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Matt’s Hot for “Hotwire”
Comics are comics and I love them. But after a while, I can tend to feel humdrum about them. I don’t read crappy books by any means (well…sometimes) but often times they can all tend to merge together into the same thing. I’m always on the lookout for a cool new book. Also, I’m a sucker for anything supernatural. So when my peepers fell across Hotwire…well, needless to say it was love at first sight.
Hotwire is a wonderful book published by newer company Radical comics. I’ve seen their non-stop ads in the last few months of Previews and became wary; when something keeps getting pushed down your throat it’s often no good. This is not the case, however (I’ll give Radical Comics a rave review later). Anyway, the book is set in a far flung, techno-laced future. For years, ghosts have stopped crossing over into the next world, and have been piling up in the streets. Most are harmless, but others do what they can to plague the living. That’s where titular character Alice Hotwire comes in; she’s an “exorcist” for the police, with platinum blonde hair, and an IQ over 140. And while she spends most of her time packing the best state-created techno-gadgetry to send the dead back to the grave, she’d much rather be playing old 8-bit video games in her PJs. Wonderful… another fictional girl to lust over.
Hotwire was originally created by Warren Ellis and Steve Pugh. Long ago, Ellis came up with the concept for Steve Pugh because he liked to draw girls on motorcycles and scary things. The project never really got anywhere, until a few years ago, when Pugh decided to take the whole thing over and now writes and illustrates it. You’ll be able to see how amazing the art is with the pictures on the page, so there’s no need for me to waste any breath to try and bastardize it with my poor descriptions. It’s frankly amazing, and I spend heaps of time studying and analyzing each line and sketch on the pages. And the writing is really well done-it feels like a very well written movie. No obvious lines stated, no description of the action that’s happening, or any terrible clichés. The characters are worthwhile, the story is interesting, and it’s just a cool and fresh concept.
So in summary, Hotwire has captivated me. I love this book so very much. Radical Comics has the first trade: “Requiem for the Dead” available at your local comic shop and the first issue of the second new series: “Deep Cut” hit stands a few weeks ago. So maybe put down the latest thousand issue crossover event and pick up something fun and new.
Matt Rios
