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COMIC BOOK REVIEW: Invisible Republic #1 – Humans, All Too Human

 
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Overview
 

Story by: Gabriel Hardman & Corinna Bechko
 
Art by: Gabriel Hardman
 
Colors by: Jordan Boyd
 
Cover by: Gabriel Hardman
 
Publisher:
 
FG RATING
 
 
 
 
 
4.5/ 5


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1 total rating

 


To sum it all up..

One way to put the current the socio-political situation into a microscope is making a science fiction. What a paradox it is! It supposes to apply the rigidity of the scientific methodology while telling in the end it is just an imaginary scenario, if not a possibility of the reality. Such contrary term morphs into […]

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Posted April 29, 2015 by

 
FULL REVIEW
 
 

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One way to put the current the socio-political situation into a microscope is making a science fiction. What a paradox it is! It supposes to apply the rigidity of the scientific methodology while telling in the end it is just an imaginary scenario, if not a possibility of the reality. Such contrary term morphs into an instrument of literary criticism on the society in question, disguising as a postulate of a grim reminder of things get out of hand. Science fiction goes beyond the illusionary phantasm of the possibility but a lesson to future movers and shakers who dare to change the society’s status quo, or to some potential dreamers or megalomaniacs, the world itself. Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko go hand-in-hand in fulfilling another thought-provoking independent creator-owned title from Image Comics that tackles the roots of the monstrosity of the follies and the dream of the unfilled in Invisible Republic #1.

Set in the 29th century, where the human race transcends its interstellar space travel continuum and ultimately, colonizing planets and heavenly bodies in the Solar System. But that’s the only best part of the opening salvo. The rest of the story concerns of a disgraced reporter or media personality who searches a potential material for his next book that focuses on the fallen dictatorial regime of Arthur McBridge. Most science fiction literatures center on the political situations of the present times. Invisible Republic has an interesting twist. It immediately illustrates the bleakness, instability and chaos brought upon the overthrowing of an intolerable and suppressive dictatorship. Almost every city corners are littered with downtrodden, the miserable and the undignified which Hardman makes it the point of illustrating these stark and brutal portrayals of hopelessness and the failures of fulfilling the change promised by the usurpers. This reminds me of some political thoughts and historical moments that some regimes are indeed so inhuman in treating their citizens, yet those same “monsters” brought stability, security and ultimately, economic prosperity. Thus, the majority accepts grudgingly the regimes’ harsh methods and let them rule until things go awry and another political turmoil and uprising ensues or the so-called “revolution”. So, despite the technological leaps and bound, some notorious human habits never die or transcend at all. Thus, the truth of Georg Hegel’s dictum, “humans and governments never learn anything from the lessons of history”, rings so loudly, it hurts!

More on the characterization of the shady reporter named Crager Babb stumbles on a gold mine: McBridge’s hidden history! Hence, this story divides into two interesting plotlines already. Once more, Hardman and Bechko twist another twisting way of the time-tested genre: a questionable and almost unscrupulous figure and a female-relative perspective on the man who would become the monster he would be associated with. The colors are the key of differentiating the shift of the person’s past forty years prior the present events. Hardman expertly applies the three-color scheme so good that the juxtaposing historical and modern moments are pleasant to the eyes, despite the gloom, grim and grotesque dystopian set-up this series would bring. Moreover, the sense of hopelessness and despair presented in the faces of the characters are captured masterly which one could say that humans, past to the future, really keep on repeating the mistakes over and over despite the technological advancements and the so-called optimistic perspectives the future should bring upon. Perhaps, this is cynicism at its best. The name “Avalon” probably nails the coffin of both being cynical and irony. A proposed dream of utopia eventually goes down to be ridiculed of the impossibility of perfection. Moreover, this series attempts to question further the consequences of toppling an infamous leader but the methods of keeping the nation in check are realistically more effective than the usurpers’ methods whose ways are even more questionable than the former! The irony of ironies, indeed!

If there is one thing I feel inadequate, it is the language used here. No possible futuristic terminologies are used or applied. Language also evolves from time to time, even in the 29th century. And a predictable but interesting cliffhanger is shown for issue two. Nonetheless, the first chapter stars an intriguing premise, twisting two or so twists to the science fiction genre. I’m engaged how this series will proceed. I have already some scenarios in mind but of course, let the dynamic Hardman-Bechko tell their fine tale. Let’s see….


Norby Ela

 
Now residing in San Diego, CA, I strive to work in art and further grow FlipGeeks around the world.


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