I’m not sure the big two would ever take the risk of publishing a book like this one, but I guess that’s why we have smaller publishers like Dark Horse. Composed with watercolors and with characters who have superpowers but no costumes, in today’s comic climate it’s a wonder Mind MGMT even exists. But it does, and now that we’ve reached issue #12 I think it’s safe to say this puppy is sticking around whether you like its differences or not. The conclusion of the second arc takes place this week, but as far as the issue goes, is it good?
Mind MGMT #12 (Dark Horse Comics)
Check out our review of #11 if you missed it.
Matt Kindt is the mastermind behind both the visuals and story on this book and it’s hard not to think of him as a filmmaker who writes and directs. There are obvious pros to doing it all and it’s pretty obvious it helps this book thrive. Last issue our heroes entered a compound controlled by the bad guys and within its walls were secrets and very dangerous men. You could say this is the big climax we’ve all been waiting for, but if you know this series at all it’s the story developments and character tinges that’ll really entertain you.
Just like this series…too good to be true!
There are tons of revelations I won’t spoil here, but let’s just say this is a game changer if you’ve been following along. If you’re just joining this series it’s too late for you—catch up first or wait for the trade—but know that the entire world of MGMT, at least in the present, has been turned on its head.
One of the joys in reading this series is imagining yourself with the powers the characters hold or the positions they’re in. At one point our protagonist enters a library and a buddhist looking fellow explains the library by saying, “imagine if you had all of the world’s events recorded objectively. From the beginning of written language to present day.” Key word: objectively. It makes you wonder, how would world events look without nationality, race or creed getting in the way?
Trippy!
Kindt’s watercolors aren’t very detailed, but they offer a dreamlike yet heavy tone to every page. It’s easier to imagine yourself in this world because it’s not rendered in the typical ultra detailed superhero comics. It’s in his brush that we realize maybe superpowers are real when they’re so easily accessible as they are here.
The only negative I could see in this comic is that it’s not very kind to anyone going in blind. A lot of comics are like this, but if you don’t know the characters you won’t care about what’s going on. That’s partly due to the way Kindt tells the story. He could fill us in every single issue on who people are and why we should care, but he doesn’t have enough real estate on the page to do that. With only reaching six or so panels max per page with a simplistic style there’s really no way I can see him filling the pages with the detail needed. So essentially that negative is inherently due to the way he tells the story visually.
Showdown!
8.0
- Dreamlike, interesting art
- Thought provoking story and characters
- Not the easiest comic to pick up and read without reading all of them
- Some panels look too rushed
There’s a reason Mind MGMT Volume 1 appeared on Amazon.com’s best comics of the year so far. Anyone looking for something a little different, but still in the realm of fantasy and science fiction look no further. There’s something invigorating going on in this comic and it’s so interesting and reflective of the real world that I won’t be surprised when somebody writes an essay on how game changing this series is for the comic world at large.
Is It Good?
Yes. If literature was turned into comics it’d look something like this.
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