The Surrogtates By: Robert Venditti & Brett Weldele

Continuing in the vein of "the year of summer movies," I was searching for new trailers online one night. A movie that came across was for The Surrogates This film adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name, did not compel me to want to see the movie. However, the the plot seemed interesting, and as such I decided to give the graphic novel a try.

The year is 2054 and life in the United States is "lived" much differently these days. Individuals that you work with, friends that you hang out with, even the person that you date may not be as they appear. Thanks to VSL, people can "live" their lives through the use of human-looking androids (surrogates) from the safety of their home.

Usage of such technology results in many staggering benefits. Law enforcement officials no longer die in the line of duty. Job offers are based more on merit as individuals can change their outward appearance to match employer expectations. Crime is down and the economy is up. Life is good.

Then a series of crimes are committed and the murder's m.o appears to be targeting surrogates. Someone has a vendetta against the very technology that makes life livable. It could very well be the Dreds, a group of humans led by The Prophet, who live on the brink of society due to their beliefs that shun the surrogate way of life. It's up to police lieutenant Harvey Greer to sift through the clues and find the culprit before life as it is known is destroyed.

This novel grabs the reader from the beginning and does not let go until the very last page. Robert Vendetti does wonders with this storyline. The characters are fully developed as needed considering the use of robotic substitutes, and the dialogue is very believable and not the hyperbolic syntax that usually riddle the speech bubbles of graphic novels. In addition to the motif of man and machine, there is a touching story of humanity. A perfect example of such humanity is Greer's struggles to reconnect with his distant, constantly "linked-in" wife.

A graphic novel cannot be reviewed with out mention of the artwork (or graphics). Illustrator Brett Weldele paints images of a world ensconced in anonymity due to the usage of surrogates. His details are best observed in the depictions of The Prophet and his hierarchy of henchmen.

All in all this graphic novel speaks volumes to the subject of ethics in the usage of technology, it's ability to improve one's quality of life, and the price that must be paid to maintain this type of life. However, the reader is not banged over the head with this or any other message. Instead, one is pulled into this futuristic world, taken through a thrill of a ride and left begging for more.

I give this piece a 4.5 out of 5 Coca Cola bottles.

Happy Reading!

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