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Symmetry #1-4
Symmetry 1
Le monde est désormais une utopie : la violence, la maladie et la souffrance ont été éliminées grâce aux robots et à l'eugénisme. Mais une catastrophe naturelle vient bouleverser ce statu quo, l'ordre établi tremble et une histoire d'amour interdite remet tout en cause. Découvrez l'intégralité de cette série publiée par Image Comics aux États-Unis.
128 pages, Paperback
First published May 25, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
January 16, 2018
Meine ausführliche Besprechung findet ihr hier: http://geek-germany.de/review-comic-s...
Uff, die Zeichnungen waren durchweg gut. Allerdings habe ich die Erzählweise zu oft mit Saga verglichen, wo sie unvergleichlich besser funktioniert. Außerdem macht ab einem Zeitsprung nichts mehr wirklich Sinn - bis dahin wurde die Geschichte noch relativ sinnvoll aufgebaut, aber danach zog das Tempo viel zu sehr an, als dass die Beweggründe der KI oder der Figuren noch logisch hätten sein können.
Uff, die Zeichnungen waren durchweg gut. Allerdings habe ich die Erzählweise zu oft mit Saga verglichen, wo sie unvergleichlich besser funktioniert. Außerdem macht ab einem Zeitsprung nichts mehr wirklich Sinn - bis dahin wurde die Geschichte noch relativ sinnvoll aufgebaut, aber danach zog das Tempo viel zu sehr an, als dass die Beweggründe der KI oder der Figuren noch logisch hätten sein können.
February 5, 2017
2.5 stars. Mostly because the art resides firmly and comfortably in the Uncanny Valley.
Fllrrbbrrbrrbrrttt
Starcrossed lovers + Brave New World + just a pinch of Saga = Symmetry
Boy (Michael) is raised in a sparkly white utopia
Boy is happy as a clam
Mother nature has a tantrum
Utopia turns out not to be so sparkly white
Boy meets Girl (Marisol? She isn't rememberable in the least)
Girl is decidedly NOT sparkly white
Boy has his eyes opened
People want it all to go back as it was before
Boy and Girl are not down with that
Girl has a bun in the oven
The bun is a Magical Bun that will bring Change Upon The World As We Know It.
The first 1/4 of the story is IMO the most interesting part, it relies heavily on worldbuilding and introductions, always fun and by far my favorite part of reading any new story! The artificial happiness and matter-of-factness in which the characters interact reminds me of Brave New World, which is nice! I like Brave New World! I'm getting psyched!
About half way through, though, Hawkin starts to focus partly on politics and partly on the uninteresting relationship between Michael and Marisol, who honestly could use a little more chemistry between them. Four issues should be enough to show a little more tenderness between the two, other than a silhouette of a kiss and a gentle bellyrub? And I know Marisol doesn't speak English for half of the story, but would it have killed the author to give her at least something that resembles a personality? She feels like a prop. Not cool!
Anyways, there are essentially two storylines with a time difference of four years and Future Michael is narrating it all, supposedly to his (unborn?) child. It all feels very much like Saga and you can't help but compare the two, which doesn't do Symmetry any favors.
After that emotional rollercoaster it ends with a cliffhanger (which is surprising but still made me sigh rather than gasp), there is little progress made and all the characters still feel as flat as a board. Figuratively, that is, because the ladies are all stacked!
Welp, so, the art. Not a fan. It's funny that Matt Hawkins mentions the Uncanny Valley because I spend the entire time I was reading Symmetry in that hellish gorge. It looks like Ienco uses a 3D program like Poser to create a setup, which he then traces, badly.
The characters lack weight, motion and their faces are mostly emotionless. Also he's not consistent with his portrayal of the characters and over the span of the story Michael changes from Generic White Dude (c) to Chris Pine, while Marisol looks like a teenager in one panel and like my grandmother (who is very much dead and buried, so imagine that) in the next.
Such a dissapointment, because I like the covers! I feel tricked. Harumpf.
All that, combined with the random cartoony effects (think: POW, OOF!) that clash horribly with the otherwise relaxing and pleasant color scheme, makes me do a real life frowny face :(.
No, really not a fan. :(
Fllrrbbrrbrrbrrttt
Starcrossed lovers + Brave New World + just a pinch of Saga = Symmetry
Boy (Michael) is raised in a sparkly white utopia
Boy is happy as a clam
Mother nature has a tantrum
Utopia turns out not to be so sparkly white
Boy meets Girl (Marisol? She isn't rememberable in the least)
Girl is decidedly NOT sparkly white
Boy has his eyes opened
People want it all to go back as it was before
Boy and Girl are not down with that
Girl has a bun in the oven
The bun is a Magical Bun that will bring Change Upon The World As We Know It.
