I consider myself a smart guy. This is a book about a smart guy. Match made in heaven, right?
Written by Matt Hawkins
Illustrated by Rahsan Ekedal
Dr. David Loren is many things: child prodigy, inventor, genius, slacker… mass murderer. When a military think tank’s smartest scientist decides he can no longer stomach creating weapons of destruction, will he be able to think his way out of his dilemma or find himself subject to the machinations of smaller men?Collecting the original series in its entirety, this trade paperback also is jam packed with a complete cover gallery, bonus articles, behind-the-scenes sketches, and more!
$14.99
I was all set to write a quick summary of the story, but gosh darn if that solicitation isn’t full on accurate. There’s a…well, he’s not really a villain. More of an adversary. There’s also a bit of a romantic subplot, but it’s rather flimsy. Saying much more will send this review into spoiler territory, and nobody wants that.
Hawkins is known more for being the president of Top Cow than for his writing, but this book may change that. His characters aren’t always likable, but they do have depth. Perhaps the thing most endearing about the genius protagonist is his obliviousness to his own unlikablility. His superior attitude fits right in with his mental gifts. The antagonists are suitably opposed to the lead without being over-the-top crazies like they’re sometimes made to be in these types of stories.
Like most stories centered around an escape (or heist), the execution is vital. Hawkins handles it well by introducing important points early with some subtlety. He’s also humble enough to reference numerous movies which used similar tropes first. The final step is clever and well-timed. It’s easy to see how this was originally going to be a four-issue mini, and the hook for how it can continue feel like it was tacked on as an afterthought, and doesn’t make much sense on a second read. It’s understandable for a genius to be fooled the way the lead is, but not when he has a mind-reading machine.
But enough about the writing. Rahsan Ekedal has impressed with his work before, and he doesn’t disappoint now. His characters are all distinct, so you’ll never be confused about who’s who. The black and white art allows for finer control of shading, which gives the images a stronger feeling of depth. In all four issues, only one panel stood out as awkward, and you can see it to the right. It’s hard to say exactly what went wrong here, but that car just doesn’t look right. Don’t misunderstand, one odd panel out of 128 pages is a great ratio.
The trade also features some text sections which let Hawkins show off his research. He highlights certain technologies or other plot points and talks about its real (de-classified) counterpart, going to great lengths to explain what exists, what’s fictional, and why he made his alterations. It’s a neat extra, and works to show how “Think Tank” is different from most other comics available today. Most other books either deal with obvious technology (cell-phones) or are just lucky if some crazy idea has a real-life counterpart (Iron Man).
“Think Tank” is a mixed bag, overall. It has some great art and some great storytelling moments, but also has just enough odd moments to keep this from being an easy recommendation. You should definitely give it a browse, and keep an eye on future volumes. This is something which could easily make the jump from “ok” to “great.”
Final Verdict: 6 – Browse
