June 2, 2014
Although it is visually energetic and brimming with interesting artistic choices, this story, derived from the eponymous album and videos by Way’s (Umbrella Academy) former band My Chemical Romance, still struggles to provide much in the way of narrative momentum. Cloonan’s (Conan) bright, energetic art buoys the action, which follows a gang of ragtag but fabulous (they are based on rock stars, after all) freedom fighters on their crusade against Better Living Industries, a sinister megacorporation, but the dystopian plot quickly loses steam. Evoking a sense of gritty excitement and sand-baked glamor, the artwork establishes a desert world in which everything looks worn and battered. Way and Simon never fully embrace to the world devised by Cloonan’s pencils, constantly getting sidetracked by half-formed ideas, especially in the long stretches that focus on futuristic youth culture. Fans of Way and Cloonan will definitely enjoy the story, but others may just look at the pictures.