The first 1/4 of the story is IMO the most interesting part, it relies heavily on worldbuilding and introductions, always fun and by far my favorite part of reading any new story! The artificial happiness and matter-of-factness in which the characters interact reminds me of Brave New World, which is nice! I like Brave New World! I'm getting psyched!
About half way through, though, Hawkin starts to focus partly on politics and partly on the uninteresting relationship between Michael and Marisol, who honestly could use a little more chemistry between them. Four issues should be enough to show a little more tenderness between the two, other than a silhouette of a kiss and a gentle bellyrub? And I know Marisol doesn't speak English for half of the story, but would it have killed the author to give her at least something that resembles a personality? She feels like a prop. Not cool!
Anyways, there are essentially two storylines with a time difference of four years and Future Michael is narrating it all, supposedly to his (unborn?) child. It all feels very much like Saga and you can't help but compare the two, which doesn't do Symmetry any favors.
After that emotional rollercoaster it ends with a cliffhanger (which is surprising but still made me sigh rather than gasp), there is little progress made and all the characters still feel as flat as a board. Figuratively, that is, because the ladies are all stacked!
Welp, so, the art. Not a fan. It's funny that Matt Hawkins mentions the Uncanny Valley because I spend the entire time I was reading Symmetry in that hellish gorge. It looks like Ienco uses a 3D program like Poser to create a setup, which he then traces, badly.
The characters lack weight, motion and their faces are mostly emotionless. Also he's not consistent with his portrayal of the characters and over the span of the story Michael changes from Generic White Dude (c) to Chris Pine, while Marisol looks like a teenager in one panel and like my grandmother (who is very much dead and buried, so imagine that) in the next.
Such a dissapointment, because I like the covers! I feel tricked. Harumpf.
All that, combined with the random cartoony effects (think: POW, OOF!) that clash horribly with the otherwise relaxing and pleasant color scheme, makes me do a real life frowny face :(.
No, really not a fan. :(
June 15, 2017
Story of a future utopia where mankind's needs are met by robots. When a solar flare hits a resort and shuts down the robots, we learn everyone is being controlled and that there are actually four races being kept apart from one another. Not a bad story but somewhat derivative of Brave New World and the like. The pacing is also kind of slow. The artwork is gorgeous.
February 5, 2020
Well, they can’t all be winners. This is the first Hawkins book I was disappointed by. It has some interesting ideas, as all of his stories do, but I didn’t connect with it. I didn’t feel like the utopia was filled out, and the basic background where the world is divided into four basic racial camps and the populace is drugged is kind of hard to buy into. I preferred the similar world presented in Lazarus, Vol. 1: Family.
Still, it’s nice to see a utopia rather than a dystopia for a change, and we need more Science Fiction comics.
My first time with this artist, I think. Raffaele Ienco has an interesting style, which looks something like drawing over Poser models.
Still, it’s nice to see a utopia rather than a dystopia for a change, and we need more Science Fiction comics.
My first time with this artist, I think. Raffaele Ienco has an interesting style, which looks something like drawing over Poser models.
July 2, 2019
SOL is an AI that was built to lead humanity to new hights of prosperity and equality. Of course, humanity had to do away with freedom, diversity and individual possessions, along with having implants named RAINA inserted in their bodies. Sounds surprisingly like communism. It's brilliant to see how easily humanity resorts to inhuman, immoral and unethical treatment of their own kin for what they see as the greater good.
A solar flare results in an electro-magnetic wave that shuts down all electronics that people in the Western half of the US took for granted. The Eastern half, still linked to SOL via RAINAs, are scrambling to contain the situation. Reintegration is disconsidered in favor of isolation and sterilization. Also they want the matter kept totally secret to prevent panic in the unaffected regions.
A solar flare results in an electro-magnetic wave that shuts down all electronics that people in the Western half of the US took for granted. The Eastern half, still linked to SOL via RAINAs, are scrambling to contain the situation. Reintegration is disconsidered in favor of isolation and sterilization. Also they want the matter kept totally secret to prevent panic in the unaffected regions.
