Review: Clear #3

If there is one thing that is Clear, is that this comic is a masterpiece created by absolute giants at the top of their game. Clear is the story of a private detective by the name of Sam Dunes living in a dystopian future where humanity has created neurological filters, called veils, that allow the users to live their very own version of reality. A zombie apocalypse, an anime wonderland, or a blend of all things pleasurable, with a veil you can live the life you want. After the death of the love of his life Kendra, Sam finds himself awake in the matrix looking for a way to shut it all down.

Issue #3 finds Sam drowning in the ocean as enemy forces are looking to stop him from crashing the server that makes all the veils run. However, in the depths of the ocean, Sam is saved by a mysterious woman by the name of The Widow who hands him the key to destroying the mirage, a veil so big and beautiful that if uploaded to the server would make everything come crashing down. Modeled after the memory of Sam with his son Baxter, this veil would alter the reality of everyone in the system and force them to see the world for what it really is.

Clear is written by the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning writer Scott Synder of acclaimed books such as; DC Comics Batman, Swamp Thing, and his own creation for Vertigo, American Vampire as well as many wonderful short story collections like Voodo Heart. The writing is concise, clear, and devoid of tedious technological jargon. Scott tells the story of Sam Dunes and the veils with such is and such prowess that we can only but imagine a future such as this with the continued growth of the Metaverse and AI technology. Clear is so far removed from our reality with its sci-fi submarines, its seamlessly real virtual experiences, and technological dreamscapes, and yet so familiar and so uncanny.

Backed by the amazing art of Francis Manapul, writer and artist on The Flash. The art is truly amazing, the colors done by Francis themselves are so masterfully implemented that each panel could just as easily be printed out and put up on a gallery wall as its own piece of outstanding art. The character designs are unlike any other, here we can see the importance of going outside the box, with characters such as The Widow who resemble a black Widow spider in her demeanor but yet feels so wise and robotic in the way they talk and dress. Then we have the WRKS, humanoid robots tasked with making the server optimally. No matter which page you look at in this book you will be looking at two true masters at work.

The lettering by Andworld design is so perfect and so ingrained in the narrative of this book that you don’t even feel like you’re reading, it feels one hundred percent like you’re watching an amazing story unfold in front of you. I have to talk about how Andworld handled a shooting sequence with such grace and poise, that you can hear the bullets go off from each gun in your mind, and yet it takes you a tiny short second to realize that this is because the words “BLAM” and “RATATAT” are hidden inside the panel so perfectly that you barely even notice it but it makes all the impact. Truly wonderful. I can’t help but gush when I read stories like this. Comics like this are the reason I am a fan of this medium because there is just nothing like this sort of experience.

Darkhorse is such a veteran in the industry and it shows in the design of this book because no page was wasted. We were thrown into the action as soon as we turn the first page, and even the credits page is masterfully crafted using colors in the story that make it all feel so intentional and so important. This series is a must-read for everything that enjoys sci-fi dystopian stories, and just literally every comics fan out there because it’s magnificent. Add to that the fact that at the end of the book we are treated to 6 pages of sketchbook art, and in those pages we are able to see the process behind greatness. Between thumbnails, concept art, color comps, and prop designs we are able to see inside the mind of artists Francis Manpaul but more importantly, we are able to see a comic created out of love, passion, and respect for the genre and the medium of comics. 5 Stars for this epic work of art is an understatement.

Writing- 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars

Overall – 5 Stars

Writing by; Scott Snyder
Art and Colors by; Francis Manapaul
Lettering by; Andworld Design
CoverArt by; Francis Manapul & Ema Lupacchino
Published by; Dark Horse Comics

Reviewed by Antonio “Mabs”