Artificial #2 // Review
Lila is dealing with the concerns of a very powerful person. The Hollywood actress in question is confident that she can play the role. Lila is going to try to make certain that she will do what she can for the actress. It’s not like th e actress is the ONLY person that Lila’s going to have to watch her step around. She’s just gotten a pamphlet from a courier that contains information about an entirely different kind of potentially temperamental person in Artificial #2. Writer/artist Maria Llovet continues an interesting horror drama that finds clever new territory in and witin certain cliches of modern life and artificiality.
The pamphlet includes information regarding emergency shutdown for a date. It’s simple: recite the words: “Park, Tattle, November, Spoon and Destiny” Four spots will then light-up on her date’s face. She presses them all at once and she’s in the clear. Who knew dating a romantic fantasy android might involve danger that could require such a strange solution? Honestly, though, Lila’s going to be fine, right? If she hadn’t felt at all safe with the android on her initial date, she wouldn’t have felt comfortable paying for the full dating experience. She’ll be fine...right?
Llovet tells a very traditional style romantic triangle story. The fact that it happens to involve artificial intelligence and corporation and various science fiction elements he is just a detail. There are aspects of the story that seem very distinctly tied to technology. But for the most part, it really is a story that could've been told with a woman, her boyfriend and I hired a male sex worker. There is an awful lot that is very specific to what is going on with respect to the android in question. There's nothing that's specific to it that feels like it's exploring new territory. It is kind of fun to watch play out. There is kind of a enjoyable, romantic drama at the heart of everything. But it feels like the science fiction elements are more of a gimmick than anything.
The visual elements of the romantic drama flit across the page in breezy sketches. There’s a light and pleasant feel to the color that is occasionally punctuated by ominous feelings of intensity as the story progresses. Overall, Llovet’s pacing of the drama as it moves across the page feels like the most compelling aspect of her visual art. The dramatic tension is carried along quite well, but the lack of visual precision DOES detract from some of the potential intensity in the more serious dramatic elements.
The danger inherent in the android IS brought to the page with a degree of menace. Lovet’s challenge moving forward is going to lie in the tricky nuances of romance-vs-horror as things get gradually more and more complex between Lila, boyfriend and android. It’s kind of a strange conflict that could easily turn into inadvertent comedy of Llovet isn’t careful. It DOES seem like Llovet has a solid grasp of nuanced characterization, though. There’s a good chance that it’s going to turn-out quite well.
