Review: LIVEWIRE #5

Amanda “Livewire”“ McKee is a fugitive in the eyes of the US government in the Valiant universe. She is also the most wanted terrorist in the land. LIVEWIRE #5 begins a new chapter in the life of Valiant“s most interesting character. Vita Ayala continues to shine as the book“s wordsmith, but this new arc features visuals from Kano. As good as Raul Allen and Patricia Martin were on the art work for the first story arc, Kano seems poised to make the look of LIVEWIRE even more distinct. In fact, Kano“s visual work brings to life the more complex layering involved in Vita Ayala“s compelling new plot.

Livewire“s psiotic abilities may be one of the most original powers afforded to any superhero in any comic book universe. She has teletechnopathic abilities that allow her to mentally manipulate technology. Ayala and Kano fully exploit the unique nature of Livewire“s ability. And the result is a steady stream of fantastic visualizations of Livewire“s power. LIVEWIRE #5 has a series of panels depicting Amanda“s attempt to infiltrate a firewall-secured network. In them, she projects a techno-astral version of herself to do battle with a lethal firewall. This book is like nothing else you can see or read in comics.

LIVEWIRE #5 also introduces the next big challenge for Amanda McKee ”“ the Psiot Safety and Education Program or PSEP. PSEP is a government-sponsored program designed as a “solution”“ to the Psiot “problem.”“ In the Valiant universe, psiots are comparable to what mutants are in the Marvel universe. Or, to make it plain: psiots are like any group of systematically persecuted people in the real world. When any government comes up with a “solution”“ for a people problem ”“ or a problem people ”“ the results are often catastrophic. PSEP is the kind of program that is a prelude to genocide. And some elements of the g-word are already presenting themselves.

Pay close attention to how Livewire discovers that Phoebe Daniels may have been abducted into the PSEP program against her will. It“s an early critical point in the story that once again underscores Ayala“s incisive storytelling abilities. The tricky thing about government programs is that they are often mercurial by design. PSEP is no different. In LIVEWIRE #5 it isn“t yet clear whether or not PSEP is the evil program it initially appears to be. There is something more intriguing about it. Yes, some of the children in the program wear collars to dampen their super human abilities. But maybe there is also more to PSEP, it“s leadership, and its mission than we are privy to at this point in the story. LIVEWIRE is paced like a classic superhero/sci-fi series. Just another indication that this book is in the hands of a master storyteller. 5/5!

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

(W) Vita Ayala (A) Kano (CA) Kenneth Rocafort