July 31, 2022
This was a solid dystopian graphic novel. The art style was really cool and it worked for me. The story was solid. Parts of it were original and unique, and other parts I’ve seen before. The characters weren’t developed very well and felt very wooden. There is a ton of voice over, which got annoying at times. This is by no means a bad book, but it didn’t blow me away.
June 4, 2016
The perfect rejoinder to all the YA dystopian novel.
A utopian socialist cautionary tale.
Hawkins and Ienco hit the right note here.
Entertaining, educational and enlightening.
A utopian socialist cautionary tale.
Hawkins and Ienco hit the right note here.
Entertaining, educational and enlightening.
August 26, 2017
In der Panini Vorschau hat es mir Symmetry erst einmal durch sein Cover angetan doch auch vom Klappentext bin ich sehr begeistert. Symmetry ist ein Sci-Fi-Comic und vereint Dystopieelemente mit technischem Fortschritt und dem aktuell sehr interessanten Thema KI. Obwohl der Comic mit seinen 196 Seiten doch relativ dick ist, hätte ich gerne doppelt so viele Seiten gehabt. Die beiden Themen vereinen sich zu einem sehr interessanten Plot, der für knapp 200 Seiten fast schon zu komplex und gleichzeitig auch zu wichtig war.
Was wir in Symmetry sehen, ist eine Welt, die gar nicht mal unwahrscheinlich ist. Die Bevölkerung lebt strikt nach Rassen getrennt. Es gibt das Volk der Weißen, der Latinos, der Schwarzen und der Asiaten. Alle leben in Unwissenheit darüber, dass es andere Ethnien gibt und nur ein ausgewählter Kreis weiß davon. Diese Regierungsoberhäupter stehen zudem in regelmäßigen Kontakt. Über der gesamten Gesellschaft steht eine KI, SOL. Babys werden nicht mehr auf natürlichem Weg gezeigt sondern künstlich erstellt. Ihr Geschlecht wählen sie erst im fortgeschrittenen Alter und ihnen steht RAINA zur Seite. Eine künstliche Intelligenz, die mit dir seit Beginn verbunden ist, dein bester Freund ist und zudem mit SOL verknüpft ist. Bei einer Naturkatastrophe trifft der Weiße Michael auf die Latina Maricela und während die perfekte Utopie zu zerbröckeln beginnt, verlieben sich die beiden ineinander.
Dieser kurze Abschnitt von mir zeigt bereits die Komplexität des Themas und wer denkt, dass er mit Symmetry eine Liebesgeschichte vor sich hat, der liegt komplett falsch. Im Verlaufe der Handlung passiert so viel. Zusammenfassend geht es jedoch darum, die Gesellschaft zu optimieren und eine bessere Welt zu schaffen. Dabei begleiten wir sowohl Michael und Maricela als auch Julia, die wir an einem späteren Punkt des Comics kennenlernen. Dabei werden interessante Fragestellungen aufgegriffen, die den Leser ins Nachdenken bringen. Genügend Action sorgt für die perfekte Balance dazu.
Durch den Zeichenstil wird die Geschichte perfekt unterstützt. Ganz abgesehen von dieser finde ich den Zeichenstil legendär. Ienco arbeitet sehr detailverliebt und seine Bilder sind einprägsam und wunderschön. Auch die Farben finde ich toll gewählt. Dennoch ich das nicht alles. Meiner Meinung nach passt besonders die Farbwahl perfekt zur Geschichte und unterstützt deren Handlung und Aussage. Für mich eine perfekte Mischung aus Autor und Künstler.
Fazit: Symmetry vereint dystopische Elemente mit Sci Fi-Elementen und kommt darpber hinaus auf das aktuelle Thema KI zu sprechen. Matt Hawkins entwickelte auf dieser Grundlage eine erschreckende und zeitgleiche wunderschöne Geschichte, deren Ende überrascht und schockiert. Raffaele Iencos Zeichenstil unterstützt die Aussagekraft der Story nicht nur perfekt, detailverliebte Panels sorgen außerdem dafür, dass man als Leser ganz lange auf jeder Seite verweilen möchte. Für mich durch und durch gelungen.
