Tokyo Ghost, issue 2, which can be purchased here, continues to explore the idea of a virtual dystopia in comparison with the real world. The primary focus of the comic, and in particular issue 2, is how Led Dent, Teddy, and Debbi Jacobs, are planning to escape from this virtual reality driven world. The comic captures their journey to Tokyo, which is an electric free prospering land, filled with new threats and challenges that will affect their survival.
The Good:
The comic establishes a backstory for both Led Dent and Debbi Jacobs. Led Dent was once a small, weak, un-muscular, boy who along with Debbi Jacobs obtain shelter in an abandoned greenhouse. One day they were exploring outside and a gang decided to beat him up as part of a film they were making. Fortunately for Led Dent he was saved by Debbi but was made to look weak. As a result he signed up for the Constable program, where he had 100’s of nanobots injected into his body to bulk him up and make him a cybernetic cop. Debbi Jacobs, prior to meeting Led Dent, experienced her mother slowly being sucked into the virtual reality and not paying much attention to her. Her father was an honest detective who relied on his skills rather than technology but was killed by technology advocates. Their backstories establish the point that the Tokyo Ghost setting is a dystopia that is driven by the virtual world and these two characters want to escape, as it is a destructive, negative place.
The Bad:
The comic utilized a wordy approach when conveying the backstory. There were pictures on one side of the page and complete sentences on the margin on the other. This technique is very anti-comic oriented and awkward to read. Furthermore, as a reader, it led to confusion as to which part of the story should be read first. Considering that this is the backstory and origins of these two characters it needed to be smoother and easier to understand.
The Verdict:
Tokyo Ghost is a great concept for a comic and is precisely plotted out in each issue. The comic has the right amount of complexity in exploring the concept of escaping a virtual dystopia while incorporating action, thus keeping a reader intrigued. The comic does have a bump in the road in exploring the backstory, but it does clarify the story. Tokyo Ghost is a great comic, currently on issue 2, and it can be picked up here.
