Generation Gone, Vol 1 #BookReview

Title: Generation Gone, Vol 1 | Series: Generation Gone | Author: Ales Kot | Illustrator: Andre Lima Araujo | Publisher: Image Comics | Pub. Date: 2018-1-3 | ISBN13: 9781534304703 | Genre: Science Fiction | Language: English | Triggers: Cancer | Rating: 4 out of 5 | Source: I received a copy from Edelweiss for review consideration.

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Generation Gone, Vol 1

America, 2020. Three young hackers with nothing to lose. A secretive scientist with a plan. One final job.

What happens when you’re young, poor, angry, and get superpowers you never asked for? Multiple trips to the sun, weird black goo, a breakup fight inside a nuclear factory, love, hate, anger, loss — and a struggle for survival.

The first chapter of the SF action epic by ALES KOT and ANDRE LIMA ARAUJO.

Collects issues 1 through 5.

Generation Gone, Vol 1 Review

The characters in Generation Gone, Vol 1 created quite an impression on me, simply because they didn’t stay in the boxes I expected them to stay in. Ellie was weak in some areas, incredibly strong in others. Nick was a douche, but even then I could sympathize with him for the pain that he was feeling. Even Baldwin was interesting, though he is one that we know the least about.

The one thing that ties the trio of Nick, Ellie, and Baldwin together is their recognition that things need to change and their anger at a world that they feel like has abandoned them. The General was a walking piece of egotistical arsehole, but he absolutely loved his daughter and did try to protect people when he could.

Basically, you can’t easily love or hate any of these characters. And that is… not something I’m used to. I think it’s nice when characters have flaws, but to have them feel so real is something odd in a comic book. I think this aspect drew me to the story even when the superhero portion of things would normally push me away a bit.

There is one panel in Generation Gone, Vol 1 that said so much. It’s a conversation between the General and Ellie’s mother. It made me want to whoop and holler and cheer because WOULDYOULOOKATTHAT! A woman, a sick woman, going toe to toe with a man in a position of authority, and not backing down one inch!

“So you want to get a woman who is too powerful for you and restrain her until you figure out what to do with her?” – Momma
“I want to find a girl who is dealing with something that could harm her and others and I want to help her contain herself.” – General
“By imposing your rules on her?” – Momma

Yay for Momma Bear! Be the visible parent in literature that respects and stands up for your daughter while allowing her to do her own thing. Yes!!

And then there’s the domestic violence. Wow! Not something I expected. I haven’t read a graphic novel before where two of the main characters were involved in a relationship that involved domestic violence. I’m sure there’s probably some out there, but this was an entirely new experience for me! I found myself wanting to reach into the panels and shake Ellie. To tell her to see what was going on. To tell her she was better than that! It was almost painful waiting for her to figure things out for herself.

On a lighter note: One of the things that made an impression early on, and carried through is that the Generation Gone, Vol 1 feels very ‘moist’. I know, I know. That’s a horrible word. But people are sweating, vomiting, crying, etc, all the time. Fluids everywhere. Every. Where.

Of course, nothing is perfect. So I would be amiss if I weren’t to point out that even I felt like some of the poses and thoughts and stuff of Ellie felt a bit like Jean Gray from X-Men. And I can’t say I was all aflutter over the art.

But the violence made me happy, the dialogue made me think, and the characters kept me engaged. So, yes, I definitely recommend everyone check out Generation Gone, Vol 1.

Buy Link: Amazon