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Second Soul

By Leroy Douresseau
December 23, 2003 - 09:05

SECOND SOUL is Scott O. Brown's action movie-type graphic novel about identity and humanity. It has all the things that could make for a hot SF film property: sex, death, nudity, drugs, and tech. Although Brown, in his afterword, declares that his tale leans towards issues of identity and personality, he has inadvertently crafted an unsettling tale of paranoia, corporate greed, murder, and betrayal.

Ian Jones is a rock musician of worldwide fame, who exists in a metal and artificial body. He dies in an auto accident only to awaken and find himself back in a "meat" body, which he absolutely hates. In addition, everybody he knows is acting peculiar towards him, and his attempts to unravel the mystery of his "resurrection," only endangers his life.

Second Soul embodies that well-worn phrase, "Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me." As much as Brown tries to examine just what makes identity, his story is so obviously buried in themes of betrayal and self-interest. Whatever or whoever else Ian tries to be alters how people feel about him because who he is effects them.

For all the interesting ideas he raises, Brown's script emphasizes the more romantic than cerebral aspects of sci-fi. He favors the kind of "action" we've come to know as car chases and gunplay. That's not all bad, except that the characters and ideas have so much potential, and Brown only scratches at that. Luckily, the result is still intriguing.

I understand that black and white comics are sometimes an economic necessity and not an artistic choice, as I believe SS's lack of color is due to the former. Still, a storyteller must meet certain artistic necessities even when faced with economic realities. Illustrator Amin Amat does not produce the kind of art that makes for an effective black and white comic. He can draw, but he clearly needs color to help his art suggest form and space. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's going on by looking at the art, and while inker Drew Gilbert makes up some, it's not enough.

I enjoyed Second Soul, and it is a work that can be improved upon in potential subsequent chapters. Still, the creators have enough talent to create a good graphic novel. The next step is to get even better and make a great SF graphic novel. GRADE B-

Last Updated: January 17, 2025 - 08:20