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God Complex #1-6
God Complex Vol. 1: Dogma (God Complex
A young forensics investigator finds his worldview turned upside down when a bizarre religious triple homicide introduces him to the Rulers, godlike beings who have ruled humanity since the dawn of time. From writer PAUL JENKINS (SPAWN: RESURRECTION, The Inhumans, Marvel Knights: Sentry) and artist HENDRY PRASETYA (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), GOD COMPLEX: DOGMA is a unique spin on ancient mythology with a focus on one man’s journey of faith. Collects GOD COMPLEX #1-6
153 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 18, 2018
2 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Paul Jenkins
1,259 books154 followersPaul Jenkins is a British comic book writer. He has had much success crossing over into the American comic book market. Primarily working for Marvel Comics, he has had a big part shaping the characters of the company over the past decade.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
June 9, 2024
Outstanding, fascinating book to look at - with all the possible respect and admiration for such a graphic masterwork, I wonder if the author Paul Jenkins actually meant to hit really deep religious concepts, or if he is just playing with them from afar. I wonder what he thinks about God and religion, for example, because the topic is only tip-toed around in the story. I love to entertain the possibility that he meant to write this as a metaphor to say that in today’s western world many people have lost their ability to believe in God, but that when one breaks away from the daily feedback of controlled mainstream data, and looks inside himself, at his own sense of meaning, one can rediscover that sense of faith that he used to have as a kid, and essentially find God again. As a Christian catholic, I’d love that to be the underlying motif. But who knows?
———
Update: the author, Paul Jenkins, kindly replied to my question via Twitter and confirmed that he squarely adheres to mainstream secular western ethical relativism. Obviously, I’m disappointed. But I’m also not surprised, because the book has no depth.
He wrote: “ I am not a person connected to any organized religion but I respect and admire those who are. A lot of good things come from that type of structure. But also some bad things, such as denial of others’ beliefs.”
Spoiler alert: NOBODY who uses the mainstream expression “organized religion” actually understands the value of religion. So, here’s my answer. If “denial of others’ beliefs” (which is what happens when you have ANY belief at all, right?) is a problem, then you are just seeped in liberal modernism and parroting the ethical relativism that you’ve been fed by the media. To be honest, this was a bit of a letdown. I was kind of hoping that Paul had a religious worldview, but that was my mistake.
Today, Christianity is profoundly counter-cultural. You need to be willing to go against the grain, and have the strength to stand for something, otherwise it doesn’t work - just like any other major religion. If you subscribe to mainstream western secular thinking, from a cultural point of view you and your identity disappear like a chameleon against the main background, even though the feeling you get about yourself is to be “an advanced human” who embraces diversity.
For fear of offending somebody (others’ beliefs) so many people end up mortifying their own cultural tradition - which exists within themselves, whether they like it or not. There is such a thing as too much “open-mindness” - and that sentence is exactly what it is. It means losing your own identity for the sake of a dominant mainstream philosophy of superficiality and nothing.
There is a deeper, much more satisfying solution.
———
Update: the author, Paul Jenkins, kindly replied to my question via Twitter and confirmed that he squarely adheres to mainstream secular western ethical relativism. Obviously, I’m disappointed. But I’m also not surprised, because the book has no depth.
He wrote: “ I am not a person connected to any organized religion but I respect and admire those who are. A lot of good things come from that type of structure. But also some bad things, such as denial of others’ beliefs.”
Spoiler alert: NOBODY who uses the mainstream expression “organized religion” actually understands the value of religion. So, here’s my answer. If “denial of others’ beliefs” (which is what happens when you have ANY belief at all, right?) is a problem, then you are just seeped in liberal modernism and parroting the ethical relativism that you’ve been fed by the media. To be honest, this was a bit of a letdown. I was kind of hoping that Paul had a religious worldview, but that was my mistake.
Today, Christianity is profoundly counter-cultural. You need to be willing to go against the grain, and have the strength to stand for something, otherwise it doesn’t work - just like any other major religion. If you subscribe to mainstream western secular thinking, from a cultural point of view you and your identity disappear like a chameleon against the main background, even though the feeling you get about yourself is to be “an advanced human” who embraces diversity.
For fear of offending somebody (others’ beliefs) so many people end up mortifying their own cultural tradition - which exists within themselves, whether they like it or not. There is such a thing as too much “open-mindness” - and that sentence is exactly what it is. It means losing your own identity for the sake of a dominant mainstream philosophy of superficiality and nothing.
There is a deeper, much more satisfying solution.
May 27, 2021
2.6
It could be more.
