I have yet another theory to drop on your laps: The Buffet Deduction. It’s this idea that a story promises so much goodness that you get overwhelmed by the sheer bounty. If the story delivers, you’re fed well; if it doesn’t, then you may feel a little starved (or instead utterly full on empty, meaningless calories).
Ancestral Recall very well could have been one of these “bad buffets,” but issue #2 proves that this meal will fill you up mind, body, and heart.
In Ancestral Recall #1, artist Melvin Waring teams up with his young neighbor, Myran, to find his missing wife, June. Along the way, Melvin gets used to his new “power” (channeling the skills/wisdom of Black heroes) and ends up fighting androids to kick off their rousing adventure. Even with the warmth of Melvin, his organic dynamic with June, and the promise of a story that tackles AI and more, Ancestral Recall could’ve readily fallen prey to far too much far too soon.
Courtesy of AHOY Comics.
Fortunately, creators Jordan Clark and Atagun Ilhan managed to streamline the proceedings even as the story has grown all the more complicated. Perhaps the biggest such “trick” that they employed was the way in which they layered/positioned the two “opposing” storylines across #2.
The first involves June’s fate, and how she’s been taken by a company named MLC. That whole “side” of the story is treated like the best-worst dystopian, and from a visual perspective, the mix of near-future tech and silly-meets-authoritarianism vibes (they’re testing a combination pet-human food) felt especially interesting. Even as this “corner” clearly leaned into inspirations and a referential framework (it felt like a gloomier Futurama, truly), it’s a take that’s refreshing in its singular vibes and balance of fun and social relevance.
And if the AI/technology aspects of this book are going to require added room on the page, then I’m glad it’s happening in this way with such novelty and precision. Like, it should come in service of the humanity and not feel (as it did oh-so slightly in Ancestral Recall #1) like some looming side quest to eventually tackle.
Courtesy of AHOY Comics.
Meanwhile, Melvin and Myran had taken a trip down to Fresno to track down MLC, and the vibes of this jaunt are decidedly sunnier and heaps more obvious fun. Whether it’s the continued visual gags (like translating Melvin’s “grumblings”), the overt chaos and emotionality that’s exuded every time Myran’s on the page, or just seeing Melvin stewing without June, these “sections” feel like the best road trip flick ever.
They’re about distinguishing the here and now for whatever hell the future holds, and also for pushing Melvin out of his box and making him engage with all that Myran represents (the weird, scary world). June is Melvin’s whole universe, and with a little joy and absurdity, the trip is pulling him out and forcing him to be more of a real person in the world. And so far, it’s uncomfortable, cathartic, and generally heartfelt.
Courtesy of AHOY Comics.
But Ancestral Recall #2 puts as much effort into balancing other vital aspects. Yes, perhaps the issue’s other big accomplishment is how it integrates some of the sections with the Black heroes. In Ancestral Recall #1, we met, among other heroes, Black detective Sam Marlowe — despite a heartfelt convo between him and Melvin, there wasn’t much visual heft/oomph. Sure, I enjoyed the black and white aesthetic/treatment, but it just didn’t go far enough for the story.
In #2, Melvin meets two new heroes: Marie Van Brittan Brown, the true creator of the modern security system, and Cheryl Lynn Glass, the first Black female race car driver. With the former, Melvin was guided in the real world to hack a security system, in a perfect coalescence of the real and the “fantastical.” In the latter, while it’s regarded akin to a daydream, the driving has heft and energy, and it translates into pushing Melvin to experience some much-needed fun. (He also begins to contemplate, via the narration, his own mortality, and that’s a nice bit of added emotionality that makes his re-integration into the world even more satisfying.)
Courtesy of AHOY Comics.
Yet these scenes/interactions are more than just exciting little snacks in the multifaceted meal that is Ancestral Recall. They’re the book’s continued effort to consider how it outlines, positions, contrasts, etc. its various emotionality and tent-pole ideas. They’re a clear cut effort to balance everything in a way that feels instinctual and exciting.
As mentioned, a big chunk of this issue emphasizes the Melvin-Myran connection. It’s not just about pushing the character forward, but thanks to more narration, he’s also able to reflect on his relationship (and perhaps latent tension) with June. The same goes for the scenes with the Black heroes: Not every interaction is the same (emotionally and contextually, obviously, but even from a visual standpoint).
That goes not only to respect these heroes and how Melvin engages with them, but it drives this whole “gimmick” in a way that connects with the story proper. It’s all becoming one fully cohesive experience, and while there’s hills and valleys emotionally and texturally, Ancestral Recall is aligning its many ideas and approaches to create a lively world for our increasingly uncomfortable hero.
Courtesy of AHOY Comics.
Now, all of this isn’t to say that Ancestral Recall had dire problems with #1 —it wasn’t completely on the verge of being crushed by its many story elements. (Instead, the threat was just real but measured.) In an instance of creators being dedicated and inventive, Clark and Ilhan presented us with a comics smorgasbord of ideas and intent and have already, just two issues in, balanced it efficiently and enthusiastically. In turn, we’ve gotten a warm, engaging story at the crossroads of community, technology, and how we all move forward (often while connecting with the past).
In short, Ancestral Recall has me feeling stuffed in the way only a great comic ever could.
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