REVIEW: The Invisible Kingdom #2

The Invisible Kingdom, written by Hugo Award-winning writer G. Willow Wilson (Air, Cairo, Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan) art by Eisner Award-winning illustrator Christian Ward (Black Bolt, ODY-C), takes place at an unspecified future time, when fertility is a treasured commodity across the universe. In the meantime, Puritan fundamentalism has resurfaced. These new Puritans see materialism as a plight on humanity that obscure people from their truth path.

Space opera“s about aliens from far off worlds are a dime a dozen. The reason why The Invisible Kingdom is so unique is its emulation of real-world philosophical sentiment against materialism. Largely due to the consumer“s fear of missing resulting in a very realistic retail-oriented Loneliness loop and it“s sprinkled lights message of anti-materialism.

In Invisible Kingdom, the dark side of materialism is represented as a yet undefined product sold by Lux. What interesting Is G. Willow Wilson“s choice to tell the story and exposition. Loneliness can make us materialistic. Feeling isolated makes us anxious, which makes us less likely to get up the energy to make and maintain connections that would make us feel less alone. So, in the hunt for immediate pleasure, some people turn to purchasing Lux. But medicating their loneliness buy buying Lux can make them lonelier, over time.,

The reason I enjoyed Invisible Kingdom is on an individual level very similar to what happens in the real world. The Loneliness loop represented here as McGuffin, does not involve, as Atwood put it, “any technology not already available. No imaginary gizmos, no imaginary laws [and] no imaginary atrocities.”“ G. Willow Wilson did not put any events into the book that have not already happened elsewhere.

Even the art and color scheme by Christian Ward was interesting and very reminiscent the Handmaid“s Tale. Especially with the Sister of the Invisible kingdom who wear red habits and red veils, to indicate their status. I also enjoyed Ward“s naturalistic approach to draw the viewer into truly believing this world could exist and, by not getting to outrageous and leaning on the organic reality of what the reader already knows.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

The Invisible Kingdom
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Christian Ward
Letterer: Sal Cipriano
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics