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Review: Clean Room #17

By Philip Schweier
April 12, 2017 - 15:39

I’ve only read one previous issue of Clean Room, so forgive me if I seem a bit lost. For me, it was like watching a portion of an episode of a TV series I normally don’t watch. Does it interest me? Well, it might if I could follow from the beginning. My only complaint is it has supernatural overtones that currently make it harder to follow than most series.

There’s a creature who seems to exist in two separate moments in time, having the upper hand in both. But as the world loses all manner of electrical power, woman named Astrid steps forward and on some basis of “My power outweighs your power, simply because I say so,” manages to wrest control. She leaves the would-be world conqueror a quivering mass begging for mercy. Meanwhile, there is a demonic child, perhaps some form of Satan made human, I really don’t know.

Gail Simone has obviously crafted an intricate tale of netherworldly horror, with interlaced storylines and sub-plots. Should Stephen King be worried? It’s impossible for me to say. I’m not a horror fan in general – unless you count the classic Universal monsters, and even then it’s hit or miss. But should the opportunity arise to read the entire series and flesh out some background, I’d probably take it.

Geovani’s artwork  seems stronger now than it did a few issues ago. Maybe he’s upped his game as the story has developed, or maybe what I saw before was a minor speed bump. But he does well, though there are moments that left me a bit confused. I don’t believe this is a failing on his part so much as me being unaware of some of the details of the story.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12