Truth Serum

by Jon Adams

Welcome to Manchester, a fine place to live if not for the people. And the town. Walk the streets, look at the houses, listen to the rhythm and hum of human potential being slowly ground to the consistency of a fine talc.

There are lots of towns with skies full of superheroes. In Manchester, the more likely haunts are bars and street corners, bowling alleys and grocery stores, the bus station and the odd park bench. They'e ever watchful, keeping a keen eye out for evil or a really good deal on tube socks. They scour the streets, sweeping up ruthless villains and the occaisional empty beer can, which can still be redeemed for a nickel. Because after all, a nickel's a nickel.

The days pass. Phones don't ring. Friends don't come by. Eye contact is avoided.

You're in Manchester now.

The graphic novel collects the original series "Truth Serum" published by SLG Publishing.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've started writing this review several times, and I don't know what to say about this book. It's a town with a collection of superheroes--some washed-up, some has-beens, some never-beens--and some other odd inhabitants. It's a dull, depressed town. This isn't a town you want to move to, or visit, or even hug as you're passing through. This is a sad town. But a really good comic.

[Elizabeth Wylder · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good: the attitude; the bad: the hacked narratives; the ugly: most of the art. The highlight of Truth Serum, for me, was "A Love Story", the last and longest section of the book, following the character of Double Felix. And it's perhaps because of its length, that it works the best--in "ALS" the story actually has some meat to it.