 
Tokyo Ghost1
Tokyo Ghost1
Tokyo Ghost1

 
Overview
 

Story by: Rick Remender
 
Art by: Sean Murphy
 
Colors by: Matt Hollingsworth
 
Publisher:
 
FG RATING
 
 
 
 
 
4/ 5


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To sum it all up..

THE FUTURE’S OPIUM Rick Remender, Sean Gordon Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth explore the world of 2089, a place of decay, destitution, destruction and definitely dystopia. Additionally, Remender presents a stern critique on the latest entertainment phenomenon that is gripping nowadays, the Internet, and its interconnecting technological and communicative apparatuses — YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Google, emails, […]

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Posted September 18, 2015 by

 
FULL REVIEW
 
 

Tokyo Ghost1

THE FUTURE’S OPIUM

Rick Remender, Sean Gordon Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth explore the world of 2089, a place of decay, destitution, destruction and definitely dystopia. Additionally, Remender presents a stern critique on the latest entertainment phenomenon that is gripping nowadays, the Internet, and its interconnecting technological and communicative apparatuses — YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Google, emails, etc. — in his another science fiction and techno-pop noir suspense thriller, Tokyo Ghost #1. As always, this chapter introduces two important casts who are members of the quasi-police force of the distant future, the muscled bound yet virtually lobotomized Led Dent, and his (former) lover and fully organically human, Debbie Decay. The names themselves already signify interesting points that may pave way for some back stories sooner or later though Remender already planted some biographical tidbits as the action scenes soon intensified up to the last endearingly poignant page.

The premier chapter should be read in a deliberate pace because this one has plenty of dialogues around while the pacing gears from one accelerating level to another higher one, and then back to the base, and then goes to high momentum. Furthermore, Remender’s wording focused on world-building, along with the prevailing or dominating zeitgeist of the abovementioned year. Nanotechnology goes extreme in the distant futuristic scenario, but the society the creative team envisioned is nothing short of depressing, if not terrifying. Taking inspirations from the seminal but equally dystopian takes in Road Warrior (or Mad Max), Judge Dredd, and 13 Assassins (as mentioned in the issue’s premier letter page at the end portion, Tokyo Ghost continues, challenges, and constructs further the rugged, sci-fi, adventurous take as surely as this is one hell of the ride!

But the moments of truth belongs to both Sean Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth, whose respective illustrative interpretations of the societies involved of the possible cynical and depressing future delivers tremendously that their drawings and colors alone can actually carry on the entire issue alone, unless one wants to know the textual context of Rick’s own brand of world-building storytelling. From the first page up to the, well, bittersweet panel, there are so many carefully and cleverly placed pop-cultural references and Easter eggs that demand a careful rereading or two, particularly the mountainous internet viewings that one can spot those, you will surely laugh out loud. Sure, fans of Sean Murphy are familiarized with his trademark minimalist but hyper-kinetic illustrations of peoples, surroundings, and most significantly, motorcycles! I do not know with you, but I have a strong feeling Sean loves huge, muscular and powerful bikes, more so, drawing these to his likings. Remember his magnum opus, Punk Rock Jesus, where he had the grandest time illustrating Thomas’s Harley Davidson’s? Here, his futuristic motorcycle is just insanely drawn tenfold! I say, he is definitely inspired by the technologically-built police bikes in Judge Dredd and the motorcycle chases shown in the Mad Max series. In addition, Sean meticulously crafted the details of the dark and virtually mechanized but lobotomized city, including the minute and trivial illustrations of the internet programs, searches, and outright product placements that are beautifully gritty, scratchy, and addictive. And, Matt Hollingsworth matched Murphy’s already radicalized illustrations to the next level, heightening further the atmospheric feel of defeatism, escapism, and the overall depressing ambiance as only Remender can darkly narrate. Bright colors are only applied on the internet engines that clearly signifying the dehumanization and virtual lobotomizing of the societies concerned, while the rest is purely bleak in tone, gnarly garnish in paced motion, and deliberately noir and cynical in spirit. And remember once again, Tokyo Ghost #1 has yet set in actual Tokyo itself (though in its preview of the second chapter, the art looks like a bit optimistic and freshly reinvigorating due to the presence of trees and clear water).

The downsides in this appetizing issue are barely the asterisks. Some of Murphy’s artistic physiologies were sometimes disproportionately glaring, particularly on Dent’s legs—sometimes lean in some pages but in the succeeding turns, looked like sticks to the character’s hulking upper physique. Similarly, the cast’s hands and his grasping of the steel bar are drawn inconsistently. One panel presents an incomplete holding due to the bar’s huge size, but the next two panels illuminated Dent’s complete hold of the bar. Moreover, explicit nudities, violence, and disturbing themes are aplenty here. Hence, the comic’s proud “mature” rating is self-explanatory. And, some minute detailed artworks are obviously drawn out hurriedly to fill-in spaces needed to be placed upon, especially the city’s spatial density of the distant future. This problem is apparent in far-distant perspectives, but some readers may or otherwise appreciate these kinds of illustrations at all.

Finally, Tokyo Ghost #1 serves as the hors’ deouvre of the futuristic consequences of internet addiction and the brand of science fiction genre the creative team wants to scrutinize. World-building and character introductions are in-placed. Remender’s writings provided clues and potential scenarios for future issues to come, while both Murphy and Hollingsworth’s artistic executions delivered unequivocally to bring forth the necessary drives to make this issue worth reading and appreciating. Tokyo Ghost is truly a love-letter of cyber punk and the fusion of Mad Max and Judge Dredd!


Paul Ramos

 


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