What happens when America suddenly has to smuggle themselves into another country for work? It might be fiction, but then again…
Written by Bradford Winters & Larry Cohen
Illustrated by Daniel Irizarri
What’s to Love: Part social commentary, part family drama, Americatown asks: What if the American Dream were no longer possible? In their inaugural comic series, screenwriters Bradford Winters (Oz, Boss, Kings) and Larry Cohen (Phone Booth, Cellular), give us a story great for fans of Transmetropolitan, Hacktivist, and the TV show Black Mirror.
What It Is: After an economic collapse, Americans are illegally emigrating to other countries to find work, creating “Americatowns” wherever they go. Owen has a difficult time trying to sneak back into Buenos Aires in Argentina to rejoin his family; his struggle is just a small part of the hardships and conflicting agendas in an immigrant community trying to build itself in the shadow of a once great nation.
I think it goes without saying that given today’s political climate stories about immigration are bound to strike a chord with readers. Depending on which side of the issue you are on it could prove to be enlightening or infuriating. What happens if you turn it around and change his in emigrating into the country? That is a fun twist on a timeless trope I have seen so many times before. It is a challenge to what an American might think of people coming to the land of the free.
From the onset, Bradford Winters & Larry Cohen set out to make something radically different and yet so strikingly familiar. From the first pages it is clear that a smuggling operation is going on but for what reason is never fully explained. I have long been a fan of in Medias res stories so long as there is an actual logical point where things get explained. This is not the case with “Americatown” which put me in a really awkward spot trying to figure out what was going on.
The layers of story that are added in as each pages progresses does not help in this matter at all. Winters & Cohen shift the narrative from this smuggling operation to two unnamed characters, a father and son, reuniting in the thick of it. Their intentions are to enter into Buenos Aries illegally but what they are actually there to do remains largely unclear. As it progresses less answers are given and more questions arise which not a good thing is considering where we were prior. There is an interesting side story that pops up that has a nice sci-fi edge but that like the other elements is left dangling in the ether.
However, where “Americatown” excels is Daniel Irizarri’s art and the eerie color scheme of Matt Battaglia. Irizaari give a really good sense of realism in showing the different settings used throughout the story. Early on there are sequences in a submarine that captures the claustrophobic nature of being inside one for a long period. The little details of dials and gauges are well rendered in the background to give an authenticity that might be dismissed otherwise. Battaglia gives this a nice cold look with lights that to shine directly on the characters leaving them in partial darkness for most of the book. When the characters hit street level the brightness of distant lights helps pave the way for the dark corners and alleys in Buenos Aries.
There is a very dystopian look to these areas in the blue tint. When I think of futures (or presents) like this I am drawn to the idea of metallic looking colors and smooth surfaces. In this case Buenos Aries hasn’t gone through that radical of a transformation at surface level. Irizarri captures that foreign feel of the city with great ease. Having traveled abroad to areas like this I can say that his level to detail is very well executed. Battaglia keeps the area lit with neon lights and street lamps that are dim to the point of irritation. Everything is rendered perfectly there is never a moment when you can’t tell the characters apart or see a fine detail. Bright burst of color that occur are jarring which is the feeling I would get if I were in darkness for most of my time. That realism is a fine touch that adds an extra layer to a wonderfully detailed background.
Continued belowThe biggest failing for the book is the convoluted story points that don’t give any indication of how these characters got to this point. Why Winters & Cohen went this way is not entirely clear perhaps a flashback issue is upcoming or maybe the characters are learning as I am. It feels disjointed in the sense that I understand that the world of “Americatown” is radically different and that there is real danger but what for? It is a fundamental question that seems to be ignored within the pages. The solicit text actually gave me for of an idea then the book proper did.
There simply was not enough of a hook in issue #1 to give me incentive to continue. I do have the feeling of this being an excellent trade read since getting it all in one shot might prove to be more fruitful. The nature of monthly comics does not allow for a non-sequitur you have to have a hook to keep readers coming back. “Americatown” has a very cool and timely premise but little else to justify waiting month to month. Winters & Cohen are screenwriters by trade and if this were their pilot episode I would be hard pressed to give a reason why it should make it to a series order.
Final Verdict: 4.9 – For a first issue “Americatown” fails to excite or to offer any substance. The art is rock solid but not even close to saving this convoluted mess.
