PopCultHQ received a review copy of the trade paperback of THE LUDOCRATS from Image Comics. Available Wednesday, November 18th, the creative team for this series is Lauren Keely & Jonathan Luna.
Here’s PopCultHQ’s spoiler-free review of…
20XX TPB
Story: Lauren Keely & Jonathan Luna
Script: Lauren Keely
Script Assists: Jonathan Luna
Illustrations: Jonathan Luna
Letters/Design: Jonathan Luna
In Shops: Nov 18, 2020
Collects 20XX #1-6
From JONATHAN LUNA (ALEX + ADA, GIRLS, THE SWORD) and LAUREN KEELY, in her writing debut, comes a sci-fi thriller set in a not-so-distant future—a world of norms and syms, divided by fear. Syms, a small percentage of the population with telekinetic abilities, form gangs to survive. But division only breeds more division, and Mer and Nuon experience this firsthand as their relationship grows amid the often dramatic, sometimes violent, but always complex social landscape of sym gang rivalries in Anchorage, Alaska.
PopCultHQ’s Comic Book Review:
20XX TPB
Imagine a world where humanity is divided. Beings with extraordinary abilities are marginalized, mistreated, and constantly find themselves at odds with one another to survive.
No, it’s not the X-Men. Step inside, walk this way, and travel into an adventure full of betrayal, human drama, suspense, and super-powers! Welcome to the world of 20XX!
Writing: Lauren and Jonathan work well together bringing this crazy future world to life. For Lauren, this is her first outing as a comic book writer, while Jonathan is no stranger to the world of fantastic storytelling. The plot is engaging and each character, whether it is a figure central to the plot or even a side-bar person, all come to life. There is a constant layer of suspense surrounding the story that will keep readers riveted and wanting to know more about what happens next. Top-notch work from a newcomer to the world of comics and a seasoned veteran.
Art: Artistically speaking, Jonathan is a gifted individual. His work has appeared in a variety of comics across the medium. Everything about 20XX is rich with the sort of detail that one comes to expect from Jonathan’s skills as an artist. The only issue this reviewer has with his art in 20XX is that it feels flat for some reason. Almost as if it is lacking something within the solidity of his previous works. And the interior art being in black and white does not help either. It seems like it pulls a person out of the story, which is the exact opposite of what should be happening.
Lauren Keely and Jonathan Luna’s collaboration is brilliant. Every nuance about the story is positively exhilarating. Tragically, the artwork, while amazing, pulls a reader away from the plot and dialogue. Even still, fans of stories about the future and changing social landscapes will enjoy this collection.
4 out of 5 stars
Writer/Artist – Jonathan Luna
JONATHAN LUNA co-created and illustrated ETERNAL EMPIRE and ALEX + ADA (Image Comics) with Sarah Vaughn, and THE SWORD, GIRLS, and ULTRA (Image Comics) with his brother, Joshua Luna. He also illustrated SPIDER-WOMAN: ORIGIN (Marvel Comics), written by Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed, and wrote and illustrated STAR BRIGHT AND THE LOOKING GLASS (Image Comics).
Jonathan was born in California and spent most of his youth in Iceland and Italy as a military child. He returned to the United States in his late teens.
Writing and drawing comics since he was a child, he graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Sequential Art.
He currently resides in Northern Virginia.
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Writer/Artist – Lauren Keely
Lauren Keely is an illustrator/fine artist and writer, in love with the strange and magical. Her artwork features mostly female figures, surrounded by elements that represent their own internal narratives.
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Publisher – Image Comics
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