Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Existence 2.0 #3Existence 2.0 #3 of 3
Image Comics
Spencer & Salas
Release Date: 9/30/2009

The first mini series in the Existence line ends with a couple of plot twists and a bit of a cliffhanger. We don't have all-out bloodbath of a finish I was expecting but many of the plot threads do get resolved with some swift retribution, occasionally violent. It's a great series and this issue just puts it all together very nicely.


Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle ReviewsIt's difficult to discuss the contents and make-up of the issue without spoiling major plot points but I'll do my best.

Marko's sister returns to the man behind the plot with Marko (or is it Sylvester?) and there begins the twists.

Marko's sister has Marko (Sylvester) convinced that he is not Sylvester's mind transferred to Marko's body, but instead a guy with a personality disorder. However, Marko (Sylvester) has found a way to unravel the lies behind the scam. It's a creative way that Marko determines which is the fraud and which is the genuine article.

After some fighting, an unusual alliance is revealed and many of the key characters end up dead, but some escape while others are unaccounted for. If you are wondering about the missing daughter I can say it gets resolved. I won't say whether there actually was a missing daughter, but it's got an interesting ending nonetheless.

The plot in this comic series is so clever and layered so well that the story sucks you in. It's so refreshing to read a story that is so complicated that you have to go back a few pages or reread the previous issues to figure out some of the details that didn't seem important at the time until you reach the end of the story. The comic has shades of an Ed Brubaker or Grant Morrison comic and I was thrilled to see the ability of the comic to juggle multiple plots so well, as well as manage the shifting timelines.

The artwork hits all the right notes again. The comic has a lot of resolution that produces drama and a couple of surprise entrances that the art portrays with the right tone. The comic could have been excessively bloody, but went with a more subtle approach to the climax and I found it to be the right visual mood for the ending.

When this series began I found it to be a cool concept with some blood and some vile, almost unlikable characters. As the series progressed I discovered the gem with this series was the multifaceted plot and the intelligent way everything tied together at the end, but still leaving enough open for the sequel. I definitely recommend tracking this comic down for those that are fans of the Criminal-type series. I'm anxious for the follow up series.

4.5 out of 5 geek goggles