The Homeland Directive

Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Mike Huddleston

This is the second time I've been impressed by Robert Venditti.  The first was with his Surrogates graphic novel, which later became a movie that I've never bothered to watch, because as a movie, the story doesn't interest me at all.

Actually, as I was preparing to write about this book, I started to think about how it would have worked with a more conventional artist, and I think I've stumbled on the secret of what makes Venditti's books work so well.  In a lot of ways, his stories are kind of standard fare, but he's always been paired with a more experimental artist, who has helped elevate the material to a more sophisticated level (Brett Weldele drew The Surrogates).

The Homeland Directive is about a plot at Homeland Security to help increase their powers of surveillance and access to the lives of all American citizens.  Their plan is complicated, but it involves a bio-weapon, the end of paper money, and the death of a scientist at the Center for Disease Control.

The only problem is that the scientist, Dr. Laura Regan, is rescued by a trio of government agents (who only met because of the new era of post-9/11 inter-governmental cooperation) who have gone rogue, and are attempting to put a stop to the plot.  What follows is a pretty interesting twist on the standard thriller movie, as the three agents have to keep a step or two ahead of their agencies, and try to figure out just what is going on.

As I said above, what really makes this book work is the fantastic art of Mike Huddleston, who has also been wowing me on Butcher Baker the Righteous Maker.  Instead of playing this like a straight thriller, Huddleston mucks around with the art a great deal, incorporating collage and a variety of drawing and colouring styles.  Just about every page looks different from the one before, as he adjusts his style to the setting and content of each new scene.  I found this level of inventiveness really heightened my enjoyment of the story, which has some pretty interesting things to say about the level of 'protection' the American government offers its citizens.

The Surrogates: Flesh and Bone

Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Brett Weldele

I really liked the first Surrogates collection, and although I knew that this volume was pretty much only created to tie in with the movie (which I haven't seen), I figured it was worth checking out nonetheless.

This story, structured as a four issue mini-series, even though it was only released in this collected format, serves as a prequel to the original comic.  As such, it covers the backstory of many of the key players in that book, while telling the story of the Hayes case and how it was used to build the power and profile of the Prophet.

Had I read these two books close together in time, I'm sure I would have found this story rather unnecessary and frustrating, as it would have been going over familiar ground.  Since it's been almost a year since I read the other book, I was able to enjoy this on a more individual level, although I did always have a sense of knowing what was going to happen next.

Venditti makes good use of this retroactive opportunity to lay the groundwork of the world he's constructed, I just don't know how essential it really is.  To read this followed by the other book might be a better way for a new reader to experience the story.

As is increasingly the case, Weldele does a great job on the art, turning in some of his clearest and most easily followed work to date.  This has been an interesting property, but I think there is little more to say on this subject or about these characters.

The Surrogates

Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Brett Weldele
I remember seeing a couple of random issues of this book on the stands when it first came out, but the first issue or so were missing. I kind of forgot about it, until I recently saw some press for the upcoming movie, and realized this was the same book I'd wanted to read when it came out in trade.

I have no real expectations that the movie will be much, but the book is excellent. Venditti, in five issues, pulls together a very complete and thought-provoking vision of the future. The notion of surrogates - remote-controlled robotic bodies which are used as stand-ins for just about everybody in America is an interesting one. As we become ever more sedentary, it's hard to avoid the allure of being able to lie on one's ass all day instead of working. In Venditti's future though, people really do begin to take it too far, to the point where the protagonists wife won't come out of her bedroom, because she doesn't like how she looks. One is tempted to tell her that she'd look a lot better if she got off her ass every now and then....

What really fleshes out this whole concept is the existence of the Dreads - an anti-Surrogate personality cult built around the Prophet. They provide the threat to everyones' comfort, but also hold up the mirror to society.

As the story begins, a mysterious figure starts 'killing' surrogates and stealing industrial secrets. This figure, Steeplejack as he is dubbed by the lead investigator in the case, is a surrogate with certain technological advantages over everyone else. They mystery lies in discovering who is operating him. Detective Greer is the heart of the story - an old-fashioned guy who is beginning to see through the shiny facade society has hidden behind.

The author manages to balance many story elements - mystery, action, and real science fiction, making this a very compelling read. Weldele's art suits the story fantastically. He takes a 'Ben Templesmithian' approach to his drawing and colours, and is just as effective portraying dialogue as he is high-flying adventure. I love the design of Steeplejack - it's never quite clear what we're looking at.

I'll probably see the movie version at some point, but don't trust that anything put out by a Hollywood studio could be as entertaining and thought-provoking as this book.