If you would like to listen to the rest of what Mike and I read this week, download our latest episode here: Weekly Pulls: Episode 60
VICARIOUS #1, written by Ryan Parrott with artist Eleonora Carlini and colorist Mattia Iacono
In the world of VICARIOUS, we meet Justin, a 20 something who is down on his luck with nothing really to look forward to. After helping someone who is being attacked on the street, he is introduced to a technology that allows someone to get a body implant and become a “Proxie”. Proxies are people who voluntarily sell their bodies and minds to whomever wants to experience the world through their eyes. The person who accesses their feelings and experiences can’t control the Proxie, but they can ask for certain experiences and feel everything the Proxie does. It reminds me a lot of Strange Days, but with a twist.
There are some themes and ideas the creative team is working with here, namely prostitution, technology and pornography. We are more connected now than ever before with technology, but in some ways we’ve never been farther apart. We don’t always see each other as people anymore, but rather a name on a screen. Having that distance from each other doesn’t make experiences feel real and we crave that human connection. Taking control of a Proxie allows the buyer to get that human experience but with no consequences to themselves. I’m sure you can imagine the possibilities and how much money someone in that business can make selling their minds and experiences to the highest bidder.
When lots of money is being spent people notice and try to keep their clients and eliminate competition. Justin may not have expected to be drawn into the seedy underworld of this business, but we get an idea of the danger he may be in by starting this venture.
My only negative for this book was the artwork. It’s not that the artwork is bad, but style-wise it has a manga feel that I’m not a huge fan of. Most characters look the same and the physical appearance of the characters will key you into their personality before anything is said by them or about them.
For a first issue it covered all of the bases. It sets the table on the world, characters, story and antagonists. Or at least possible antagonists. It gives us just enough to come back for the second issue. I’m excited to see where this goes and it’s my choice for Pick of the Week.
