15 Years in the future, during a fatal epidemic the the National Guard and FEMA built the Austin Quarantine Barrier (AQB) built along the I-35 Wall in Austin, Texas at the height of the “Great Outbreak”.  The epidemic seemed to be have its biggest impact on the poorer neighborhoods in East Austin, until a cure was found which healed the patient but changed the genetic makeup of the person’s offspring who came to be known as variants. Though Variants were widely known to be immune to disease, Pritchard called for a paramilitary task force to, in her words, “[”¦] investigate and regulate the Variant problem before some rogue Variant bloodline causes the next Great Outbreak. When questioned about the legality of using a paramilitary force on women and children violated human rights, the Governor famously declared, “Variants aren“t actually human, so they actually have no human rights.”“
So lets get this straight. Over a year ago Shawn Kittelsen, and Eric Zawadzki wrote a story about an epidemic that was used as justification to not only build a wall, but use and equip a state police force with military equipment that was used mainly to keep intact Structural racism that prevents or makes it more challenging for people of color to participate in society and in the economy . The justification being that they are not human, therefore its okay. What real world current events have done is, in a way, vindicate the actions of the characters in Heart Attack. The best part is when the story dips into Austin’s past to contextualize that that this nothing new. The story dives back to the 1920’s but the policies demonstrated here go back even further to 1910’s Baltimore Maryland Policy when the mayor stated that “Blacks should be quarantined in isolated slums in order to reduce the incidence of civil disturbance, to prevent the spread of communicable disease into the nearby White neighborhoods, and to protect property values among the White majority.”
Charlie and Jill the protagonist for Heart Attack Volume 1, have plenty of romantic spark to keep the story interesting. The side characters not so much I’m referring to the Freebetties who seem to be nothing to be more than soundboards. Kittelsen doesn“t give you a huge character backstory all within one shot. Instead, he weaves past historical events to give context and weight into the present story and motivation of the characters.
It“s just a solid title that gave me more than I was expecting. Thus far Heart attack exudes a Purge kinda of feel and could definitely find interest from fans outside of normal comic readers, and I could see myself plucking down some cash to go see this in a movie theater, or heck this may be perfect for at the very least Netflix pick-up.
Out of 5 stars I give it a 5.
(W) Shawn Kittelsen (A) Eric Zawadzki, Michael Garland
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