Boxed

by Mark Sable, Jeremy Haun (Artist), Nick Filardi (Colorist)

A government operative is tasked with taking quarantining or "boxing" sentient A.I. He's forced to team up with his ex – and A.I. designed to seduce him - in order to take down an even greater an A.I. who has taken over the Centers for Disease Control.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Science Fiction, Dystopia

124 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 21, 2023

About the author

Mark Sable is a writer for stage, screen, television and comics.

He is most noted as the writer/creator of the comics GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES, GROUNDED, FEARLESS and HAZED for Image Comics and UNTHINKABLE for Boom! Studios.

Mark has worked on WHAT IF? SPIDER-MAN: DARK REIGN for Marvel Comic and SUPERGIRL, TEEN TITANS: COLD CASE, TEEN TITANS SPOTLIGHT: CYBORG and TWO-FACE: YEAR ONE for DC Comics. He has contributed to Image's COMIC BOOK TATTOO, POPGUN and 24/7 anthologies.

He is also the only person ever to work for both Charlie Rose and Howard Stern.

Mark's most recent works include GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES for Image Comics and RIFT RAIDERS, the launch book for Kickstart Comics.

Both UNTHINKABLE and HAZED were optioned as feature films.

Upcoming books include DECOY and BLUE SKY for Kickstart.

Reviews

[Adam Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.
Review posted on X @AdamReadsComics for MadCave studios

[Brian Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already want more

Best sci-fi I've read in a while. Liked the believable characters and near future setting. Can't wait for more! This is real science fiction, not science fantasy. It's rare to see that executed so well.

[Micheline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frighteningly prescient given the cascade of AI usage we've seen in the last 6 months alone, and all of the ethical, moral, and logistical considerations that have come along with it. While the idea of a super intelligent/awake AI feels terrifying to think of, the reality of how quickly people have and will adapt as more and more of their day to day is palpable.
Our main characters feel fully fleshed out, real people flaws and real stake in the game. I was glad to see that this was only volume one in the series and genuinely hope we get to see more of Frank's back story, how he reached the point he is at in his career and how things evolved and ended(?) with Pandora. Roehm is a complete mystery to me and its a delight to have such a complex character at play, we see only hints at his motivations and what he is ultimately driving at. He will be an incredible character to see unfold.

I appreciated the inclusion of the interview at the end of the volume, but the stand out for me was the excerpt from the creator's original short story that inspired the graphic novel. Seeing the event take place from Jessica's point of view, and the in-story uncertainty of why the AI is acting out the way it is was fascinating. Would love to get my hands on the story in its entirety.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, good art

I appreciated the engaging character interactions. The artwork was excellent, and the storyline kept me thoroughly engrossed. While I found the pandemic setting less appealing, I truly enjoyed the inclusion of excerpts from the original source material at the end of tbe graphic novel. In fact, I preferred the original story, which focused on AI causing a total glitch in traffic and bringing to a stop all the cars, rather than a pandemic. This alternative made more sense to me in terms of how AI might take control of its connected data through all the cars. The creators' interview was also insightful; I understood the artist's point about the visual similarity of moving and stationary vehicles in drawings and how that original concept may have been less remarkable from the art standpoint. However, I still found the original story more captivating. Overall, I had a very pleasant reading experience.

[Lukasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good. Boxed is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller that feels timely. It follows a government agent tasked with “boxing” dangerous AIs before they can threaten humanity. He needs to stop Hippocrates, an AI running the CDC, after it locks down lots of people in the name of public health.

Frank’s only hope is Pandora - an AI designed to seduce and manipulate him. And also his ex (kinda) which makes things awkward.

I liked how the story mixed pandemic fears, AI ethics, and cool Greek mythology references. It raises questions about how much power we give AI, and how easily good intentions can turn into control, or worse.

The art’s clean and engaging, with tech and character designs that are clean and easy to follow. It’s grounded sci-fi, and it leaves you wondering if AI can help us, and if we’ll survive when it tries.

If you like smart, action-packed sci-fi with moral gray areas, Boxed is worth a read.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mahoosively powerful AI holds a city hostage, when it decides someone has coronasniffles (or an equivalent) and shuts everything down. And then wants more. There are few people able to counteract the AI – including our hero, who certainly has previous of nasty, malicious, sentient programming, and a kind of anti-heroine, who is a nasty, malicious, sentient piece of AI herself – that said hero was once taking for a girlfriend. As you do.

This wasn't too bad a sci-fi piece, although it seems to prove the old adage about dramas involving computers – it's hard to make them dramatic if they just involve typing and/or coding. Here it's AIs talking about which is more powerful, more or less – and that's little better.

If it matters, this is the digital comic, which proves to be pretty short, actually, bolstered by interview, afterword, and some of the prose story that inspired it. I wouldn't have rushed to re-present it.

[Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boxed is about a government task force that teams up with a seductive sentient A.I. to take down a rogue sentient A.I. that has taken control of the Center for Disease Control.

The story was great and reminded me a little of the movie I, Robot. Not because of robots, but the main character has a mistrust of A.I. after being wronged by one. With the current rise of A.I. and all the discourse surrounding it, it was interesting to read about the darker side of A.I. and how things can go very wrong. Artwork was very nice, loved the character designs. Quick, fun read!

Thank you, NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios, for the ARC.

[Alexis Berman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for my Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes scifi and dystopian genres. The characters were captivating and the artwork was clear and beautiful. One of these days I'd like to read something where A.I. is not the bad guy, but this was an enjoyable and quick read that I will absolutely recommend.

[DOUGLAS J BERRY · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a being of vast knowledge and power.

Good color artwork. The begining of a ComiXology series. Humanity is threatened by A pandemic and an A I.. No final victory is possible.

[tim Skaggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

I burned through these pages like hell fire. I think covid 19 inspired the writer to make this fast passed book.

[Kim Lockhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good start. Love that it takes place (mostly) in future Atlanta. Yes, we do not get better at fighting potential pandemics in the future.

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome sci-fi story?

Great book. Felt like a movie. Nice art and coloring. A nice ai story made by non-ai creators. Looking forward to more story.

[Andy Cantrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5🌟

A near future AI detective novel. Hits a little too close to home...

[K.N. Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

an interesting start to the series, I'm intrigued to see where it goes. illustration style was engaging and the AI characters were compelling

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This feels a little too real in our current AI-obsessed world.