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.