The second issue of this highly imaginative series from Curt Pires and Dalton Rose is a beautifully intricate symphonic ode to the dangers of knowledge. Full of light and shade, emotion and logic, “Theremin” #2 is a gorgeous and complex book that forces readers to examine terrifying possibilities about the world we inhabit, and question the limits of their own awareness.
Written by Curt Pires
Illustrated by Dalton RoseLeon Theremin discovered time travel and brought it to his superiors. It was just the beginning. It was maybe the end too. ONE YEAR LATER. The Science Killer Squad is here. Eventually we all have to re-invent the art of assassination. PLUS: A secret that will tear everything apart! The spectacular second instalment of the new series by CURT PIRES and DALTON ROSE is here and it is gunning for your soul.
Imagine a space and time where men speak in ruthless metaphors and powerful prose, and carry laser pistols. Imagine a world where the rules that bind reality together are being broken; where every preconception you may have about the way the world works is being systematically destroyed. Nothing here is predictable, and everything is perilous. This is the world of “Theremin.” Leon Theremin has discovered time travel, and the ramifications of that discovery are affecting every aspect of his life.
The subjects addressed through the central character in this series, Leon Theremin, are devastatingly profound. Through his unique circumstances, and the understanding they offer him about the inner-workings of the universe, the day-to-day tasks and moments he takes on become magnifiers for mystical elements of the human experience. Leon can see existence through a lens of scientific knowledge that breaks his world apart to a level of atoms and forces, equations and laws. Though it seems that perspective could rob him of emotion, and make him cold, his reaction to the knowledge he possesses is rich and full of feeling. Throughout the second issue of “Theremin,” the characters skate along the razors edge of diametrically opposed binary opposites which have been forced together to create a narrow canyon of Truth that can only exist on the borders of ideas such as: pain and beauty, hope and despair, or power and vulnerability.
While it may seem that this book is only an action adventure story with a sci-fi edge it is full to the brim with philosophy and poetry. “Theremin” represents an exploration of the boundless possibility within humanity and the infinite mystery of the world around us that illustrates how truly limited our understanding of our existence is. Pushing the laws of reality, transcending the barriers of consciousness, and crushing the walls of perception, this series represents a new take on what it means to be alive. Poignant and excruciatingly intelligent, “Theremin” #2 is very near perfect.
The dialogue and narration in this book are incredibly well written. Poetic and engaging, the voice captured by Pires elevates the series. Leon’s narration is a ferocious as it is lyrical, painting him as a scientist with the soul of an artist. Again, seemingly contradictory elements, art and science, are condensed to reveal a powerful incarnation of truth. All innovators, whether speaking in watercolors or formulas, are at their heart dreamers. The raw power behind Leon’s voice guides the series to a place of intense speculation; as the character grapples with difficult questions that permeate every facet of his understanding of reality.
Dalton Rose’s art is transportive, and ingenious in its simplicity. Rose’s work has a pure quality about it, making it seem that the essential energy powering these fictional characters is distilled through a matrix of line and shape, and harnessed on the page. Capturing the turmoil through well executed minimalism, his stylized renderings thunder with a cacophony of chaos that draws the reader into this world without compromise. Using a color palette that binds to the character’s emotions, the art becomes a barometer of insight. Effortless shifts from high-energy adventure to introspective examination, without any visual compromise, prove that there is a chameleon-like aspect of Rose’s work that makes it equally well attuned to action and emotion. On each page of “Theremin” #2, Rose seems to articulate the complexity of this world as if the forces moving the story are so powerful that they have begun to unfurl, spark, and organically migrate to the two-dimensional page under their own power.
A potent cocktail of gorgeous writing, and striking artwork, “Theremin” #2 is a splendid achievement of visual storytelling. Merging the narratives history, science, literature, and fantasy the creative team takes hold of the magic within the fictional world they have created, bringing readers into a story powered by imagination and passion. Perfectly formed, yet raw, “Theremin” is a brilliant series. The second issue escorts the audience deeper into the labyrinth of complexity that faces Leon Theremin, making an even more concerted effort to help readers relate to this extraordinary protagonist. Moving forward, this series can surely become nothing short of excellence.
Final Verdict: 9.5 – Allow yourself to get lost in possibility with this bold new series.
