Recently one of the comic books that stood out in BOOM! Studios solicitations was Darcy Van Poelgeest and Caio Filipe’s Lotus Land. Right away the cover by Alex Eckman-Lawn sold me on the latest post-apocalyptic cyberpunk series. The preview for Lotus Land #1 made it so this was at the top of my read list for November. We got the chance to check out an early copy of Lotus Land #1. Find out how the series begins with our advance review.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Darcy Van Poelgeest
Artist: Caio Filipe
Colorist: Patricio Delpeche
Letterer: Nate Piekos
SOLICITATION
“In a Vancouver of the future painted with ultramodern decay, a groundbreaking advancement in technology promises an end to entropy itself. But when an attack on this mysterious “Keeper Program” threatens the lives of everyone tied to it, retired Police Detective Bennie Strikman is called to investigate one last case.
Eisner-winning and Harvey-nominated writer and director Darcy Van Poelgeest (Little Bird) is joined by rising star artist Caio Filipe (Stranger Things: Tales From Hawkins) for this timely and thought-provoking look into the human condition, set in a dystopia that’s as grounded as it is metaphysical.” – BOOM! Studios
REVIEW
There’s nothing like a good old cyberpunk detective story. That is the immediate feeling had after reading Lotus Land #1. This isn’t a story were you are going to be wowed by all the cool future elements like Cyberpunk 2099. Darcy Van Poelgeest and Caio Filipe deliver an immersive story that is rough and gruff.
The approach to how Peolgest and Filipe handle the cyberpunk concept in Lotus Land is an extension of its lead character Bennie Strikman, a retired police detective. Strikman has a very Roger Murtaugh’s “I’m too old for this ****” attitude towards being brought back in from retirement. The detectives that bring him back having to go out too his cabin retirement home made good use of the environment to push this narrative.
Filipe and colorist Patricio Delpeche takes full advantage of the Canada setting to show us a future that still has lush forest areas with the typical metropolis setting you expect from cyberpunk setting. This is important to help make this not just a situation where it’s a desolate setting outside of the city. Having these forest areas help provide a good variety to the environments that can be used as the investigation goes forward.
How Strikman is brought back in for one last case adds to the greater politics of this world. Specifically, the idea of the Keeper Program creates an avalanche of intriguing elements for the world created. There are plenty of questions created for what direction the mystery of this story can go. Which should present a lot of intriguing ways Strikman and the cast of Lotus Land will approach the story as it develops.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Lotus Land #1 is a very good start to the cyberpunk world Darcy Van Poelgeest and Caio Filipe introduce us to. The environmental storytelling is as good as the character interactions. It all comes together to leave you wanting to find out what happens next.
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 7.5 Night Girls out of 10