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What You Get Is No Tomorrow – “POP” #2 [Review]

By | September 26th, 2014
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

Examining the true cost of fame and the price we all pay to consume media, Pires and Copland generate intriguing commentary on pop culture in this installment of their four-issue miniseries. “Pop” will make you think twice about what it takes to make popular entertainment, and what it says about us as an audience, that we buy into it.

Written by Curt Pires
Illustrated by Jason Copland

The Cartel continues its unrelenting pursuit of Elle, the newly escaped would-be pop star they’ve manufactured! As the Cartel’s agents close in, Elle and her only ally, Coop, start to realize just how much danger they’re in!

In the second issue of “POP”, Pires and Copland continue their scathing critique of the consumption of culture in modern society. One of the central characters, Elle Ray, has escaped the facility in which she was manufactured by the Cartel to be a perfect pop starlet. On the run from her would be wranglers, Elle has aligned herself with a misanthropic comic and record store owner called Coop. The pair comes to realize that they are in very real danger through the events of this issue. In “POP” #2, stakes are raised, lines are drawn and sides are chosen. Touching on themes of the exploration of the subconscious, enlightenment, and manufactured culture, the creative team tells an entertaining story that carries a great deal of intellectual weight.

Do you remember that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine says something like, “ending a sentence with an exclamation point is like laughing at your own jokes”? There are no proverbial exclamation marks to be seen in this issue. Pires seems to have an incredible faith in his stories, and his readers. He touches on some really high-minded ideas, but then steps back and trusts the reader to find them on their own. That kind of restraint and maturity is really incredible. It is easy for smart writers like Pires to direct the audience, with conspicuous clues or overt instruction, to see how dreadfully clever they are. Here though, Pires resists that. Somehow, even when dealing with heavy philosophical concepts he retains a commitment to showing in lieu of telling. Whenever I read a book written by Pires I feel like I am only gleaning one one-thousandth of his intent. He is a real master of subtext, creating stories so rich they can be explored again and again, always yielding new discoveries.

The creative team depicts the idea of personal exploration through psychedelic experience in a memorable way in this issue of “POP.” Pires scripts a hallucinogenic trip that pushes the boundaries of perception, and takes readers on a journey into the subconscious mind, which is beautifully illustrated. Together Copland’s art and Toms’ colors harness a kaleidoscopic surrealism that is reminiscent of works like Argento’s Suspiria; both horrifying and luxuriant, Elle’s trip is one of the book’s strongest visual elements. An abstract, prismatic flurry of form and color spring to life here, drawing readers into the darkest corners of the character’s mind. Complex and beautifully rendered, this sequence and its narration create a contemplative, vivacious feeling that is sure to draw readers in. Throughout this issue, the creative team returns again and again to the idea of new-age enlightenment, and the methods by which it is achieved. From isolation tanks to mind-altering drugs, the imagery in “POP” #2 alludes to the means by which the search for self is integral to the movement which might be carried out.

The characters of “POP” are spirited. Their expressions, authentic and clearly differentiated, communicate a broad spectrum of emotions and intentions. There are no plain characters, each one has details and identifiers that set them apart from the rest of the cast. From styling choices to body type, Copland’s deliberate design decisions create a population for this book that seems realistically diverse. Unafraid to dwell on the less appealing aspects of a character, but instead highlighting their flaws and imperfections, Copland allows the humanity of these characters to come through.

Copland helps highlight another theme that runs through the issue in his character work. Throughout “POP” #2, there are pairs of men and women interacting, working together, and guiding each other. In each male/female pair, the characters bear a striking resemblance to one another. The pair of extraction experts, one male and one female, are both glamorous, gothic rockstar types. They share similar clothing choices, hairstyles and make up applications. The male head of the Cartel is shown interacting with a female subordinate; both of these characters are inhumanly obese, their features too small for their ample faces atop their nonexistent necks. They wear drab business attire and have the same hair color.

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Even the central pair, Elle and Coop, are made to mirror one another. Elle borrows Coop’s plaid shirt and slacks upon arriving in his home, so they are dressed alike for the duration of this issue. This theme of the opposite gender as a reflection of self calls to mind the Jungian concepts of anima and animus. Broadly speaking ‘anima’ is the feminine aspect of the male subconscious, and ‘animus’ is the female counterpart. These projections exist in dreams or altered states of consciousness. These figures are meant to force personal growth and self evolution by opening up traditionally repressed aspects of the subject’s psyche. This motif might indicate that the main character’s are helping one another evolve to a higher form, separated from mindless consumption more capable of independent thought.

The artwork in this issue makes use of unique perspectives and dynamic compositions. Never choosing the expected angle, Copland keeps readers on their toes. Deconstructing fleeting moments, the artist finds the feeling that drives the actions within the panel. This is sometimes achieved through the use of small panel insets, that give unique focus to the actions being carried out. In some cases, Copland uses arrows to indicate motion, such as a key turning to start a car, and somehow this adds to the urgency of a scene. A particularly successful moment in this issue is a full page illustration of a car chase scene. Artfully designed, the car in the foreground seems to be emerging from the page; The curved road draws the eye into the receding portion of the page, where the pursuing motorcycle can be seen. Toms’ nighttime colors are exceptional here, as well, drawing out the purple haze of late evening beautifully.

“Pop” #2 is an exceptionally sharp and entertaining book. Featuring inspired artwork and thoughtful plotting, this miniseries creates a world worth spending time in and a story worth knowing. The audience cannot help but become enthralled by the unique and unpredictable nature of this well-crafted issue.

Final Verdict: 8.2 – Smart writing, thoughtful art and an interesting premise make this “Pop” a hit.


Sam LeBas

Sam resides in Louisiana, and has a twang in her voice, even when her words are in print. Her first crush was Burt Ward. She reviews comics, writes features, and co-host podcasts at imageaddiction.net. She also blogs about comic books from a feminist, literary perspective at comicsonice.com You can find her on twitter @comicsonice where she makes inappropriate jokes and shamelessly promotes her work. Other than comic books, her greatest passions are applied linguistics and classic country music. She enjoys quality writing implements, squirrels, and strong coffee.

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