A review by joshgauthier
The Department of Truth, Vol 1: The End of the World by James Tynion IV
4.0
Yo... what?
I'm not fully sure what to make of this one, and my feelings about the overall series will definitely depend on how some of these questions are answered.
That being said, this is a disturbing, gripping, and all-too immediate melding of contemporary society and fantasy-horror. If collective belief was enough to reshape reality, the war over information becomes vital to preserving the future. With conspiracy theories threatening to destabilize the known world, it's the job of the Department of Truth to maintain the fact. But with other powers at play and secrets piled on top of secrets, the lines blur easily and nothing is what it seems.
Tynion crafts a dark and unsettling tale that echoes back to present day America in ways that are sometimes uncomfortably close to reality. Wielding the central premise of the story, he and the team delve into a dark alternate world where the rules can be reshaped. The watercolors and abstractions of the art are sometimes a little unclear--but they fit perfectly with the tale being told and create a visual style that is as central to the story as the words on the page.
It's a bold undertaking and this creative team kicks off the first 5 issues with dramatic flair. Whatever comes next, it promises to be interesting.
I'm not fully sure what to make of this one, and my feelings about the overall series will definitely depend on how some of these questions are answered.
That being said, this is a disturbing, gripping, and all-too immediate melding of contemporary society and fantasy-horror. If collective belief was enough to reshape reality, the war over information becomes vital to preserving the future. With conspiracy theories threatening to destabilize the known world, it's the job of the Department of Truth to maintain the fact. But with other powers at play and secrets piled on top of secrets, the lines blur easily and nothing is what it seems.
Tynion crafts a dark and unsettling tale that echoes back to present day America in ways that are sometimes uncomfortably close to reality. Wielding the central premise of the story, he and the team delve into a dark alternate world where the rules can be reshaped. The watercolors and abstractions of the art are sometimes a little unclear--but they fit perfectly with the tale being told and create a visual style that is as central to the story as the words on the page.
It's a bold undertaking and this creative team kicks off the first 5 issues with dramatic flair. Whatever comes next, it promises to be interesting.