Collateral- Dear John
Author: Matthew Nicholls Illustrations: Lee Taylor Publisher: Boy in a box Productions
A boy taken by the government; a town reduced to rubble; a family left to deal with the consequences. Collateral- Dear John unveils the lives of regular people in a world of superheroes.
The comic thus far closely resembles the initial scene from Batman Vs. Superman, where the glamourized perception of superheroes starting to fade, but its only one man who realizes. In a town constantly in ruin from superhuman conflict, this indie comic follows a small regular family as they face the consequences. Nobody ever thinks of the damage that is left behind and has to be re-built. Not just physical damage, but the emotional too.
John, a father bounded in a life of an overly concerned wife, a son fuelled by teenage rebellion, and a life of recent unemployment, begins to feel the pressures of menial life. Meanwhile, as the government has begun taking children with superpowers for training, it has left serious implications on the rest of the population. But where do we go from here?
The first four issues of Collateral- Dear John are available online, and will be interesting to see how the story unfolds in future issues. Currently, the story has climbed to a point where it can move in any given direction, developing multiple story-lines that are just waiting to be used. It is obvious that author Matthew Nicholls has surprises up his sleeves for where this comic will head next.
Under the pen of Lee Taylor, his illustrations immediately throw us into a world of death and destruction, creating a feel of existential dread and melancholy. With harsh language and graphic imagery, Collateral- Dear John is a completely different approach to the superhero genre.
-Chris
Collateral- Dear John is available here:
