Hacktivity: Private Data

by Ovi Demetrian Jr., James Whynot (Illustrator), Brian Brushwood (Introduction)

Shawn Harris is a hacktivist who just pushed the boundaries too far. On the run from the FBI, he joins a team of hackers to stop an unexpected threat to the American people: their own government. Under the pretense of security from people like Shawn, the NSA and presidential candidate Dean Calloway feel it necessary to use our personal data against us. Now it’s up to the revolutionaries of the internet age to stand up for the freedoms we don’t even know we’re losing.

114 pages, Paperback

First published July 4, 2014

About the author

Ovi is a tech guy. By day, he builds websites and apps. The rest of the time he writes stories related to technology.

Reviews

[Landon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hacktivity was definitely an intriguing story.

I loved how the author wisely used the graphic novel format to highlight the dangers of government overreach in the digital realm, and the gritty art style helps to sell that this is a bleak world we're observing.

That said, there are several moments were the artwork doesn't quite work. A couple panels near the middle of the book were too dark for me to tell what was going on, and that's never helpful from a reader's point of view. The dialogue quickly filled in the gaps, fortunately, so I view this as a minor annoyance more than anything.

But on the whole, Hacktivity was still an interesting read. Definitely not for young readers though, due to language and some suggestive content.

4 out of 5 stars.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to the modern age when anyone can get data, this comic hits some disturbing notes. From fears about losing privacy, corrupt (or rather self-righteous) officials driven by entitled responsibility, and the fact that people are so divided on whether freedoms should be kept or not. Still my only complaint is that all this feels short in terms of plot.