Old school meets new school. Two FBI agents partner to investigate the mysterious death of one of their own agents. However, things quickly become complicated as they face The Smart Division, a perfect crime-making app. Now the duo must put their differences aside to solve the case before things spiral out of control.
Creative Team:
Zack Kaplan, John J Pearson, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
The Story:
It may feel like an overused trope today. However, I love the old-school versus new-school mentality of our two detectives. Will is the Danny Glover: I’m too old for this. Stevie is a know-it-all who wants to work alone. This sets up a great clash between them. Will shows he pays attention to small details. Stevie is a tech genius.
Zack crafts the exposition for their first meeting. Both characters show what they bring to the table. Zack draws us in. We get to know who we will work with and why we should care. I’m heavily intrigued by the tech. The Smart Division frames the institutions that exist and explores real issues.
The Art:
Get really familiar with John if you haven’t already, because the way he is able to create scenes packed with details is extraordinary. John makes the artwork feel as though we’re reading a book of paintings. It has a gritty type of vibe to it, and that is not a knock at all. I love the character designs. Stevie is tattooed and comes across as bad-ass. Will is the typical flannel and glasses nerd. The designs of each character help us engage with them. Hassan’s letters push us to buy into these characters. They invite us into the world we will be exploring.
Final Thoughts:
The Smart Division #1 introduces us to a world that is still catching up and understanding the real abilities and even threats of AI and technology. What if the wrong tech got into the wrong hands? Zack, John, and Hassan set us up for a new-age thriller in the best way.
Overall Grade: 9/10
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