And I wonder why always rain in cyberpunk-ish stories (hello, bladerunner?).
In Delphi, Seneca is a criminal investigator. This a world with Rulers named after mythological gods - taller humanoids that use helmets. Who are they? I think that aliens. But that is not adressed here. They are just hints.
Or maybe just theinternet conectivity gods.
When 3 disciples of Trinity appear dead , that leads Seneca (and why a roman or native name between greeks gods? and Delphi and Argos?) conducted by Hermes into an investigation that talks about the "Stream" the place pararell to human reality, and about 'something' that its atacking it.
The clues conveniently lead to the church of the Trinity, and precisely they claim to need Seneca, whom was raised in it, but now hates it, despite frequently stopping in front of its doors.
So all the elements are in place to debate theology and conscience, and yet everything is lost, between ideas of information control and
Nice art.
The end of 6 parts ends in cliffhanger.
It could be more.
And I wonder why always rain in cyberpunk-ish stories (hello, bladerunner?).
In Delphi, Seneca is a criminal investigator. This a world with Rulers named after mythological gods - taller humanoids that use helmets. Who are they? I think that aliens. But that is not adressed here. They are just hints.
Or maybe just the
When 3 disciples of Trinity appear dead , that leads Seneca (and why a roman or native name between greeks gods? and Delphi and Argos?) conducted by Hermes into an investigation that talks about the "Stream" the place pararell to human reality, and about 'something' that its atacking it.
The clues conveniently lead to the church of the Trinity, and precisely they claim to need Seneca, whom was raised in it, but now hates it, despite frequently stopping in front of its doors.
So all the elements are in place to debate theology and conscience, and yet everything is lost, between ideas of information control and
Nice art.
The end of 6 parts ends in cliffhanger.
December 18, 2022
Rating 4 out of 5 | Grade: B+; The Gods of Olympus, rule over all mortals
It was a couple of years back, when I picked up the series God Complex, written by Paul Jenkins. But for one reason or the other, I never continued the series, even though the first chapter was very much to my taste.
Even without having any background about the premise of the story, what caught my eye was the cover art. In a rare instance, the cover art did what it was meant to, and drew in unsuspecting readers, promising them an engaging tale.
I can’t point out what exactly about the cover caught my eye; objectively speaking it’s quite straightforward. It’s a solo pose of Hermes, one of the main ‘Rulers’ characters in the series, posing stoically.
Other than the athletic frame, and dapper style waistcoat and pants, all other features, especially those where the all too important human features ought to be, are covered, or replaced by a clearly cybernetic looking head.
With its sleek, smooth metallic design, as well as the golden accruements which project from his ‘face’, Hermes is made to resemble a Mecha version of his Olympian namesake. I suppose this imposing yet lean, mean fighting machine-esque character design, blending organic and cybernetic so seamlessly is what drew my focus to the series.
Premise:
Getting into the story, it takes place in a futuristic techno punk, semi-dystopian city of Delphi which is under the administration of God-like cybernetic beings known as the Rulers. The rulers created various tools and utilities which allow the citizens of Delphi to lead a life without many challenges.
They also created an omnipotent intelligence network called the Stream, which only they can access and manipulate. Along with seeing to the needs of all the people of Delphi, it is also an all-pervading predictive surveillance apparatus, which can not only monitor the daily lives of the people, but also controls them.
By gaining information on every aspect of their lives, by controlling what they eat, drink, do, don’t, think, feel, the Stream is able to predict the collective behavior of the populace and direct it in a way the Rulers decree. No thought, no action, no feeling is hidden from it; and through it, even the innermost sanctum of your mind is no longer safe.
The story follows Seneca, a jaded detective of the Delphi police agency, who works with Hermes, one of the ethereal rulers of Delphi, who are basically treated as Gods who walk among mortals. They are investigating a series of murders related to the Trinity church, a rival organization who spurns the authority of the Rulers, and professes the worship of Trinity, whom they consider the one true God.
Now Seneca & Hermes must get the root of a possible conspiracy which can disrupt the very foundations of Delphi. Over the course of their investigation, Seneca will cross paths with other Rulers, such as Apollo, Athena, Hephaestus, each who seem to want to use him for some mysterious agenda. While the last thing Seneca wants is to be dragged into the world of the rulers.
Thoughts
First of all, fair warning, God Complex is a series which only has one volume, with 6 chapters. It started publishing in 2017, and after issue #6 abruptly stopped publication, ending the first arc in a cliffhanger. So read at your own risk of being c**kblocked.
