THE SMART DIVISION #2: Play Your Part.

Stevie and William are hot on the heels of those responsible for the mysterious recent deaths, despite being at odds over the transformation and usage of AI in today’s world. The duo must learn to become a team; otherwise they could be next on the list.

Creative Team: Zack Kaplan, John J. Pearson, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The Story:

Zack really ramps up the stakes and intensity with issue while tying in so many current themes and morale debates. There’s a moment early on where the AI is discussing possible suspects and using location pings and it rings too real in current times. There was a case where Flock cameras sent the wrong woman to jail in a vehicular homicide using this same type of data ping. As far as our characters go they are beginning to endear themselves in their own unique way as Zack is forcing them to slowly open up with one another. There’s are moments where it seems as though the walls are ready to come down between the two and it strengthens the unspoken bond they are building. Perhaps the most frustrating bit to me is how good Zack is at raising these questions and then displaying the issues or holes in logic surrounding AI itself. This issue hits home and reality in ways I wasn’t ready for and I am loving this story.

The Art:

John’s artwork continues to wow me, and there are some tricks he uses in this issue that create some tense sequences. For example, when there are moments of interrogation, the background fades to white, and I love how the characters move across their panel squares and into another. This allows the reader to feel under interrogation themselves, as though a bright light is displayed before us. There are other moments where the scenery burns a dark orange, igniting the panel along with it. The unique style of artwork lends itself to the thriller and mystery aspect of this story so well.

Final Thoughts:

The Smart Division #2 will inject a level of fear into the reader that they may not have thought an issue could do. This may be a story, but, Zack, John, and Hassan blur the lines of reality, posing ethical questions regarding AI and leaving us with an ending that sinks us deeper into the mystery.

Overall Grade: 10/10

Zack and John will both be at NYCC as well as The Nerd Initiative crew! So if you see us say hello! Let us know how you feel about this issue and check out more reviews by Matt!