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We’re diving back into the gritty, neon-drenched streets of Night City with “Cyberpunk 2077: Psycho Squad.” After the critical success of the ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ video game and the ‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ series, returning to this universe is a thrill!
Written by Dan Waters
Cover Art & Art by Kieran McKeown
Colors by Giada Marchisio
Letters by Frank Cvetkovic
Edited by Judy Khuu
Published by Dark Horse Comics, CD Projekt Red, & Mike Richardson
This story follows volatile Maxtac soldiers enforcing the law with their own bloody hands. Navigating through ‘Prescience Solutions’ tower, they fight to reach a cyberspyscho holding everyone in the building hostage. It’s a world rife with cybernetic enhancements and moral dilemmas. This setting stages a limited series packed with intense action and complex ethics.
***Possible Spoiler Warning***
Plot Summary
This issue starts with us going through “Prescience Solution” tower, describing this harsh world in the lingo of the Cyberpunk. The panels guide us room by room, where it’s clear that everyone has been pumped full of bullets. This graphic scene coincides with Lieutenant Mason’s description. She details a cyberpsycho terrorist holding up and murdering everyone in the building. Here, we meet the explosive Maxtac team and their new recruit, Hook, as they swoop in to eliminate the terrorist.
In a narrative style reminiscent of Alan Moore, two radio hosts debate the sociopolitical state of Night City. This perfectly blends with the action involving the ‘Psycho Squad.’ As the team moves up the building, they encounter deadly obstacles, where anyone of them might not survive.
From hacked automatic robotic cleaning machines to mind-controlled people, the story continuously surprises and keeps you glued to your seat. The writer aptly notes, “Maxtac is Night City’s defense against the terror of cyberpsychos. But with a 100% success rate and a 400% kill rate, maybe they’re the ones to be afraid of…”
The Art And Letters
The art style in this book is fantastic! Like the video game and the show, it portrays a bloody, violent world. The Cyberware is detailed and looks incredibly cool on all the different characters. The color use is phenomenal, highlighting the team’s situations and varied settings perfectly.
Hook is drawn so descriptively, her personality bursts through her armor and helmet (you’ll see what I mean when you pick up the issue). The lettering in word balloons is perfectly executed, clearly distinguishing character dialogue, event descriptions, and radio host debates. It might seem odd to call such a bloody book beautiful, but to me, it truly is.
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The Writing
The writing in this book is incredibly solid. It carries a Die Hard-like quality that’s utterly badass. We’re quickly introduced to the team, especially Lieutenant Mason and Hook, which reveals a lot about their characters. Once the team reaches the building, the narrative shifts into a full-on action/horror sequence reminiscent of the ‘World War Z’ movie. Simultaneously, it also balances a meta-narrative that clearly links the world to the characters we follow.
The twists and turns keep you on your toes. The dialogue fits perfectly in the cyberpunk world, immersing you in Night City. This book excels at exposing the moral dilemmas of a dark, complex world. As each piece of Cyberware gradually chips away at your humanity.
Overall Thoughts
After diving into ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ and loving ‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners,’ I found this to be a strong start. Seeing the world through Maxtac’s eyes and the dire situations they face creates an immediate connection to the characters. This book is not for the faint of heart, it is filled with intense violence and graphic action. It’s a welcome expansion to the Cyberpunk universe. Needless to say, I’m hooked and eagerly awaiting issue #2!
Overall Grade: 8/10
This review was written by Thomas Craig of The Joy Schtick Show, where three friends from Hawaii explore the movies, TV shows, comics, and pop culture bringing us JOY! For more reviews and to catch up on all our episodes, head to linktr.ee/TheJoySchtickShow
