cover image Heartbreakers Meet Boilerplate

Heartbreakers Meet Boilerplate

Anina Bennett, . . IDW Publishing, $9.99 (96pp) ISBN 978-1-932382-86-0

In the near future, the world is in turmoil as cloned humans, created for slave labor, fight for their rights. Queenie and Delta, both clones of geneticist Therese Sorenson, use their skills to ensure freedom for all clones, forming a resistance known as the Heartbreakers. In this installment, Delta acquires Boilerplate, the semimythical first sentient robot, who fought with Teddy Roosevelt at San Juan. This creates a conflict with a clone-manufacturing company that wants to get hold of Boilerplate. Though the landscape of this futuristic world is fraught with social drama, the story line of this book never rises above the simplistic. The characters discuss how all clones are unique, and yet the good guys are clones of Sorenson and the bad guys are clones of Sorenson's nemesis. More than 20 pages of the invented history of Boilerplate are interspersed with the comics story. The saving grace of this comic is the artwork. Guinan uses a technique called "paintography," blending photographs, drawings and paintings to create a stunning visual style. The images are full of grace and realism, making even this underdeveloped story worth a look. (July)