This month sees the launch of an intriguing new series from BOOM! about the people who keep the whacked out conspiracies Alex Jones is always screaming about a secret. Is it good?
Deep State #1 (BOOM! Studios)
John Harrow works for an organization that makes sure the rest of the world doesn’t know all the crazy stuff that goes on behind the scenes: Who really killed JFK, if aliens are real, why I can’t pee standing up, etc.
His newest recruit is Ms. Branch, a detective or government agent of some sort who is attracted to cold cases and unsolvable mysteries. Their first case together involves something horrible that the Americans and Russians found on the moon decades ago…and has now returned to keep college kids from screwing each other inside their parent’s homes.
Is It Good?
All of that sounds familiar? It should, because this one hits about every single conspiracy theory themed story trope imaginable. That’s not to say it’s bad, however. Like a good cook at Chili’s making baby back ribs, writer Justin Jordan handles the formula well, crafting an enjoyable story framed by some very good artwork from Ariela Kristantina.
The one place where Jordan’s writing really shines, however, is when he takes a little more time to let us get to know one of the side characters, a sheriff who seems to be aware of Harrow and Branch’s true purpose. It’s a bit frustrating since I wish that time had been given more to Branch (since she’s a main character and all), but it also shows a lot of potential for this series going forward. It’s the type of thing Jordan will need to do to elevate Deep State from yet another conspiracy story into something special.
As it stands now, however, this was simply a well-crafted issue that’s enjoyable enough warrant a return ticket for issue #2, where I have a feeling we’ll really see just how good this series might (or might not) be.
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