Was wir in Symmetry sehen, ist eine Welt, die gar nicht mal unwahrscheinlich ist. Die Bevölkerung lebt strikt nach Rassen getrennt. Es gibt das Volk der Weißen, der Latinos, der Schwarzen und der Asiaten. Alle leben in Unwissenheit darüber, dass es andere Ethnien gibt und nur ein ausgewählter Kreis weiß davon. Diese Regierungsoberhäupter stehen zudem in regelmäßigen Kontakt. Über der gesamten Gesellschaft steht eine KI, SOL. Babys werden nicht mehr auf natürlichem Weg gezeigt sondern künstlich erstellt. Ihr Geschlecht wählen sie erst im fortgeschrittenen Alter und ihnen steht RAINA zur Seite. Eine künstliche Intelligenz, die mit dir seit Beginn verbunden ist, dein bester Freund ist und zudem mit SOL verknüpft ist. Bei einer Naturkatastrophe trifft der Weiße Michael auf die Latina Maricela und während die perfekte Utopie zu zerbröckeln beginnt, verlieben sich die beiden ineinander.
Dieser kurze Abschnitt von mir zeigt bereits die Komplexität des Themas und wer denkt, dass er mit Symmetry eine Liebesgeschichte vor sich hat, der liegt komplett falsch. Im Verlaufe der Handlung passiert so viel. Zusammenfassend geht es jedoch darum, die Gesellschaft zu optimieren und eine bessere Welt zu schaffen. Dabei begleiten wir sowohl Michael und Maricela als auch Julia, die wir an einem späteren Punkt des Comics kennenlernen. Dabei werden interessante Fragestellungen aufgegriffen, die den Leser ins Nachdenken bringen. Genügend Action sorgt für die perfekte Balance dazu.
Durch den Zeichenstil wird die Geschichte perfekt unterstützt. Ganz abgesehen von dieser finde ich den Zeichenstil legendär. Ienco arbeitet sehr detailverliebt und seine Bilder sind einprägsam und wunderschön. Auch die Farben finde ich toll gewählt. Dennoch ich das nicht alles. Meiner Meinung nach passt besonders die Farbwahl perfekt zur Geschichte und unterstützt deren Handlung und Aussage. Für mich eine perfekte Mischung aus Autor und Künstler.
Fazit: Symmetry vereint dystopische Elemente mit Sci Fi-Elementen und kommt darpber hinaus auf das aktuelle Thema KI zu sprechen. Matt Hawkins entwickelte auf dieser Grundlage eine erschreckende und zeitgleiche wunderschöne Geschichte, deren Ende überrascht und schockiert. Raffaele Iencos Zeichenstil unterstützt die Aussagekraft der Story nicht nur perfekt, detailverliebte Panels sorgen außerdem dafür, dass man als Leser ganz lange auf jeder Seite verweilen möchte. Für mich durch und durch gelungen.
May 31, 2016
AI rules the world – and some rebel – not always successfully
In a dystopian future, artificial intelligence has taken on huge importance and dominates lives in every aspect. Some rebel against such regimented living after a solar flare cuts some of them off from the AI. The story then jumps from one timeline to another which I find disconcerting (maybe it's my advanced age!)
Quite entertaining but not always easy to follow. Artwork is reasonably good but this is not a series that I shall continue with – it hasn't grabbed me enough.
In a dystopian future, artificial intelligence has taken on huge importance and dominates lives in every aspect. Some rebel against such regimented living after a solar flare cuts some of them off from the AI. The story then jumps from one timeline to another which I find disconcerting (maybe it's my advanced age!)
Quite entertaining but not always easy to follow. Artwork is reasonably good but this is not a series that I shall continue with – it hasn't grabbed me enough.
August 31, 2016
The art is absolutely stunning, clear and precise.
In almost a 1000 years from now, there is a seemingly utopia and humanity is happy for the most part. Robots control so many aspects of life to maintain community, peace, harmony, and equality. But when a solar flare disrupts a key installation for energy, the AI (Sol) in charge of everything takes matters into its own hand to maintain the peace and survival.
Utopia just never works out as planned.
In almost a 1000 years from now, there is a seemingly utopia and humanity is happy for the most part. Robots control so many aspects of life to maintain community, peace, harmony, and equality. But when a solar flare disrupts a key installation for energy, the AI (Sol) in charge of everything takes matters into its own hand to maintain the peace and survival.
Utopia just never works out as planned.
January 6, 2017
This is way too short. Nothing is really satisfied, and I almost would rather have 20 issues out to read instead of just a few. I made my way from one to another and with the repetitive intros it felt even shorter than it was. I'm on issue 7 now and want to constantly continue...mostly because very little progress is made, but also because there is something to this and I want the explore the world presented.
July 5, 2016
I received Symmetry, Volume 1 from a Goodreads Giveaway.
