Cognetic #1 (of 3)
Boom! Studios
Written by James Tynion IV
Art by Eryk Donovan
Colors by Juan Manuel Tumburus
Letters by Steve Wands
They’ve tired to end the world before, and they’re back for another crack at it. This time, it’s an apocalypse of the mind created by James Tynion IV and Eryk Donovan. You might remember they went down the “end of the world” road before with Memetic, but this time, it’s different. A major psychic power is taking over everyone it comes into contact with. We find out later on, that’s not quite the case.
After a somewhat odd first few pages, we start to follow Annie. She’s the assistant to the Director of the FBI, and a family woman. It seems normal until something unthinkable starts happening in New York City at a major landmark. As you go page by page, you get a sense that this is quite likely what would be going on behind the scenes of a mass casualty event started happening in a major city. There’s one question that always lingered in the back of my mind when I was reading this…why? Why is this happening? How are these people being “chosen” and how are they simply being taken over? I remember having somewhat of a similar feeling when I would watch “Lost” at times. Then we get to the big twist at the end. While it was interesting, it just left with more questions.
Even though this comic takes a few pages to start picking up steam, Tynion IV definitely creates a story with plenty of drama and it really makes you think. At the same time, there are more than a few moments that even the most educated reader will ask, “What the hell is going on here exactly?” The art by Donovan is solid, and the detail in the facial expressions of the characters really helps to sell the emotion of what is going on in the moment. This story is definitely for the patient reader. This is one you’ll really have to stick with, but even I find myself unsure of what the payoff will be. I can’t help by be intrigued by the final panel, and with two over-sized issues to go, I think I’ll ride this one out and see what happens.
RATING: PICK UP