Blade Runner Origins #2

Blade Runner Origins #2

Titan Comics 2021

Written by K. Perkins & Mellow Brown

Illustrated by Fernando Dagnino

Coloured by Marco Lesko

Lettered by Jim Campbell

Los Angeles: 2009 – A Tyrell Corporation scientist is dead – an apparent suicide. But when LAPD detective Cal Moreaux is called in to investigate he uncovers something – secrets about the company’s Replicant research program that redefine what it means to be human.

This is an amazing series already after just two issues. The opening is great as it has this whole narration that doesn’t match what we see and that just manages to build some extreme intrigue into the picture. Also he’s naked on the rooftop so where is his dangling bits shadow? C’mon folks in this day and age we should’ve seen it. Regardless what this issue does is really get into how Cal does his job, how his mind works and his rebellious streak according to his superior and all of these things along with the fact that the Tyrell Corporation owns everything and nearly everyone well I kind of see him like some freedom fighter. This world is really coming alive here and had I been able read this before seeing the original film or anything else i’d e one of the franchises biggest fans over the years.

I do believe the way that this is being told is completely and utterly brilliant. How we see the story constantly moving forward through how the sequence of events unfold alongside how the reader learns information is presented impeccably. If you missed last issue this one recaps and catches you up, though if you have missed it I do believe you need to pick it up. The character development is phenomenal. How we see the characters act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter as well as the dialogue between them really gives us a better understanding of who they are. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the events we’re swept up in the intrigue and manipulations of those we see.

The way that this is structured and how the layers within the story grow stronger and new ones emerge you can see just how well they’ve gone and made this seem simple, which its not. With how everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow we travel through the pages with ease.

The aforementioned lack of peen aside the interiors here are absolutely mindbogglingly gorgeous! The linework that we see is exquisitely laid down and thanks to the varying weights and techniques being utilised the detail work is stunning! The faces and facial expressions along with the body language we see futhers the characterisation beautifully. The way that we see backgrounds being utilised throughout and how they work in the composition within the panels to enhance the moments as well as bring us depth perception, a sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is marvellously rendered. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a masters eye for storytelling. The colour work we see is brilliant as well. How the various hues and tones within the colours are being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show such skill and talent. All of it works to bring this raw emotion off the page and into the reader exceptionally well.

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Not being a big Blade Runner fan myself I think this series so far is one of the most interesting, thoughtful and engaging books currently on stands. Starting early on and seeing how this world started to change is something that we’ve never seen anything of it’s magnitude before. This is why we love comics and the creators who’s skill, talent and verve are what make that possible.