As I mentioned in my introduction, the main draw for me regarding this series was its phenomenal art. The pages, especially the covers are so eye-catchingly stylish; and neat. Neat is the principal descriptor which would come to mind as your eyes run through the covers. The character lines are detailed and have a pleasing flow to them. There is this intermingling of the shadows with the light sheen emanating of the metallic part, especially for the rulers.
Even in panels which are shrouded in darkness, the illustrators find a way to illuminate the panels in a tron-esque bright neon streaks, which all the more give such a satisfying finish to them.
Not to mention, there is a full page shot of a freaking mechanized minotaur clad in scavenger rags, with its red eyes blaring in menace. It’s just awesome, as is the true meaning of the word.
The Story, as far as I got to read, was adequate. We have some difficulties connecting with the characters, and by characters, I mean Seneca, is the only human character that we spend any length of time with. He is passable, but for the most part, acts as a POV device to explore Delphi as well as the world of the rulers.
The rulers themselves are the key draw for the series. They’re sort of like well-designed monsters, without the monster part. Seneca is working for them and gets support from them. But never do we feel like the rulers are our allies or friends. It is made pretty clear that to them, Seneca, and humans in general, are pawns, cattle to be herded and kept under control. They are tools to be used to fulfill the agenda of the Rulers.
Which, I assume is absolute dominion of the humans/ mortals. There might be some storyline where, much like in Greek mythology, the worship of mortals is what powers the Rulers/ Gods. Only, in this case, the worship might be a matrix-esque collective neural network, which provides the necessary processing power for the rulers and their toys.
Not much information about Delphi and the people who inhabit it is given to us in bits and pieces. Due to its shortened run, we don’t really get to know where Delphi stands in the grand scheme of things. Is it the final city of humanity, much like Zion? Or is it merely a dystopian futuristic state ruled by superhuman entities? Or are the rulers, creations of ancient humans, created to be guardians of the last of humanity to help them tide through apocalyptic times? Outside Delphi, are there Titan-like beings of metal roaming the land, preparing for a techno punk version of Gigantomachy? All of that remains unresolved.
But to be fair, for the story that is being narrated, this drip style exposition works in its favor. Rarely are we as readers inundated with cumbersome amounts of exposition. We are let known enough to keep us engaged in the plot, which is something which I appreciate.
One weak point that I observed is that Despite being told that the rulers control every aspect of the lives of people, we are not really given a glimpse as to how this affects the people negatively. Sure, we see the rulers employ mercenaries and goons that are ready to kill and die for them. But it’s not made clear as to what ramifications the absolute control of the rulers present.
I mean, if I was a citizen of Delphi, and the only thing asked from me in exchange for safety and a comfortable life is lack of privacy & absolute compliance, I would consider it a worthwhile trade…...Wait, oh my God, is this what the CCP is doing to their citizens in china?
Well, that aside, the lack of stakes means that the resistance fighters, those who are trying to subvert the rulers, don’t really have a clear goal as to what they’re fighting against, other than, generic oppression. Anyways, they’re more like one note characters, in the sense that, they literally only show up for one scene, and are never heard of again.
Despite some of these shortcomings, the story was progressing in a good way, that is until it was abruptly cut off. Which is a shame, since I’d have loved to read the continuation of the series.
But alas, all we are left with is a bunch of phenomenal art, and a well-made first act of a story that could’ve been.
It was a couple of years back, when I picked up the series God Complex, written by Paul Jenkins. But for one reason or the other, I never continued the series, even though the first chapter was very much to my taste.
Even without having any background about the premise of the story, what caught my eye was the cover art. In a rare instance, the cover art did what it was meant to, and drew in unsuspecting readers, promising them an engaging tale.
I can’t point out what exactly about the cover caught my eye; objectively speaking it’s quite straightforward. It’s a solo pose of Hermes, one of the main ‘Rulers’ characters in the series, posing stoically.
Other than the athletic frame, and dapper style waistcoat and pants, all other features, especially those where the all too important human features ought to be, are covered, or replaced by a clearly cybernetic looking head.
With its sleek, smooth metallic design, as well as the golden accruements which project from his ‘face’, Hermes is made to resemble a Mecha version of his Olympian namesake. I suppose this imposing yet lean, mean fighting machine-esque character design, blending organic and cybernetic so seamlessly is what drew my focus to the series.
Premise:
Getting into the story, it takes place in a futuristic techno punk, semi-dystopian city of Delphi which is under the administration of God-like cybernetic beings known as the Rulers. The rulers created various tools and utilities which allow the citizens of Delphi to lead a life without many challenges.
They also created an omnipotent intelligence network called the Stream, which only they can access and manipulate. Along with seeing to the needs of all the people of Delphi, it is also an all-pervading predictive surveillance apparatus, which can not only monitor the daily lives of the people, but also controls them.
