Hacktivist #1

~~Here’s a new mini series that takes social media to a whole new level. Nate Graft and Edwin Hiccox have created Yourlife, a global social media for everyone. It’s like Facebook, but with more freedom, more privacy and with the promise of Big Brother not looking over your shoulder. These bright young (and rich) entrepreneurs have taken Yourlife to new heights, but with partnerships come the inevitable disagreements. Nate’s a free spirit and he’s happy with the results of Yourlife, not to mention all the perks that come with being a celebrity; the speeches, the spotlight and the parties. Edwin on the other hand is more of the genius, a shut in who’s uncomfortable with public appearances and wants to push the envelope even further to help humanity by fixing global problems and righting all the wrongs.  Both men see their amazing product in front of them, but both have very different opinions on the future of said product and when an opportunity comes a knocking for one of them, will he open the door freely?

The Team
Created by Alyssa Milano; written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly; illustrated by Marcus To and coloured by Ian Herring, published Archaia Black Label, a division of Boom Entertainment.

The Pros & Cons
From the mind of Alyssa Milano (yes THE Alyssa Milano) comes a story as familiar as everyday life, but has fresh new ideas. I’ve always enjoyed a good cyber thriller, which for the most part happens in movies or TV shows. Hackers trying to make life better or sometimes worse for people and cyber authorities trying to bust them are recipes for a good cat and mouse plots. With social media groups like Facebook and Twitter taking our planet by storm, what better time for this comic book tale to be told.

The 2 main characters are likeable enough, but the problem is the way they’re drawn that doesn’t really go with who they are. I like Marcus To`s illustrations, but Nate & Edwin look like pretty boys, not quite nerdy enough for computer CEOs. This doesn’t take anything away from the plot, but I couldn’t help notice that. The dialogue between characters is sharp and sprinkled with some humorous tidbits as well.

Marcus To`s illustrations look great, I love the large action panels and differently shaped panels adds an original perspective to an interesting story. This is a good looking comic. One specific page had me grinning in pure comic book glee, the one where Edwin circles people he sees through a window with a red sharpie. It’s a first person perspective I’ve seen before, but it’s usually done with a sniper rifle.

The Outcome
I’ve always found reviewing individual comics harder to write, because its part of a story arc, an unfinished product, which is why I’m giving this a 7, but I definitely see the potential and look forward to reading the next three issues. In the comic book medium, we are constantly bombarded with superheroes and super villains, big guns, big pects and even bigger breasts. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you’re looking something different with some intelligence and closer to humanity’s heart, this could be the comic you’re looking for.