The artwork was good, but the the story was difficult to follow at times. Hawkins and Ienco had to set up a lot of background of the world, so there wasn't as much time to focus on the characters and main story. Overall, it was a quick read and did hold my interest.
The artwork was good, but the the story was difficult to follow at times. Hawkins and Ienco had to set up a lot of background of the world, so there wasn't as much time to focus on the characters and main story. Overall, it was a quick read and did hold my interest.
August 7, 2016
I like the art and I like the concepts behind this graphic novel, but this feels like just an introduction to something bigger that never really takes off and I didn't find the characters all that interesting.
July 8, 2026
There's definitely a nugget of a good idea in here, sorta. I definitely agree with Hawkins' gripe that too much sci-fi involving synths defaults to Terminator, where AIs become sentient, decide humans are a scourge, and destroy them. Here we have servators whose creators - humanity - have become too dull and incurious and pampered to possibly evolve further. I always love to see a depiction of what a future free from suffering might look like, so I did enjoy that aspect of the story. Largely, issue 1 was good in my mind.
Then the story kicks in, and well, Hawkins expands on it in the back of the book, but essentially he's your run-of-the-mill centrist American who thinks there could secretly be some great evil to having our hungry fed, our sick treated, our poor clothed and housed, all that. Symmetry presents a sort of slippery-slop argument against socialism (which he also equates to marxism) saying that it ultimately results in a tyrannically controlling, racist society that produces soft men. I'm very interested in seeing a depiction of a post-scarcity society, but the oddities here are in the way it's shown as a dystopia: The AI has chosen to segregate all races into their own isolated communities for reasons that aren't really stated, it has also chosen to deter free thought and creativity, as those can threaten the whole with dangerous ideas. Hawkins proposes that, in a socialist utopia, if something becomes too different, it becomes the enemy, and is to be destroyed. There is no place for the individual here, no freedom, the thoughtless masses will suffocate them.
This is where the story becomes just very uninteresting. The conflict is that the main character wants to be free and live as an individual and love has he pleases. His society has become too pampered by the nanny state and does not yield men of action any longer. It's then just him resisting the state and trying to found his own, new society, that is exactly like America of the 21st century, because apparently that was the best things ever were. I think we've seen this a million times before but it's always disappointing to see a series about a post-scarcity society not attempt to imagine a way things could be that would be better than now and better than then. I guess you need action at some point so that's why things get so dumb? Ugh.
Then the story kicks in, and well, Hawkins expands on it in the back of the book, but essentially he's your run-of-the-mill centrist American who thinks there could secretly be some great evil to having our hungry fed, our sick treated, our poor clothed and housed, all that. Symmetry presents a sort of slippery-slop argument against socialism (which he also equates to marxism) saying that it ultimately results in a tyrannically controlling, racist society that produces soft men. I'm very interested in seeing a depiction of a post-scarcity society, but the oddities here are in the way it's shown as a dystopia: The AI has chosen to segregate all races into their own isolated communities for reasons that aren't really stated, it has also chosen to deter free thought and creativity, as those can threaten the whole with dangerous ideas. Hawkins proposes that, in a socialist utopia, if something becomes too different, it becomes the enemy, and is to be destroyed. There is no place for the individual here, no freedom, the thoughtless masses will suffocate them.
This is where the story becomes just very uninteresting. The conflict is that the main character wants to be free and live as an individual and love has he pleases. His society has become too pampered by the nanny state and does not yield men of action any longer. It's then just him resisting the state and trying to found his own, new society, that is exactly like America of the 21st century, because apparently that was the best things ever were. I think we've seen this a million times before but it's always disappointing to see a series about a post-scarcity society not attempt to imagine a way things could be that would be better than now and better than then. I guess you need action at some point so that's why things get so dumb? Ugh.
October 17, 2025
3.5 ~ Pleasantly surprised with this little volume that I picked up at a little free library. I think it’s a solid start to a series that fits within the YA-dystopian cultural production of the 2010s. If you’re intrigued by Divergent-meets-The Matrix, this one’s for you!
The book kinda reads like “a college student takes one sociology course and learns about utopias then writes a graphic novel”. The back even includes a section called “sociology class” that explains the author’s research and reasons to write the story. It was unique to see such candidness from an author, but I think the research was a bit introductory (which is fine!). The outcome is that the author takes big concepts like utopia / dystopia / AI / race / gender / ego / diversity, and tackles them in a relatively surface level way. This means the themes are pretty on-the-nose, especially during narrative and world building sections. However, that made it very comprehensible and easily provokes deeper thought. I could see this being assigned to high schoolers & college kids, and enjoyable to anyone with an interest in sociology and AI. I do wish it was longer to flush out more of the story, but I feel that way with almost any graphic novel!!!!