By gaining information on every aspect of their lives, by controlling what they eat, drink, do, don’t, think, feel, the Stream is able to predict the collective behavior of the populace and direct it in a way the Rulers decree. No thought, no action, no feeling is hidden from it; and through it, even the innermost sanctum of your mind is no longer safe.
The story follows Seneca, a jaded detective of the Delphi police agency, who works with Hermes, one of the ethereal rulers of Delphi, who are basically treated as Gods who walk among mortals. They are investigating a series of murders related to the Trinity church, a rival organization who spurns the authority of the Rulers, and professes the worship of Trinity, whom they consider the one true God.
Now Seneca & Hermes must get the root of a possible conspiracy which can disrupt the very foundations of Delphi. Over the course of their investigation, Seneca will cross paths with other Rulers, such as Apollo, Athena, Hephaestus, each who seem to want to use him for some mysterious agenda. While the last thing Seneca wants is to be dragged into the world of the rulers.
Thoughts
First of all, fair warning, God Complex is a series which only has one volume, with 6 chapters. It started publishing in 2017, and after issue #6 abruptly stopped publication, ending the first arc in a cliffhanger. So read at your own risk of being c**kblocked.
As I mentioned in my introduction, the main draw for me regarding this series was its phenomenal art. The pages, especially the covers are so eye-catchingly stylish; and neat. Neat is the principal descriptor which would come to mind as your eyes run through the covers. The character lines are detailed and have a pleasing flow to them. There is this intermingling of the shadows with the light sheen emanating of the metallic part, especially for the rulers.
Even in panels which are shrouded in darkness, the illustrators find a way to illuminate the panels in a tron-esque bright neon streaks, which all the more give such a satisfying finish to them.
Not to mention, there is a full page shot of a freaking mechanized minotaur clad in scavenger rags, with its red eyes blaring in menace. It’s just awesome, as is the true meaning of the word.
The Story, as far as I got to read, was adequate. We have some difficulties connecting with the characters, and by characters, I mean Seneca, is the only human character that we spend any length of time with. He is passable, but for the most part, acts as a POV device to explore Delphi as well as the world of the rulers.
The rulers themselves are the key draw for the series. They’re sort of like well-designed monsters, without the monster part. Seneca is working for them and gets support from them. But never do we feel like the rulers are our allies or friends. It is made pretty clear that to them, Seneca, and humans in general, are pawns, cattle to be herded and kept under control. They are tools to be used to fulfill the agenda of the Rulers.
Which, I assume is absolute dominion of the humans/ mortals. There might be some storyline where, much like in Greek mythology, the worship of mortals is what powers the Rulers/ Gods. Only, in this case, the worship might be a matrix-esque collective neural network, which provides the necessary processing power for the rulers and their toys.
Not much information about Delphi and the people who inhabit it is given to us in bits and pieces. Due to its shortened run, we don’t really get to know where Delphi stands in the grand scheme of things. Is it the final city of humanity, much like Zion? Or is it merely a dystopian futuristic state ruled by superhuman entities? Or are the rulers, creations of ancient humans, created to be guardians of the last of humanity to help them tide through apocalyptic times? Outside Delphi, are there Titan-like beings of metal roaming the land, preparing for a techno punk version of Gigantomachy? All of that remains unresolved.
But to be fair, for the story that is being narrated, this drip style exposition works in its favor. Rarely are we as readers inundated with cumbersome amounts of exposition. We are let known enough to keep us engaged in the plot, which is something which I appreciate.
One weak point that I observed is that Despite being told that the rulers control every aspect of the lives of people, we are not really given a glimpse as to how this affects the people negatively. Sure, we see the rulers employ mercenaries and goons that are ready to kill and die for them. But it’s not made clear as to what ramifications the absolute control of the rulers present.
I mean, if I was a citizen of Delphi, and the only thing asked from me in exchange for safety and a comfortable life is lack of privacy & absolute compliance, I would consider it a worthwhile trade…...Wait, oh my God, is this what the CCP is doing to their citizens in china?
Well, that aside, the lack of stakes means that the resistance fighters, those who are trying to subvert the rulers, don’t really have a clear goal as to what they’re fighting against, other than, generic oppression. Anyways, they’re more like one note characters, in the sense that, they literally only show up for one scene, and are never heard of again.
Despite some of these shortcomings, the story was progressing in a good way, that is until it was abruptly cut off. Which is a shame, since I’d have loved to read the continuation of the series.
