Blüdwire #2 – She’s Counting on You!

Ace and Zora want to make a life of their own, but the corporation that owns them has turned them into the hunted. As they flee, the corporate hunters will take out anyone and everyone to get to them. As the hunt narrows in, can love drive them towards safety? Blüdwire 2 picks up where we last left off as Ace and Zora strive to start a new life together on their own terms.

This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Anthony and Shawn!

Creative Team

Writer/Letterer: Pallie Paul Allor
Artist: Ermitis Blanco
Color Artist: Brittany Peer
Cover Artist: Victor Ibáñez

Writing

Anthony: Pallie Paul Allor does a really good job with pacing. This is an action packed story that never drops the ball and keeps pushing forward. There are times that it reminds me of Detroit: Become Human. The main characters Ace and Zora are AI robots that were built to be romantic companions for the humans that owned them. But they fell in love with each other and they are on the run. Allor builds these two up with unique personalities and distinctly different motivations while keeping the love between them electric. The dialogue is sharp, and even the minor characters feel like they have weight and importance. Something Allor does well is they let the story inform the reader as it unfolds. There isn’t a lot of exposition or explanation. Things just happen and you kind of just work it all out based on context. Kind of like life. It’s something I wish more writers would do.

Shawn: Pallie Paul Allor does another amazing job with this issue of Blüdwire. The relationship between Ace and Zora is so unique. They’re so unique and different, but work so well together. I enjoy seeing how this series continues to grow as the characters learn and know more about the world around them. I also loved that Allor reminds us of how different Ace and Zora are compared to other robots. We get to see exactly how other robots in the world are treated as disposable. Allor peels back the curtain just a bit showing us that this pair may have some information that makes them worth more brought in rather than destroyed.

Art

Anthony: Ermitis Blanco and Brittany Peer are both very talented in their own rights, but together the result is chef’s kiss! Preem! Nova, even! The world they’ve crafted feels real and lived in. When I read a comic, if I can visualize a live action movie and none of the details change in my mind, every background element, every character, every robot design… That is a testament to how good the artwork is. I really hope Blanco and Peer become fast friends and frequent collaborators! The action is well done with kinetic motion and a feeling of weight and strength imbued in the robots. Blanco excels at character expression and emoting, especially with Zora who doesn’t have a face yet still manages to show emotion through body language. Not an easy feat.

Shawn: Ermitis Blanco and Brittany Peer absolutely killed the art again in this issue. It feels like there’s a rugged quality to the art, which provides a nice contrast to a very sterile type of world where robots help in every aspect of life, from cooking to sex. Despite some robots like Zora not having facial features, Blanco and Peer still manage to make them very emotive in ways that allow readers to connect and understand them. Blanco and Peer really help you move beyond the fact that you are reading about robots in love and moves you more towards realizing these robots have some of the same feelings and difficulties human couples would.

Final Thoughts

Anthony: 10 / 10. Blüdwire is a frantic and tense love story between two Robots that should not be able to feel and yet the love they have is beyond what most humans have experienced in their lives. This is a special book and worth picking up.

Shawn: 9/10. This was another great issue from the creative team of Allor, Blanco, and Peer. Blüdwire continues to try new and exciting things each issue, drawing you back into the story. The narrative is a unique and well executed idea and the art is stellar.

Overall Grade: 9.5 / 10

Did it hit the spot? Let us know in the comments!