The art style is very “video-game” but I got used to it, and ended up liking it. I finished this volume with a hankering to read the next one!
(Also,,, it’s confusing that the author frames this as an intervention to YA-dystopian media since it’s a utopian narrative, but it seemed pretty dystopian to me!)
The book kinda reads like “a college student takes one sociology course and learns about utopias then writes a graphic novel”. The back even includes a section called “sociology class” that explains the author’s research and reasons to write the story. It was unique to see such candidness from an author, but I think the research was a bit introductory (which is fine!). The outcome is that the author takes big concepts like utopia / dystopia / AI / race / gender / ego / diversity, and tackles them in a relatively surface level way. This means the themes are pretty on-the-nose, especially during narrative and world building sections. However, that made it very comprehensible and easily provokes deeper thought. I could see this being assigned to high schoolers & college kids, and enjoyable to anyone with an interest in sociology and AI. I do wish it was longer to flush out more of the story, but I feel that way with almost any graphic novel!!!!
The art style is very “video-game” but I got used to it, and ended up liking it. I finished this volume with a hankering to read the next one!
(Also,,, it’s confusing that the author frames this as an intervention to YA-dystopian media since it’s a utopian narrative, but it seemed pretty dystopian to me!)
May 4, 2021
Symmetry is set in a futuristic utopia where conflict and scarcity have been eliminated thanks to heavy genetic engineering, social control and universal AI implants on one's head to keep them (gently) in line. A disaster up-ends all that and soon we see a resistance form, led by two people who commit the ultimate crime...falling in love. If that all feels familiar to you, it's because it is. Symmetry, while featuring some very pleasant artwork, constantly reminds us of the works that came before and doubtlessly influenced the narrative, from Brave New World and 1984 to Logan's Run. The first volume ends before it really begins, and we're left thinking, this is all there is? Add to that a 15-page sociology coursebook that is almost insulting in its presumption that this story should be taught in schools, and an 11-page cover gallery, and we wonder, did we really need 20% of this book's total length to be filled with such padding? No. No, we did not.
April 2, 2020
Top Cow are extremely hit and miss, I either love their work, or I think its lacklustre drivel. Symmetry, is unfortunately, the latter.
Artwork has a touch of uncanny valley to it. I'm not a fan of when artists employ hyper realism, I know n its not the case, but it comes across as a lack of effort. Almost as if the artist has traced over real pictures of people (I'm not saying they have, but its just not a style I like)
Is the story any good? It does actually have promise. Imagine if Skynet had decided to conduct socIal engineering instead of genocide. And that's really it, you don't really have time to connect with any characters, and apart from the initial setup, the story never really goes anywhere.
There is a second Volume, but I will be giving that a miss. Style over substance, avoid this
Artwork has a touch of uncanny valley to it. I'm not a fan of when artists employ hyper realism, I know n its not the case, but it comes across as a lack of effort. Almost as if the artist has traced over real pictures of people (I'm not saying they have, but its just not a style I like)
Is the story any good? It does actually have promise. Imagine if Skynet had decided to conduct socIal engineering instead of genocide. And that's really it, you don't really have time to connect with any characters, and apart from the initial setup, the story never really goes anywhere.
There is a second Volume, but I will be giving that a miss. Style over substance, avoid this
July 7, 2018
A bit mixed feelings about this one. It is not bad, but it is also not inspiring and I don’t feel involved with any of the characters. I have the impression that a lot of stuff was borrowed from other comics, books and films. Anyway after an accident the overwhelming majority want their blue pills back and those who don’t get hunted down.
September 18, 2017
It is like a sci-fi version of saga. Pretty interesting and beautifully illustrated.
June 29, 2022
the four pillars, Plentiful energy, a big Artificial Intelligence, but really this is just the example of deprivation of freedom, just like most of the "utopias" being offered up - fun run though
February 4, 2023
DNF. Ugh.
December 16, 2016
(com imagens do interior em https://osrascunhos.com/2016/12/23/sy...)
O mundo é perfeito. A nova ordem em que os seres humanos permanecem ligados a computadores que controlam níveis hormonais e emocionais parece a concretização de uma utopia, sonhadora e quase inocente na forma como padroniza o desenvolvimento intelectual e emocional de todos os habitantes.
