Rapid Eye #1 (review)
Tenacious Comics, 2016
Writer: Bobby Torres
There is a memorable sequence in the beginning of this comic which best describes the title’s worth.
An audience member asks a question of a speaker: “What risks or side effects does dream invasion technology present?
The answer, from Dr Krupke, the man responsible for this new innovation: “We term it is an eventuality. Studies confirm an appropriate time lapse of twenty minutes, where the dream realm becomes actual to both the infiltrator and the host. This is identified as the recognition phase. The host mind detects the infiltrator and adapts a comparable role to leukocytes.”
Audience member: “This can’t possibly be safe, Dr Krupke.”
Dr Krupke: “I can assure you all, it is. The A.T.M. bed mechs transmit direct visuals from the dream to the console monitors. Each monitor is supplied with a timer that is allocated to the corresponding infiltrator. When recognition is identified, the infiltrator manually ejects from the dream realm before the transition to danger becomes definitive.”
And Dr Krupke smiles at the read of this comic, partly condescending and partly assuring in his mystification of the technology. It is a singular, chilling image, and writer Bobby Torres flashes authorial style in this explanatory vignette.
“Rapid Eye” #1 is a sinister little tale consisting of a unique melange of conspiracy, murder, arcane technology, and dreams. The concept of realities within dreams and accessing these with technology have been well-explored in movies such as “Inception” and “Total Recall” (1990). This comic book deals with the theme with finesse.
Eddie Phillips is a Central Intelligence Agency operative. He is given an envelope by a colleague named Patrick – who is then mysteriously killed in a diner. The envelope contains a document apparently issued by the President of the United States, pertaining to domestic population control by chemical warfare.
Following the man’s funeral, Eddie is put on stress leave by his boss, a man who is cheating on his wife with his secretary. Eddie is targeted by government operatives called a “R.E.M. Squad” seeking to kill Eddie using dream infiltration technology. As Eddie falls asleep the assassins enter his dream – and discover Eddie having sex with the wife of his boss. A chase ensues, with the operatives taking extraordinary risks in an effort to kill Eddie. And then Eddie is shot in the shoulder – and wakes, to find the wound is real.
This is a title with exceptional promise. It is fun, exciting, and well-crafted.