But alas, all we are left with is a bunch of phenomenal art, and a well-made first act of a story that could’ve been.
July 5, 2018
The first and best thing you notice about God Complex is the artwork - good Gods, that artwork! It is beautiful and makes me want to cry a little, with how it seems so detailed at first glance and then when you look closely it doesn't seem that fully detailed in lineart, but with subtle painting styles makes it all come together in a realistic enough picture that you are left admiring. (Maybe it is just the amateur artist in me, but I loved loved loved this style).
Moving on to the underlying flesh of the graphic novel, the story is about a detective in a futuristic city called Delphi, who is investigating a triple homicide and how it relates to the local church of the Trinity. If you are wondering whether it is religious themed, yes it is. The Trinity church obviously sounds Christian, and the 'rulers' of Delphi are these entities that are named (so far) from the Greek pantheon of Gods. We have Hermes, Hephaestus, Apollo, and Athena in this volume, and they range from helpful to shady in that order. They also consider themselves omniscient and gods of this realm, and with the amount of surveillance they have over the city, they might as well consider themselves that. There's also a rebellious faction of humans who oppose the rulers, so yeah, it is pretty much standard Dystopian fare. The plot isn't that novel and it works well nevertheless, especially when it has the artwork and the world-building to carry it forward.
As for the world-building, that's another place where it shines. It combines mythology and cyberpunk in a Matrix-inspired world, where data can have sentience and there is a good melding of magical concepts like the Fates and creation of demigods in this futuristic landscape. It leans a little too hard on the divide between the Trinity and the Rulers at times, calling back on the war Christianity waged against pagan religions. The main character himself is pretty much lost in the plot for now, regaining his agency only in the last chapter, but even that comes at a cost.
So, it is an interesting start into a wonderfully constructed world, with great artwork.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Image Comics, via Edelweiss.
Moving on to the underlying flesh of the graphic novel, the story is about a detective in a futuristic city called Delphi, who is investigating a triple homicide and how it relates to the local church of the Trinity. If you are wondering whether it is religious themed, yes it is. The Trinity church obviously sounds Christian, and the 'rulers' of Delphi are these entities that are named (so far) from the Greek pantheon of Gods. We have Hermes, Hephaestus, Apollo, and Athena in this volume, and they range from helpful to shady in that order. They also consider themselves omniscient and gods of this realm, and with the amount of surveillance they have over the city, they might as well consider themselves that. There's also a rebellious faction of humans who oppose the rulers, so yeah, it is pretty much standard Dystopian fare. The plot isn't that novel and it works well nevertheless, especially when it has the artwork and the world-building to carry it forward.
As for the world-building, that's another place where it shines. It combines mythology and cyberpunk in a Matrix-inspired world, where data can have sentience and there is a good melding of magical concepts like the Fates and creation of demigods in this futuristic landscape. It leans a little too hard on the divide between the Trinity and the Rulers at times, calling back on the war Christianity waged against pagan religions. The main character himself is pretty much lost in the plot for now, regaining his agency only in the last chapter, but even that comes at a cost.
So, it is an interesting start into a wonderfully constructed world, with great artwork.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Image Comics, via Edelweiss.
October 14, 2019
It's pretty amazing how this author combines mythological characters in a futuristic setting. You have gods, the cryptic Fates, the Minotaur in its labyrinth, a new religion that wants to bring a new world order, a chosen one who can fix things. Too bad there is only a single volume in this series. The ending is somewhat definitive, though there is plenty of room to expand this splendidly-drawn story.
In a dystopian world where its leaders are viewed as gods, Seneca is a detective investigating a triple-murder case of Trinity clergy. The case will bring him face to face with an entity that is trying to undermine the status of the ruling corporation by focusing on the Internet-like virtual world called the Stream. He has to do this while being pressured by his bosses, troubled by his past and swayed by his newly-aquired doubt about the ruling class.
In a dystopian world where its leaders are viewed as gods, Seneca is a detective investigating a triple-murder case of Trinity clergy. The case will bring him face to face with an entity that is trying to undermine the status of the ruling corporation by focusing on the Internet-like virtual world called the Stream. He has to do this while being pressured by his bosses, troubled by his past and swayed by his newly-aquired doubt about the ruling class.
