There’s a reason I went so long on Ancestral Recall.
And, no, it’s not just because I like reading my own writing.
In an industry where stories are regularly gimmicks atop gimmicks, writer Jordan Clark and artist Atagun Ilhan really tried to make Ancestral Recall a veritable melting pot of narrative goodness. It’s a love story, a celebration of black culture, a time/multiverse saga, an exploration of art and artistry, a response to the burgeoning AI threat, and even a buddy comedy. But with so many layers, and so many things going on, all the promise of this book could just as easily disintegrate under all of that storytelling weight.
Luckily, Ancestral Recall is a big, bold story where everything works together to make something both thought-provoking and deeply entertaining.
Variant cover by Khary Randolph. Courtesy of AHOY Comics.
For one, it helps that, structurally, Ancestral Recall is a “simple” enough story. Melvin Waring is a painter who must team up with his young neighbor (Myran) to find his missing wife June (to whom he is dependent upon both emotionally and logistically). And, sure, it gets strange fairly quickly — like Melvin traipsing through time to meet and channel the skills of famous black historical figures. But at its core, Ancestral Recall knows that it’s a story about a man discovering himself within a greater context and history while living in a dramatically changing world. It’s a skeleton structure that lets this book get into some strange and intense territory without ever losing that deeply human focus and corresponding energies.
In fact, I mostly love the deeply personal sentiments and emotionality of this book over any “sci-fi madness.” The best representation of that, then, is the layered dynamic between Melvin and June. Sure, Melvin needs her as a kind of caregiver and social buffer, but their love affair and friendship is so deep and layered so early on. And it’s that bond/connection that doesn’t just give Melvin a journey, but lends it an intimacy and a certain romanticism that makes every one of us even more engaged.
Courtesy of AHOY Comics.
It’s a love story as a driving engine, and that heart connects to the book’s interests in politics and technology in a way that drives home these concepts in a way you might not feel otherwise.
Similarly, there’s a kind of “grounding,” as it were, with some of the historical figures here, including the truly interesting Sam Marlowe. Before reading Ancestral Recall #1, I’d feared that through this book’s device — which even Clark compared to Dial H for Hero — these real people would feel phony or forced. But that’s never once the case in #1, and they share real moments with Melvin as they teach him not only about their expertise but help him to understand his place in this grander cultural narrative and how all of us are seeking connection and understanding.
These heroes could’ve just as easily felt like icons that Melvin could never touch, and instead he has some real connective moments that matter. (For instance, Melvin and Marlowe have a rather intriguing back-and-forth.) In a way, they extend his tiny circle beyond just June, and show our artist friend that the world is a much more compelling and lively place that he ought to be a part of with some consistency.
Courtesy of AHOY Comics.
If Ancestral Recall does try to exude something beyond the rather grounded framework and character-centric story, it’s in the art (with Ilhan joined by colorist Pippa Bowland and letterer Rob Steen). I love the near-future aesthetic; it makes it feel like Sorry to Bother You in that it’s just familiar enough, and that tinge of the strange/alien does enough to mess with our heads. Similarly, Ilhan has a style that feels quite reminiscent of manga (the bold, intense lines, the mix of vivid action and endearing energies, etc.) — and that’s not only an interesting move for drawing in a more well-rounded audience, but it adds to Ancestral Recall’s cultural multifacetedness and thematic interests.
Still, I do wish some scenes had just a dash more heft. For instance, the Marlowe stuff could have been more stylized and not just mere black and white. And the “sword fight” was quite cool, but I definitely wanted a little more room and variety. (Especially because that moment is so important in Melvin’s immersion into this fictional world.). But these moments are entertaining and vital enough if only because, as with the storyline proper, things are direct and deliberate. That, and they work to foster an experience of one man’s journey that’s always exciting (if only sometimes at a macro level).
Courtesy of AHOY Comics.
It’s a place that ultimately pokes the brain in just the right way, and lets us fill in certain gaps as we immerse ourselves in this world. What’s there works solidly, and we also get the sense that the true wonders (and perhaps horrors?) are merely waiting for Melvin to reveal them all in time.
For all my talk of the book’s “simplicity,” there are those larger, more complicated elements teased in #1 that will emerge more vividly in issue #2 and beyond. That includes the AI corporation, which I’m interested to see even as I’m curious if that might be the part of Ancestral Recall where enough truly becomes enough. The same goes for the stuff with Myran — if she becomes a kind of accessory, and not a real and true companion for Melvin, I worry that their relationship will feel more like a plot device and not something real and true.
And, of course, there’s also concerns that as the book adds in more black heroes, some of my earlier concerns of their authenticity may come to pass. Especially if these heroes aren’t also afforded the room to be people and push our hero as much as they inspire him. Because if Melvin is going to truly grow, he needs a rich, textured world to occupy and not just a serious of gimmicks.
Courtesy of AHOY Comics.
But in all the other ways it can so far, Ancestral Recall has proven itself to be onto something important and intriguing. It’s a story about seeing where you come from, where you’ve landed yourself, and how to work with others to get somewhere better. Or, a story about seeking out your own heroes/role models and finding a way to be a more brave and accomplished version of yourself. And, yes, it’s even a story about what happens if we give up this humanity and deny ourselves the bonds of community.
I could go on and on (seriously, I could), but let’s just leave it at this for now: Ancestral Recall is good, important comics, and you’d be the real Melvin for not reading.
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