The Prisoner: The Uncertainty Machine #1 –
Titan Comics
Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Colin Lorimer
Colors by Joana Lafuente
Letters by Simon Bowland
Cover by Mike & Laura Allred
We like to absorb our favorite shows and movies in any way that we can. It seems like every thing on the screen is now translated onto the page, with a few exceptions. Rarely do we get to see something brought to comic books that we don’t expect to see. In 1967 (then again in 2009), The Prisoner combined elements of mystery and is a show that fans still love to this day. The Simpsons even did a short parody episode based on the show. Now it’s Titan Comics’ turn with The Uncertainty Machine.
The story follows an MI5 agent named Breen and we get to find out a lot about how he does his job right away. His partnet Agent Carey is also a big part of the story, and something happens that leads Breen down a different path. I’m not going to spoil anything here, even though some of the beats of the comic follow that of the show. I will tell you that, if you are a fan of the show, The Village is definitely part of it. There is also a pretty good explanation of what’s going on right at the beginning of the book, so even if you’re going in with no knowledge of the show, you won’t be lost. After Breen makes a decision that he can’t turn back on, he sets his trap and waits for his intended target. As you can imagine, that doesn’t go so well and you do get the reveal that you are expecting at the end.
What I love about this book is the deep dive that it takes into the mind of an agent who has to juggle multiple identities. I also picked up on a bit of a commentary on what happens when they find something that they can hold on to that reminds them of who they really are. Peter Milligan is never stingy on the details in his books, and this book definitely needed it. I also love how the art really highlights each identity, and also really got the shine in the last few pages. If you were a fan of the original show, you’ll love this trip down memory lane and you’ll probably wonder what will be different about the adaptation. Set in modern times, this book definitely has the ability to do some things that the original story simply could not do. Only time will tell if that pays off.
RATING: PICK UP