July 22, 2018
Despite the world's most idiotic back-cover puff quote, this is still a very good book. It's actually a combination of cyber-shenanigans with GREEK myth, not Roman. But that mixture is actually done a lot better than you might think. It's not brilliant – the 'reveal' that the goodies might not actually be the goodies is blatant and then some – but it looks wonderful, with GREEK gods as Daft Punk-styled helmeted wonderments, and no end of VR representations that actually seem to work. It's just that it's not complete, and this volume stops with a huge "Huh??!!" - but all the same, that should be enough for me to come back to the world of the battered human and the battling god-types trying to control mankind. Bad religion, bad crimes, bad weather – this has a neo-noir aesthetic that really works. The biggest negative is that with the church being completely empty, and so much emphasis on our hero, we don't see the people he's trying to protect, and that the gods are trying to rule. If this could convince that this mattered beyond his personal back story, it might be wonderful.
July 17, 2018
Last year saw a resurgence of all things cyberpunk: there was the Hollywood live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell, Duncan Jones’ Netflix failure Mute and the masterpiece (despite being a box office disappointment) Blade Runner 2049. As for the literary world, William Gibson – one of the pioneers of the subgenre with his 1984 novel Neuromancer – has made a name for himself in the comics scene, and during the end of 2017, a new title from Image Comics made its debut called God Complex, which has just released its initial trade paperback.
Please click here for my full review.
Please click here for my full review.
September 10, 2018
Love, love, love the art, and the design. However, the overall writing and dialogue could use some work. Generally to be less confusing? And cryptic. And at times a little cliche. Could also use some more character depth in general. Seneca feels a bit flimsy so far.
But I'm definitely interested! And I'm always a sucker for Greek mythology. Always.
But I'm definitely interested! And I'm always a sucker for Greek mythology. Always.
July 23, 2018
Great world building and artwork makes the God Complex: Dogma a great choice for sci-fi fans!
Seneca is a digital forensic police officer in the future. His world is ruled by Greek gods called the Rulers. There is one holdout, the Church of the Trinity, which believes in just one god. When mysterious deaths start occurring, Seneca is offered a job by the Rulers to hunt the one god within the city’s power grid called the stream. Seneca also hears a voice in his head questioning his motives and actions. The coup, a rebel group fighting the Rulers, attempts to turn Seneca against the Rulers.
The artwork within God Complex: Dogma is beautiful especially the Matrix’esque depiction of the Fates. The plot takes a bit of time to get into due to its complexity. However, the ideas resonate long after the conclusion is reached. This graphic novel is recommended for sci-fi fans of Tron, Blade Runner and the Matrix. 4 stars!
Thanks to the publisher, Image Comics, and Edelweiss+ for an advanced copy.
Seneca is a digital forensic police officer in the future. His world is ruled by Greek gods called the Rulers. There is one holdout, the Church of the Trinity, which believes in just one god. When mysterious deaths start occurring, Seneca is offered a job by the Rulers to hunt the one god within the city’s power grid called the stream. Seneca also hears a voice in his head questioning his motives and actions. The coup, a rebel group fighting the Rulers, attempts to turn Seneca against the Rulers.
The artwork within God Complex: Dogma is beautiful especially the Matrix’esque depiction of the Fates. The plot takes a bit of time to get into due to its complexity. However, the ideas resonate long after the conclusion is reached. This graphic novel is recommended for sci-fi fans of Tron, Blade Runner and the Matrix. 4 stars!
Thanks to the publisher, Image Comics, and Edelweiss+ for an advanced copy.
July 26, 2018
I’m not sure if this comic is really smart or really stupid. I won’t get into details but there’s like an alternate digital reality beyond the real one, kind of like the matrix, but they don’t really explain it. I’m hoping if there’s another volume of this that they’ll tell us more. But as it stands it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. They created all these points but didn’t connect the dots so it’s a bit confusing. Part of me thinks it cool, and part of me thinks the story is convoluted and makes no sense. All in all, I liked it and I’ll read the next one to see what happens. 3 questionable stars.
August 24, 2024
The ending were we get introduced to Apollo is siiiick!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2021
4/5 stars:
This was a surprising reread for me. Surprising in that I had thought I hadn't finished the story when, in fact, I did! I originally read the first five issues of this series when they were originally coming out through my then-job at ComicsVerse.com, and I remember really enjoying them. I apparently read the last issue last year, and I had no memory of it until I actually read it here. And though my tastes have changed over the years, this still ranks up there as one of my favorite comic book arcs (I say arc, in hopes they actually continue the story as promised).
God Complex is a very... well, complex narrative to discuss. It is a neo-noir, cyberpunk exploration of faith and political power, about corruption and the ills of technology, about murder and divinity and the line at which people stop being people. It's a deep book, and one of the things I really appreciate about it is its ability to balance the deeper themes with an engaging story. Paul Jenkins does a fantastic job with pacing, if not necessarily world-building. That aspect of the story falls to the wayside for the sake of plot and theme. Characters too aren't that well constructed outside of our lead. But the plot and the themes that drive it are intriguing from the first. I mean, on page two, we are in the midst of an investigation for a triple, ritualistic homicide. I mean, woah!
