Review copy from the publisher.Title: The Digital Pools
Issue: 1
Date: 2020
Publisher: DW Comics
Writer: Alex Robnett
Artist: Matt Stevens
Cyberpunk noir set in 2035 with Boston detectives investigating a crime that took place in virtual reality space. The mystery plays out in pieces, with a flashback sequence that starts things off. The opening is a bit hard to follow, but by the end of the issue I had a pretty good grasp on who the characters were, how the cyberpunk tech worked, and where things were going. There was some good foreshadowing of a larger conspiracy that may have the newly established and underbudgeted Boston virtual crimes unit in way over their heads.
An extended fight scene early on seemed unnecessary as there wasn't much reason given for it, and the way it played out didn't make a lot of sense, but it worked well in terms of the visuals of the action, which bodes well for action sequences as the series continues.
Of the characters, the one that really stood out was Rico Teller, a disabled veteran who works as a consultant on virtual crimes. We got a little bit of his backstory, and it will be interesting to see more.
I had to read this a couple of times to get pick up on everything that was going on, as the story doesn't immediately take the time to explain everything, but what it did give was interesting enough to make me to know more.
Good start to a story that has a lot of potential.
Rating: 7.5/10
