Great Pacific #2

Written by Joe Harris
Art by Martin Morazzo

Corporate malfeasance, environmental degradation, indigenous rights, and father issues are all colliding rather nicely in Great Pacific, a new mini-series from Image Comics.

Chas Worthington, son of the founder of Worthington Energy, has faked his own death after stealing millions of dollars, and has now laid claim to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a collection of plastic garbage from around the world, loosely held together by centrifugal forces.  He's named his new land New Texas, and has already sent out feelers for recognition among the international community.

Much of this issue is taken up with the mechanics of starting a new country, which of course necessitates surveying it.  While Chas does this, he discovers some indigenous people, who perhaps have come from another island.  They give chase, but that kind of things doesn't go well on land that is really only two feet of floating plastic.

There are also squids, and government-corporate dealings back home.

I enjoy the way that Joe Harris has worked an environmental message into his story, which is just as much about corporate greed as it is about conservation.  I'm curious to see where the story goes, and wonder just what Yalafath, a name spoken by the Natives and by the seamen Worthington hired to take him to New Texas, is.  I'm hoping it's not the squid.

If you're looking for an intelligent thriller with a bit of a message to it, this is a good book to check out.