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Wildcats
Version 3.0 - TPB 1
Brand Building
2003
[Mature Readers]
Publisher: Wildstorm/Eye of The Storm
Writer: Joe Casey
Pencils: Dustin Nguyen
Inks: Richard Friend
Colors: Randy Mayor with Larry Molinar/WSFX
Letters: Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Price: $14.95 US/R179.00 SA
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Wildstorm’s mature readers line ‘Eye of the Storm’
has been blossoming lately with such hits as Sleeper
[Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips] getting
rave reviews and bringing more attention to this line of comics.
Wildcats 3.0 just so happens to be one of the books which is deserving
of your attention and here’s why.
The enigmatic Jack Marlowe has recently taken over as CEO of the
HALO corporation and a lot of things are about
to change. His plan is to infiltrate the entire world with HALO
branding and gain powerful footholds in every sphere of influence
possible. The question is not how he will do it, from his own strange
Alien powers to his top secret field agents, one a hypnotist and
government agent and the other a ruthless mercenary, he certainly
has the means, the bigger question is why?
Joe Casey [Uncanny X-Men, Automatic
Kafka] weaves a great plot together with some truly interesting
scenarios and storylines which continuously overlap and push the
book on at a nice pace. The story elements which are fundamental
to this comic are original in scope. I have yet to come
across a comic that has delved into the corporate world such as
this does. It is a rare mix of modern day corporate battlefield
politics versus the ‘bigger picture’ in both America
and the world. The story manages to raise many poignant questions
about corporate control in our lives and the ‘programming’
and market infiltration that is planned to keep us ‘controlled’.
It is rather a rare case in mainstream comics to find something
such as this raising such affecting and important issues while at
the same time being a fun and action packed read.
The main drive of this first volume is the ‘Mystery’
element found within all the main characters. Why is Jack Marlowe
driving the HALO brand into an all powerful force? Is Mr. Wax working
for Marlowe or against him? Can HALO be trusted by its employees?
Why is C.C. Rendozzo in the hunt for a missing FBI agent?
Most of the major cast members in this book are made all the more
interesting by the ‘air of mystery’ created around them.
Casey works a clever plot device into the mix by using two ‘everyman’
characters, the accountants Dolby and Garfield, to make us think
more deeply about the actual goings on at HALO and to question the
motives of the those who seem to be in power.
The artwork is just stunning as Dustin Nguyen [The
Authority, Batman] does a phenomenal job
of keeping the reader glued to every page with excellent panel layouts
and even better imagery. With a style that seems to have few weaknesses
Nguyen can draw some mean technology alongside some amazing architecture
yet at the same time render his characters with an enormous amount
of detail and realism. He seems the perfect choice for a
comic that is focused in the world of hi-tech corporations and super-intelligence.
The colours of the WSFX team have given a great punch to the art
and kept the book from looking dull and getting bogged down in its
corporate undertones. With vibrant choices in colour and tone they
have managed to help build a highly attractive looking comic book.
A change in the superhero regime is coming and Corporate America
and the rest of the world better look out, this is only the beginning.
For something different from the norm with a subtly gripping storyline
and high production art values look no further than Wildcats 3.0
Score 9/10
Reviewed By:Iain Duncan
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Comic Reviews
