Hexware #2
Recap
The service android Which-Where has purchased a soul, saving Jessie Marks. But, there is a cost: she must return beings who escaped from Hell to their masters...vampires, werewolves, demons. Now she hunts Low-Town for monsters, unaware that she's also hunted...by the vampire-witch, Sister Invictus!
Review
Hexware is a book that continues to feel like a fresh take on something old with its combination of the dark arts and techno-futurism. With issue #2, it starts to raise the questions of what makes someone a living being. The body or the soul? This issue introduced a dilemma for Jessie Marks, whose soul now resides within the body of the android Which-Where. Is she willing to use Which-Where’s now magically imbued body to save her own soul? Or will she lose herself in the process?
It’s honestly a really neat predicament to place the main character in. The magic isn’t necessarily technological, but nor is it natural. Yet its use seems to reduce Jessie’s connection to the physical world more and more, despite Which-Where’s intent of saving Jessie from death. I’m expecting that going forward this will become a larger issue. Especially as Jessie has to pretend to be a lifeless android to fool her parents into thinking she is still dead until she can save her own soul.
With the introduction of this dilemma early on in the issue, the rest of the book is left to give us some fantastic world building and character introductions to new escaped denizens of Hell. Tim Seeley takes old folklore and myth, making it new within this techno-magic world he’s crafted. Which itself is even more enhanced by Zulema Scotto Lavina’s artwork and Valentina Cuomo’s colors. Cuomo’s colors are especially standout as they provide this dark and disturbing, yet futuristic vibe.
Hexware is a book I’d highly recommend picking up off the shelf if you get a chance. It’s the fiery horror story I’ve been needing to get me through those cold winter nights.
Final Thoughts
With issue #2, Hexware remains a book with a lot of soul. It continues to take the magic of yesteryear and mix it with the techno-punk of tomorrow.
Hexware #2: Werewolves of Low-Town
- Writing - 8/108/10
- Storyline - 7/107/10
- Art - 9/109/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 9/109/10