Seneca, the lead character, is such an interesting character. At times, he is little more than the highly cynical cog in the machine of the technological Rulers, beings that literally model themselves after the Greek gods (and other deities as well, if you follow the lead designer Bryan Lie). But as you continue the story, his character expands outward, doing what so few Detective characters do: they grow and evolve and they get a chance to examine their worldview in light of growing evidence. Life is particularly cruel to Seneca in this story and before it, and that has left him the grizzled character we see. He may be the only character with any decent amount of characterization, but I really do appreciate seeing the story through his eyes.
I also just have to mention Hendry Prasetya's art, which is some of my favorite in any comic medium. It's not a style I want to emulate in my own art, too gritty, but it's such a treat for the eyes. I loved his work on the Power Rangers comic series, and I can't wait to see what work he'll be picking up in the future.
Overall, a fantastic read. I usually don't like rereading books, as I have such a long TBR, but this story was definitely worth the second viewing. I got so much out of it now versus when I read it a few years back.
This was a surprising reread for me. Surprising in that I had thought I hadn't finished the story when, in fact, I did! I originally read the first five issues of this series when they were originally coming out through my then-job at ComicsVerse.com, and I remember really enjoying them. I apparently read the last issue last year, and I had no memory of it until I actually read it here. And though my tastes have changed over the years, this still ranks up there as one of my favorite comic book arcs (I say arc, in hopes they actually continue the story as promised).
God Complex is a very... well, complex narrative to discuss. It is a neo-noir, cyberpunk exploration of faith and political power, about corruption and the ills of technology, about murder and divinity and the line at which people stop being people. It's a deep book, and one of the things I really appreciate about it is its ability to balance the deeper themes with an engaging story. Paul Jenkins does a fantastic job with pacing, if not necessarily world-building. That aspect of the story falls to the wayside for the sake of plot and theme. Characters too aren't that well constructed outside of our lead. But the plot and the themes that drive it are intriguing from the first. I mean, on page two, we are in the midst of an investigation for a triple, ritualistic homicide. I mean, woah!
Seneca, the lead character, is such an interesting character. At times, he is little more than the highly cynical cog in the machine of the technological Rulers, beings that literally model themselves after the Greek gods (and other deities as well, if you follow the lead designer Bryan Lie). But as you continue the story, his character expands outward, doing what so few Detective characters do: they grow and evolve and they get a chance to examine their worldview in light of growing evidence. Life is particularly cruel to Seneca in this story and before it, and that has left him the grizzled character we see. He may be the only character with any decent amount of characterization, but I really do appreciate seeing the story through his eyes.
I also just have to mention Hendry Prasetya's art, which is some of my favorite in any comic medium. It's not a style I want to emulate in my own art, too gritty, but it's such a treat for the eyes. I loved his work on the Power Rangers comic series, and I can't wait to see what work he'll be picking up in the future.
Overall, a fantastic read. I usually don't like rereading books, as I have such a long TBR, but this story was definitely worth the second viewing. I got so much out of it now versus when I read it a few years back.
August 27, 2018
3.5 Stars.
A futuristic noir with ancient gods ... yes please.
A murder of three religious acolytes opens a door to a world that Detective Seneca has been on a life long journey towards. But who do you trust, The Rules who are desperately trying to hold on to power or The Voice in your head?
In the beginning, I didn’t know what to make of the story. It felt like I was overheating a conversation from the middle. I couldn’t connect the pieces. However, as the story progressed things became clear and an intriguing mystery emerged. It had some pacing issues but nothing insurmountable. Also some of the relationships could have been flushed out more, to give weight and add more support to their significance.
The art work is really nice. I especially like the design of The Rulers. Their look struck a nice balance of fascination and fear.
Overall I enjoyed the first book and will continue with the series.
A futuristic noir with ancient gods ... yes please.
A murder of three religious acolytes opens a door to a world that Detective Seneca has been on a life long journey towards. But who do you trust, The Rules who are desperately trying to hold on to power or The Voice in your head?
In the beginning, I didn’t know what to make of the story. It felt like I was overheating a conversation from the middle. I couldn’t connect the pieces. However, as the story progressed things became clear and an intriguing mystery emerged. It had some pacing issues but nothing insurmountable. Also some of the relationships could have been flushed out more, to give weight and add more support to their significance.
The art work is really nice. I especially like the design of The Rulers. Their look struck a nice balance of fascination and fear.
