Healed #5

From the Random Stack of Unread Comics. Purchased directly from the creators (and signed) in 2012.

Title: Healed
Issue: #5
Date: 2012
Publisher: Homeless Comics
Writer: George O'Connor
Artist: Griffin, S.
Editor: Tracy O'Connor

Reviews of previous issues: Issue #1, Issue #2, Issue #3, Issue #4.

Fifth and final issue in a series that examines the effect of a mysterious event that heals all human disease and effectively eliminates death from natural causes.

The writing and creativity in this issue were excellent, but the lack of resolution with this being the final issue was disappointing.

As with previous issues, this contained three stories. Two were seemingly self-contained. One of those examined the question of what happens to prisoners sentenced to life behind bars when life could now mean an eternity. The other standalone story focused on a disabled man who was somehow passed over in the Healing.

The main ongoing story hinted at big revelations, but nothing really came of it, which was frustrating because the slow-burn pacing of this series had been a strong point, so to see it end here left a ton of unfulfilled potential.

Still, the work that the series did up to this point with its fascinating concept was quite intriguing. If they ever do decide to continue the series, I would be eager to read more.

Rating: 5/10

Healed #4

Gynn bought this back in 2011 at Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo (MICE). I read the first three issues of this series, but issues #4 and #5 got lost in the Random Stack of Unread Comics... Until now!

Title: Healed
Issue: #4
Date: 2011
Publisher: Homeless Comics
Writer: George O'Connor
Artist: Griffin, S.
Editor: Tracy O'Connor

The fourth chapter in George O'Connor and S. Griffin's anti-apocalyptic story of a mysterious event that cures all diseases and eliminates all death by natural causes. It's been a while since I last visited this series, but you can find my reviews of previous issues here: Issue #1, Issue #2, Issue #3.

Pharmaceutical executive Donna Gibbs recruits for her team investigating the Healing, and locates the body of the only person to die a natural death in the ten days since the event.

Meanwhile, a members of a small-town therapy group are faced with the realization that their mental illnesses seem to have been unaffected by the rest of the world's miracle.

This series continues to do a nice job of slowly unraveling its central mystery while presenting interesting and creative implications of a world suddenly without natural death.

Rating: 8/10

Healed #2

Weekend of bonus reviews continues. I got this one at New York Comic Con.

Title: Healed
Issue: #2
Date: 2010
Publisher: Homeless Comics
Writer: George O'Connor
Artist: S. Griffin
Editor: Tracy O'Connor

Second issue of this story of the world suddenly cured of all diseases.

The opening segment is a stand-alone story about an alcoholic who was dying of liver disease before the Healing, and how he squanders his second chance at life.

From there, the book turns to some of its ongoing plotlines as pharmaceutical executive Donna Gibbs begins her investigation into the Healing... and how to undo it. Meanwhile, the government is considering a pretty extreme response to what has happened.

I would have liked to see this develop a bit more before the mass-murdering government conspiracy gets started, just because it seemed like it was a bit rushed. The series is doing a nice job of showing how the event affects individuals. It needs more time to show how the Healing has affected society as a whole in order for the reader to see what has some leaders so panicked.

Still, this story continues to do a good job of finding new angles to approach the initial scenario.

Rating: 6/10

Healed #1

My wife picked up issue #3 and #4 at MICE and I was able to get the first two issues at NYCC.

Title: Healed
Issue: #1
Date: 2010
Publisher: Homeless Comics
Writer: George O'Connor
Artist: S. Griffin
Editor: Tracy O'Connor

What if there was no disease? In fact, what if there was no death by natural causes at all? And what if it happened in an instant, with no explanation? That's the scenario that Healed uses as its starting point, and the reader is quickly shown that effective immortality for humanity isn't as good a thing as one might think at first.

There are three separate stories in this book, two of which appear to be self-contained. First up is the story of a preacher dealing with the implications of a world where the afterlife has become optional. he doesn't deal with it well.

Second is the introduction of a ruthless pharmaceutical executive who finds herself demoted when her company realizes that no one will be needing medicine anymore. In a world where overpopulation is now a looming global threat, the company is turning its attention to keeping the world fed. For drug executive Donna Gibbs, this means no more corner office, and possibly no more career.

Finally there is the story of a woman whose child just missed the chance to be healed, told almost entirely wordlessly.

This book does a nice job of introducing its very intriguing premise, and the individual stories are powerful and definitely thought-provoking. I would have liked to see a bit more ongoing plot on the first issue; two of the three stories appear to simply end, which leaves only two ongoing characters if that is the case.

Still, this serves as a nice introduction to a story with a ton of potential.

Rating: 7.5/10

Healed #3

Here's a locally-published comic that my wife picked up at the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo.

Title: Healed
Issue: #3
Date: 2011
Publisher: Homeless Comics
Writer: George O'Connor
Artist: Griffin, S.
Editor: Tracy O'Connor

Humanity has been suddenly cured of all disease. Suddenly, no one can die of "natural causes". The result isn't as joyful or blissful as one might first imagine.

I'm probably going to seek out the first two issues (they're standard format comics, b/w interior with color covers), but I had no problem following the story from here.

The main focus of this issue is on two residents of a nursing home. They're being evicted along with all other "healed" residents and they are returning to families who had essentially given them up as dead. The first segment was the most powerful, as a teenager was forced to face the consequences of actions and words that he thought his grandfather would take to the grave.

Also in this issue is a scene involving a drug company executive who's trying to investigate the cause of the healing. She understands the negative consequences of overpopulation and starvation that could await the world, but she may also have a bit of a personal stake. After all, who needs medicine in a world where nobody ever gets sick?

The dialogue was good throughout this issue, and writer George O'Connor has clearly put a lot of thought into what the fallout from the mass healing might be like. Against that global perspective, this book gives us character we can care about and some intriguing subplots.

Rating: 8.5/10