Review: 2021: Lost Children

At the core of Statix Press“ “2021: Lost Children” is the decline of American empire and the United States“ corollary descent from (small ”˜d“) democratic principles. This thematic core is symbolized via the series“ dreary depiction of Detroit ”“ a city seceded from the union and yet itself on the brink of utter totalitarian despair. Stephane Betbeder and Stephane Bervas, the architects of this brilliant translation of an earlier volume, originally released in 2013, have proven themselves to be both visually and politically prescient: 1) in their deep understanding of how presidential politics in America will proceed through the 21st century; and 2) in the ways that border/immigration politics have and will continue to dog American democracy.

“2021: Lost Children” opens with a flashback to the paragon of 20th century borders, the Berlin wall. Three children use their superhuman abilities and some nifty driving skills to breach the East/West Berlin divide. The trio (a young girl and her Siamese twin brothers joined at the head) does just enough to cross over and claim political asylum. This narrative flash is significant for the story in several ways that payoff powerfully in the border sequences that center on the conflict between the lost children, the US government, the US media, and Detroit itself.

For a variety of reasons Detroit, MI has become an artistic touchstone in recent years. Kathryn Bigelow produced the critically acclaimed but commercially disappointing eponymous film, released in 2017. Detroit, the film, dramatized the Algiers Motel police “incident”“ during the 12th Street insurrection of 1967. Quantic Dream (video game design studio) has produced a wonderfully melodramatic game for the PS4, “Detroit: Become Human.”“ In the game, “Motor City”“ has become “Android City”“ and players must play as three androids, each of whom have achieved some modicum of consciousness. Thus the singular dilemma of free will presents itself to each android character across their well-conceived interlocking narratives. Of course music is here for Detroit too. One of the best albums ”“ Hip Hop or otherwise ”“ released in 2018 is Royce tha 5-9“s “Book of Ryan,”“ a moving meditation on his childhood and family memories coming up in the city of Detroit.

All of this artistic energy centered on Detroit suggests something made painfully clear in “2021: Lost Children”“ ”“ that Detroit“s history as the urban emblem for American industrial dominance makes it a prime contemporary example of American greed, neglect, and socio-political decline. As well crafted as “2021” is, it isn“t easy to read through Betbeder and Bervas“ dystopic vision of American. The confluence of lost children and the cold images of carceral cages on the border will be too real for some readers right now. 4/5.

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(W) Stephane Betbder (A) Stephane Bervas (CA) James Stokoe