Utopiates Volume 1 by Josh Finney & Kat Rocha (graphic novel review).
‘Utopiates’ owes a lot to Philip K. Dick’s drug-tipped futures and it is for this reason that because it shows people jacking up drugs that this is not a book for kids. What this drug does is implant the personality of other people. Considering that Eckert kills while intoxicated with Jack Ruby, the killer of Lee Harvey Oswald who killed President John Kennedy, you should see the dangers from the start. A lot of the time with this graphic novel, you’re never quite sure if it’s real or in his head, which is true Dickian. Quite how the imprints are made of people who must surely have been dead a long time is probably the main flaw.
A large part of this volume is not in consecutive order and with more volumes to follow, I suspect things will be put into perspective later as to what is going on. Certainly, ex-military Eckert is being chased having been involved in some action that the higher-ups want to cover up. This also blended into the fact that people under the influence of these utopiates are committing murder for someone.
There are some character studies in here, possibly too many talking heads but there is some action as well. This is my first taste of Kat Richa’s art so there is no idea whether this is her preference or the needs of the story as writer by her husband, Josh Finney. This is a real dark dystopic future with a strong dash of cyberpunk which means it must surely find some of you going to find yourselves at home. I think I need to see more of the story to see just where it’s going.
GF Willmetts
April 2013
(pub: 01 Publishing. 116 page graphic novel. Price: $14.99 (US). ISBN: 978-0-9839230-0-8. NOTE: CONTAINS ADULT MATERIAL!!!)
check out website: www.01Publishing.com
