Goodreads asks how many times I've read this book, and with The Aggregate, where do you begin? It's the first of Ben Bishop's ambitious Split Decision Comics, graphic novels that function in the spirit of old choose-your-own-adventure books, where pivotal decisions are made by the reader, leading to different endings and "to be continued..." (it is a volume one, after all). But The Aggregate goes beyond CYOA in that every re-read, every decision path, actually illuminates more and more about this post-apocalyptic world. You won't stop after one read-through, nor should you.
Beyond the unique format of storytelling, there's a lot to love about this book. It's a post-apocalyptic tale that starts in a near(ish) future that could pretty believably be our own. What eventually happens in an increasingly automated world where humans continue to consume shrinking planetary resources without restraint? The characters that populate the story are intriguing, often with motivations that aren't yet fully clear. Bishop's art is exciting, polished, and it's clear how much effort is put into character design that ensures each person, place, or thing is recognizable and unique. There's motion in this art, from the line work to the fantastic and varied use of paneling to move the action along. All of this is enhanced with vivid colors by Brittany Peer, who has a knack for lighting in particular; the choice to use bright, intense colors is a bold one in the post-apocalyptic genre where bland, miserable sandy tones tend to dominate, but it pays off as yet another feature that makes this book so original.
If none of the above has enticed you yet, know that in the future, there are giant spider-cats that you can ride on and fight with, and yes, that is as awesome as it sounds. "Where's my cat?!" is my new battle cry.
I can't wait for Volume Two.