Why I Read: Comatose

Hello everyone, it’s melaredblu yet again, with another round of shameless gushing. The last two comics I wrote about were harmless and cutesy, but this time, I’m going to be tackling something a little more serious. This is a review for psychological sci-fi Comatose.

Before I start, I’d like to point out this comic features strong language and drug use, meaning it’s meant for a mature audience. It also features action violence, meaning it’s meant for an awesome audience.

Synopsis:

Oh, where do I begin? I don’t want to spoil too much here, but this comic’s premise is one of the more intricate I’ve seen, working multiple plotlines simultaneously. Much of the story is shrouded in mystery and symbolism and I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun of letting you unravel it yourselves, so I’m going to be leaving a lot out here. Trust me when I say it doesn’t do it justice.

Jack Phoenix is a troubled young man with a drug habit and some persistent emotional issues. Feeling isolated and helpless, he turns to smoking to deal with the pain, but one day wakes up to find somebody who he had thought was his enemy, a fellow student named Joey, is now claiming to be his best friend. Confused and angry, he lashes out at his frenemy, who has no memory of antagonizing Jack and genuinely desires to help him. It seems reality isn’t everything Jack remembers…

Meanwhile, in a remote world outside of our own, Jack and Joey fight demons and control mysterious machines to make the leap from one reality to the next. But these two aren’t exactly the same Jack and Joey that we’ve come to know…and they aren’t the only familiar faces out there.

How I Found It:

I saw the comic on SmackJeeves a few years ago when the author, Wally Nguyen, posted in the forums asking for feedback. I told him I thought it was amazing, and I still do. The comic was part of an indie anthology for a while and the latest chapters were taken down, but it’s back online once more and there has never been a better time to start reading it.

You can also find Comatose on Tapastic, Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter.

Why I Like It:

The first thing that grabbed me was the art. Boy oh boy, the art is amazing, and it just keeps getting better and better. Comatose has a manga sensibility to it, but the art style is distinctive and versatile. I say “versatile” because the creator switches up the style frequently as a plot point. Depending on what reality the story is in at the moment, the art ranges from sleek, screentoned shounen manga, to gritty, dark noir with heavy hatching, and, most recently, a luminous, subtly-colored space opera aesthetic. The art is chock-full of dramatic shots, symbolism, and detail. I just love it.

What keeps me coming back, though, is the story. Being a psychological comic, there’s an abundance of psychology theory and themes of internal exploration throughout, mostly dealing with Jack and his problems, but a few other characters, have a strong hold on the story as well. There’s also Jack’s aloof, powerful uncle, hilarious stoner Chris, an intimidating and ruthless bully named Billy, and Jane, an intelligent, multitalented woman with a penchant for cutting people to the quick. They populate Jack’s conscious life, but also have a presence in other realties, having their own divergent roles through the narrative thread. Like I said, a lot of the fun in reading this comic is trying to figure out the mystery, and with the wonderful visuals provided, it’s like a rollercoaster for the mind.

Things I Think Could Be Better:

The website is somewhat new and a bit tough to navigate at first glance, but the creator is still working on that, so I can’t fault him on it too much. One thing that’s a bit of an issue is the page sizes can be pretty big, so it’s hard to see the whole shot at once, but if you don’t mind a bit of scrolling, it’s not too bad. Honestly, there aren’t many things I would suggest to improve this comic—it’s already very good the way it is.

Closing Thoughts:

I’ve been a fan of Comatose ever since I first saw it. Granted, I’m a sucker for a good science fiction, but it’s rare that I find a psychological story that really draws me in. I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen to the characters, what all of this means for them, and where it’s going to go. Unfortunately, not very many people seem to share this work online or leave comments, which is where all of you come in. After all, what better place to share a good science fiction than in a review on a site for another science fiction I’ve come to love? Do yourselves a favor and check this one out!