From Aspen Comics, Frank Mastromauro, Jonathan Marks, Beth Sotelo, Josh Reed.
Shrugged continues to tell the story of the inner voices in our heads and the world they come from. While Ang and Dev try to guide Theo they have no idea that their home of Perspecta is under attack.
And what an attack it is! Seriously this big nasty engine of destruction that’s trampling through Perspecta is one of the most dangerous looking villains I’ve seen in years. He is worthy of names that have come before him — Doomsday, Darkseid, Doctor Doom, Death. I didn’t mean to go all D there but its one of the most impressive works I’ve seen. Jonathan Marks put the raw inks up on his page and I can’t believe how much work he put into this.
Look at that!!!!
Hot damn that’s bad ass. Anyone want to give me way too much money for this review so I can buy this piece? I really want to start an original art wall and this would be a centerpiece.
Anyways, there’s a hell of a story here too! Even without the events in Perspecta, the story of Theo’s dueling personalities would have been enough. He wants girls with the gusto of… well a teenage boy. He wants it with such passion it blinds him to the girl who is right there in front of him (or to the side, or frustratingly following behind him). We’ve all been there but none of us verbalize the battling thoughts. Call it the angel and the devil, or the penis and the rational brain. Whatever it might be there is a joy in seeing a visual representation of the all too honest inner thoughts we all have.
But then there’s Perspecta. I love the ideas that Frank comes up with. The story has blown my mind since I went back and grabbed all of Shrugged Volume 1 in one shot. Again though, Jonathan’s art is just insane. Warriors, monsters, and two sides of Perspecta – Elysium and Nefaria – both with their own rules of architecture and form yet they blend into something beautiful. Much like Theo will hopefully find the balance within and become something beautiful that he couldn’t evolve into without both sides.
Finally, the ending which makes me wish this volume was going to run for double the planned length. Its a hell of an idea that could go anywhere. There has to be death to then have growth and this twist guarantees both in future issues.