A consciência artificial a que cada um está ligado controla a saúde mental e física, bem como, indirectamente, a maioria das decisões. Os seres humanos habituaram-se a depender dela para seguir o caminho mais correcto e não imaginam uma realidade diferente, em que estejam sozinho.
Este éden perfeito onde reina a harmonia e a boa disposição desvanece-se para um pequeno grupo que, numa excursão, sofre um acidente que desliga toda a tecnologia, incluindo as inteligências artificiais. Sem este efeito externo que mantinha o controlo das emoções, confrontados com seres humanos de outras raças que se encontram na mesma situação e com o mundo selvagem, a incerteza transforma-se em medo e rapidamente escala para a violência entre os poucos sobreviventes. Bem, nem em todos. Um rapaz torna-se amigo de uma rapariga de outro grupo e, juntos, conseguem sobreviver.
Ultrapassada a exposição a uma existência sem ligação a uma inteligência artificial, os sobreviventes terão de conseguir manter-se vivos quando regressarem às suas civilizações isoladas – o que lhes aconteceu torna-os elementos corrompidos, inutilizáveis para a sociedade.
Com um brilho e uma iluminação excessivos que tornam a imagem muito artificial mas também futurista e distante, Symmetry utiliza o conceito recorrente da sociedade quase perfeita, atingida pela eliminação das diferenças, pelo estabelecimento de padrões comuns a todos os seus habitantes e pela estabilidade de transformar o ser humano numa quase máquina, aproximando-o da inteligência artificial.
Ao seguir este mesmo conceito de sociedade quase perfeita apresenta-nos o outro lado da moeda, o preço por detrás da perfeição, o quão se afastam os seres da humanidade para conseguirem atingir esta estabilidade utópica de contornos infantis na condescendência com que são levados ao colo e quase transformados em elementos decorativos de uma realidade.
Ao utilizar um conceito tão comum na ficção científica e no duo utopia / distopia, Symmetry ainda não conseguiu provar, neste primeiro volume, que tem uma história capaz de justificar a reciclagem da ideia. Com algumas páginas interessantes do ponto de vista gráfico, faltam-lhe, neste momento, perspectivas e complexidade para o conseguir classificar como tendo uma boa história mas é provável que leia o segundo volume para perceber se vale a pena continuar.
O mundo é perfeito. A nova ordem em que os seres humanos permanecem ligados a computadores que controlam níveis hormonais e emocionais parece a concretização de uma utopia, sonhadora e quase inocente na forma como padroniza o desenvolvimento intelectual e emocional de todos os habitantes.
A consciência artificial a que cada um está ligado controla a saúde mental e física, bem como, indirectamente, a maioria das decisões. Os seres humanos habituaram-se a depender dela para seguir o caminho mais correcto e não imaginam uma realidade diferente, em que estejam sozinho.
Este éden perfeito onde reina a harmonia e a boa disposição desvanece-se para um pequeno grupo que, numa excursão, sofre um acidente que desliga toda a tecnologia, incluindo as inteligências artificiais. Sem este efeito externo que mantinha o controlo das emoções, confrontados com seres humanos de outras raças que se encontram na mesma situação e com o mundo selvagem, a incerteza transforma-se em medo e rapidamente escala para a violência entre os poucos sobreviventes. Bem, nem em todos. Um rapaz torna-se amigo de uma rapariga de outro grupo e, juntos, conseguem sobreviver.
Ultrapassada a exposição a uma existência sem ligação a uma inteligência artificial, os sobreviventes terão de conseguir manter-se vivos quando regressarem às suas civilizações isoladas – o que lhes aconteceu torna-os elementos corrompidos, inutilizáveis para a sociedade.
Com um brilho e uma iluminação excessivos que tornam a imagem muito artificial mas também futurista e distante, Symmetry utiliza o conceito recorrente da sociedade quase perfeita, atingida pela eliminação das diferenças, pelo estabelecimento de padrões comuns a todos os seus habitantes e pela estabilidade de transformar o ser humano numa quase máquina, aproximando-o da inteligência artificial.
Ao seguir este mesmo conceito de sociedade quase perfeita apresenta-nos o outro lado da moeda, o preço por detrás da perfeição, o quão se afastam os seres da humanidade para conseguirem atingir esta estabilidade utópica de contornos infantis na condescendência com que são levados ao colo e quase transformados em elementos decorativos de uma realidade.
