REVIEW: Memetic #1

Memetic #1
Story: James Tynion IV
Art: Eryk Donovan
Letters: Steve Wands
Colors: Adam Guzowski
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Release Date: October 22, 2014

When a series launches, the first issue either builds anticipation for the rest of the story, or kills all interest before things even get started. Memetic does a great job of the former by playing on every conspiracy theorist’s worst nightmare concerning digital warfare: the cloud itself used as a weapon.

Creator James Tynion IV, of Batman Eternal and The Woods fame, has done a masterful job of crafting a contemporary doomsday tale in Memetic #1. The premise, that an apparently harmless internet meme can cause irreparable damage to the human mind, is scary stuff. Tynion uses a number of novel devices (text messages, fabricated Twitter updates) to advance the story in an organic way. You feel as if the Happy Sloth is only a click or two away from taking over your life just as it does to the characters in the narrative.

The characters themselves are anything but stock, and show a satisfying amount of vitality. The way that things are shaping up, this book will definitely feature an ensemble cast, with several main players.
Even though this is only a three part miniseries, Tynion is doing a great job of allowing us into the heads of his cast so that we can achieve that crucial emotional attachment that’ll make us care when people, inevitably, begin to die off.

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Donovan’s panels are as fresh as Tynion’s story, if such a thing is possible. Everything moves at a frenetic pace, and the artwork manages to keep up with the story without overwhelming it. Moreover, Guzowski’s colors are restrained but seem to build suspense more thoroughly than they might if he’d used more vibrant hues. To put it concisely, this book is firing on all cylinders.

Memetic #1 is a solid beginning to what looks like an interesting and downright horrifying story. I suggest you give this book a chance and give yourself a fear-filled speculative treat this Halloween.

By: Adam Cadmon

4/5 stars

Author Profile

Adam Cadmon

Adam Cadmon is the pen name for a man who has been writing for a few years. Heâ€™s done his share of straight-laced writing, college press, blogging, some other not very glamorous technical writing to keep the bills paid. Itadakimasu.