Overall I enjoyed the first book and will continue with the series.
January 4, 2020
Seneca lives in a time where Elites rule over all wearing their masks and possessing power greater then mere men and every day amounts to more nothing, and life has no meaning. He works his case investigating the triple homicide of trinity acolytes in the wrong part of the city and knows the lack of evidence will bring his investigation to a stand still. But his world and everything he believes in is forever changed when Hermes an elite shows him the Stream and he begins a new investigation on a whole nother level.
This book is a mixture of sci-fi, noir, and a dash of mythology. It's got decent graphics. The characters are interesting enough and the plot is okay. I just felt like I started in the middle of something I stumbled across and I was left with more questions than answers. I would like to read more to see if anything gets cleared up.
This book is a mixture of sci-fi, noir, and a dash of mythology. It's got decent graphics. The characters are interesting enough and the plot is okay. I just felt like I started in the middle of something I stumbled across and I was left with more questions than answers. I would like to read more to see if anything gets cleared up.
June 7, 2022
Sci-fi noir-ish mystery, where things/people called "rulers" rule the city of Delphi, while we follow Seneca in his quest to figure out just what in the pantheon's name is going on. I enjoy the premise, and the artstyle is totally my jam, and the rulers look real cool, it feels like pages were removed from the budget, as the story and dialogue at times feel convoluted due to how the panels are layed out and what movement and location changes are omitted. At the same times, it feels that some of the rules (such as: that people have rarely, if at anytime, seen rulers) that are set are constantly broken with no layman calling attention to it (again, I feel because pages had to be omitted for whatever reason.) Because of that, I'd have a hard time recommending this to anyone, unless you're really looking to scratch a sci-fi itch, like yours truly.
February 10, 2019
Science fiction comic collection with mythological overtones - nicely made
This series centers around Seneca, a detective, living in a city ruled by "gods" or rulers with names from Greek mythology. An investigation into a murder leads to encounters with the rulers, the Trinity church and the Resistance with dramatic consequences. A host of different characters are introduced without much development, Seneca being the only character fully developed. The artwork is very nicely done, clear detailed and slightly reminiscent of Druillet's work. Enjoyable so far with more to come.
This series centers around Seneca, a detective, living in a city ruled by "gods" or rulers with names from Greek mythology. An investigation into a murder leads to encounters with the rulers, the Trinity church and the Resistance with dramatic consequences. A host of different characters are introduced without much development, Seneca being the only character fully developed. The artwork is very nicely done, clear detailed and slightly reminiscent of Druillet's work. Enjoyable so far with more to come.
July 17, 2023
A cyperpunk series about a police officer investigating 3 murders of a religious faction. The world is ruled by some version of the Greek gods with cool character designs. They all have these interesting helmets they never take off. The police officer is part of a prophesy the gods know about but he doesn't. There's some cool world building here. The problem is it moves way too slowly and it's really dense. These 6 issues are really the intro to the series and that looks like all we'll get as this was published in 2018 and never went anywhere else. The art is excellent too.
July 27, 2018
This is all I really want from graphic novels - great art, intriguing plot, and a battle of wills between polytheistic masked techno-gods and their cybernetic henchmen detectives. Can't wait for volume 2.
October 25, 2018
I've been craving a cyberpunk story like this for a while. I appreciate how we're being shown how the world works. I love the questions being asked about this conspiracy and I'm gonna binge the rest of the series.
July 16, 2019
Very bumpy dive into the story, but if you hang out it’s a world worth exploring. Very Matrix and I’m here for it. Interesting set up that’s a bit darker than Wicked + the Divine. The character designs are also fantastic. I’ll try out Vol 2 for sure.
October 15, 2018
A detective gets involved in the hunt for the truth.
The graphics / dialogue were reasonable, but the storyline could have been better developed / had a better flow.
The graphics / dialogue were reasonable, but the storyline could have been better developed / had a better flow.
December 10, 2018
3.5 stars
June 29, 2019
As soon as I saw the artwork I HAD to read this one. The use of myth combined with futuristic technology creates some cool scenes. The book also poses many questions about religion.
November 15, 2019
Cool character design but I had a hard time following the story.
March 3, 2020
Couldn't get into it
January 13, 2022
I'm not sure what to think about this comic yet. It for sure is an interesting concept. I am curious what happens next though.
April 4, 2022
that was cool as fuck, i *need* to buy the rest
edit: i just found out it was cancelled 😭
edit: i just found out it was cancelled 😭
May 2, 2023
Color me intrigued.
December 14, 2023
mechanized mythology, beautifully rendered, yet fails to escape cliche
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