Ao utilizar um conceito tão comum na ficção científica e no duo utopia / distopia, Symmetry ainda não conseguiu provar, neste primeiro volume, que tem uma história capaz de justificar a reciclagem da ideia. Com algumas páginas interessantes do ponto de vista gráfico, faltam-lhe, neste momento, perspectivas e complexidade para o conseguir classificar como tendo uma boa história mas é provável que leia o segundo volume para perceber se vale a pena continuar.
January 14, 2017
Symmetry is an Utopian comic that shows how humanity is doomed no matter what we do. The whole world without differences, emotions in check and segregation is something I can see us doing in the future, the "us vs. them". Scary. Everything seems perfect until a pulse destroys the bots maintaining the peace equilibrium. Michael ends up meeting Maricela and they fall in love, but mixed races aren't OK. They are forced to flee with their unborn child only to meet hardships and death all around them and missing the time when everything was simple without pain or violence. Their love will be the catalyst the mankind needs. The idea is interesting, but somewhat hastily made. Everything is happening too fast and it's really Michael telling their future kid what happened in the past, which leaves out important explanations and possible philosophy out of this and it's a shame. It felt like the easy way out somehow.
The art looks great every now and then and sometimes very stiff, like something out of Second Life. The movement is hardly natural, which is off-putting. The colors are beautiful and rich, which saves a lot and is surely the best part alongside the end notes. I loved the philosophical pondering about Utopias, how they usually are constructed and why they tend to fail. This all Hawkins combines with his story and explain his choices through it, which is great, but would've been even better at the beginning of the story. Symmetry is an interesting comic about a possible future, but it's hard to see where this can go from here.
The art looks great every now and then and sometimes very stiff, like something out of Second Life. The movement is hardly natural, which is off-putting. The colors are beautiful and rich, which saves a lot and is surely the best part alongside the end notes. I loved the philosophical pondering about Utopias, how they usually are constructed and why they tend to fail. This all Hawkins combines with his story and explain his choices through it, which is great, but would've been even better at the beginning of the story. Symmetry is an interesting comic about a possible future, but it's hard to see where this can go from here.
June 11, 2016
This is the story of two lovers from different societies fighting against AI and both their cultures to survive.
No, it isn't Saga. And it's hard not to compare the two.
I think Saga has a better opening; it made me feel like I was getting too much prologue in order to get world exposition, which I didn't particularly need.
I think this world IS more interesting than Saga - I don't LIKE the world, but I am INTERESTED by it, even though it has far less of the whimsical than Saga does.
It feels, at least so far, as if the story will end up being more focused than Saga, which may be hopeful thinking but is still a positive.
I think the art might be better; it's absolutely gorgeous.
I will probably check out volume 2, but it's not love at first sight.
No, it isn't Saga. And it's hard not to compare the two.
I think Saga has a better opening; it made me feel like I was getting too much prologue in order to get world exposition, which I didn't particularly need.
I think this world IS more interesting than Saga - I don't LIKE the world, but I am INTERESTED by it, even though it has far less of the whimsical than Saga does.
It feels, at least so far, as if the story will end up being more focused than Saga, which may be hopeful thinking but is still a positive.
I think the art might be better; it's absolutely gorgeous.
I will probably check out volume 2, but it's not love at first sight.
December 27, 2016
3.5. This was generally good.
It feels a little derivitive, with elements I've seen before. The timeline feels a bit chaotic. And the worst problem was that it just feels lacking at its core - like a story that's fun while you read it but it doesn't really stick with you.
That being said, the story is well told, there are a few interesting characters, and the art is quite good. I like the unique slightly unique perspective on AI and utopias. And the pacifier robots are excellently presented.
So, it's a fair volume but nothing outstanding.
It feels a little derivitive, with elements I've seen before. The timeline feels a bit chaotic. And the worst problem was that it just feels lacking at its core - like a story that's fun while you read it but it doesn't really stick with you.
That being said, the story is well told, there are a few interesting characters, and the art is quite good. I like the unique slightly unique perspective on AI and utopias. And the pacifier robots are excellently presented.
So, it's a fair volume but nothing outstanding.
June 10, 2016
Reading this book was like watching a movie - I was there! Interesting take on "separate but equal" and divisions in societies. Great use of "future" technology. I won it in a contest and really enjoyed reading it.
May 2, 2016
the images were great but the story left me a little confused
May 30, 2016
Got into the story for sure. Art's great. The sociology class chapter was a little strange.
February 11, 2020
It was pretty interesting.
August 3, 2016
Nothing new here
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