Clear #1

Clear

by Scott Snyder, Francis Manapul (Colorist), AndWorld Design (Letterer)

A sci-fi mystery thrill-ride into a strange dystopian future, where a neurological internet connection is transforming reality.

Batman writer SCOTT SNYDER and Detective Comics artist FRANCIS MANAPUL unite to take readers on this hard-boiled sci-fi journey.

Part of the comiXology Originals line of exclusive digital content only available on comiXology and Kindle. Read for free as part of your subscription to comiXology Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited or Amazon Prime. Also available for purchase via comiXology, Kindle and collected in print via Dark Horse Books.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Cyberpunk, Mystery, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 12, 2021

About the author

Scott Snyder is the Eisner and Harvey Award winning writer on DC Comics Batman, Swamp Thing, and his original series for Vertigo, American Vampire. He is also the author of the short story collection, Voodoo Heart, published by the Dial Press in 2006. The paperback version was published in the summer of 2007.

Reviews

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book via Kindle Unlimited.

Comixology just did not miss with this one at all huh.

Set in a dystopian future where people can buy veils to perceive the world however they want, there is a dark and growing market looking to exploit this. Our main character, a jaded detective is hunting these underworld war lords. He sees Clearly. No veil, nothing to change how the world actually is. He prefers vintage over new, a weird trait in this cyberpunk neon universe he lives in. When he almost catches up with a criminal he has been hunting, he is come to be told his ex-wife has died, and the book ends on a cliffhanger, suggesting that things are not as they seem.

The art in this book is absolutely off the scales and I am so excited to read more of this series ASAP.

[Rebecca Crunden]

✬comic review✬

Very intriguing! Noir/cyberpunk-y.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

It started with the evolution of the internet. Big tech making something that we could hook into directly. No more computers, just...us. We're living circuit boards, after all...it was only a matter of time. Your mind the hard drive, your eyes the screen. Veils came soon after and just took off. Filters for the real world. See it however you want. Sure, the superstructure is still there, but the look, the veil...it's all up to you. Believe it or not, veiling caught on slower here in the states than in other countries, but once we lost the red ware hell, we were off to the races. Shot past everyone. I mean, it makes sense. Why not veil the world in "1940's black-and-white glamour? Or in a happy-happy cartoon"?

While I wait for the next issues of We Have Demons (comiXology Originals) #2 and Night of the Ghoul (comiXology Originals) #3, I couldn't resist starting a third Scott Snyder Comixology Original series.

This time it is a noir style murder mystery set in a dystopian future where people us 'veils' to hide the real world and see what they want to see instead.

Former policeman and current Private Eye Sam Dunes, prefers to stay 'clear' and see the world how it is. His work is usually simple investigations, following husbands who prefer to 'veil' their wives into someone or something else. However, that is all about to change.

This is very good and right up my street. The juxtaposition between the classic noir PI styling and narration with the dystopian dying world hidden by advancing technology is very intriguing and I look forward to the next issue. 5 stars.

[Colin Post · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good take on a Blade Runner-esque scifi/noir story. The seed of the story isn't entirely fresh -- hardened detective shocked back to vivacity by a mysterious crime that hits close to home -- but it's embedded within a pretty compelling, well-realized near-future dystopia that has a biting relevance. The central idea of Veils, customizable augmented reality screens that reshape how one sees the world, of course resonates with any number of current social and technological trends (personalized advertising, filter bubbles, immersive media).

There is a bit of heavy-handedness in Snyder's delivery of this concept as critique -- Veils easily come across as wholly escapist, at least from the perspective of the protagonist -- but the concept is perfectly realized visually in the comic by Manapul. I love how the different veils are intercut into the comic like panels, different animation styles glaringly contrasting with each other to achieve the effect of switching from one veil to another. This effect is intensified reading the comic digitally, too; it's not too far of a leap to see this comic itself as a kind of veil.

All in all, a strong start to a cool series that really demonstrates the potential of the Comixology platform.

[Morten Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So promising. Could be one of Snyder’s most interesting work. Adored the concept and the artwork.

[Sana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decided to take advantage of my Prime membership and borrowed this when I saw Kelly Thompson praise it on Twitter and I have to say, I'm into it. The neon art is amazing and the futuristic sci-fi setting with filters and whatnot makes for an interesting discourse as well as setting. So even if the plot is a little hmm with a [redacted], this has me intrigued as hell

In conclusion, sci-fi comics with eyepopping art >>>>

[Hayley B Halliwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

It took me just a bit to get into it, I won't lie. The first part confused me, but when it went to the detective, i was hooked. And the ending has me ready to read the next one.

[Annalisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting world and view of the future. I like how bright and colorful it all is. This really grabbed my interest and ending on quite a cliff hanger. Can't wait to read more.

[Cody Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent series so far (#1 - 5) - great noir story with fantastic art that really serves the story well (multiple veils) in addition to being captivating. Free for Amazon prime readers if you haven’t read a comic in a while

[Dave Farrance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stuff! Fantastic setting, great idea, loving the artwork and those zany colours against the drab backdrop. I kinda want to try a veil myself!
Looking forward to seeing where this series goes.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This futuristic murder mystery surprised me and I'll be continuing the series.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cool cyberpunk story with an interesting premise

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say, that this is very intriguing, and wanting me to read the next issue, I wish ComiXology originals would have creators do a weekly instead of a monthly one. Why? in the age of binge-watching attention spans are totally different than that of the past 25 years. Doing something like what streaming services do, release a couple of episodes then every week release the rest of them. In this case weekly a la manga style of Japan.

Looking forward to reading the entire series or story

[Aron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good first issue. I'm almost always much more interested in who's writing a comic series instead of who's doing the artwork, but I love Manapul's artwork. Snyder's a good writer & is no stranger to the creator owned type stuff, which are my favorite type of comics, but it's great to see Manapul doing a series like this & I hope he does a lot more, because his artwork is always fantastic.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m normally pretty critical of Scott Snyder. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I think him a bad writer — quite the opposite. In fact, I believe he possesses one of the most inventive minds in comics, and his first person narrative style may just be the strongest of any of his peers. Scott Snyder is intelligent, well read, and expertly weaves allegory and metaphor at will to advance his plots.

In a way, he’s kind of like the Babe Ruth of comics. Everyone knows Babe Ruth for being one of, if not the greatest baseball player who ever lived. The legend of The Babe calling his shot in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series before is still the stuff of legend to this day. But you want to know a lesser known fact about The Great Bambino? He also led the league in strikeouts. And here is where we arrive at the caveat to the legend of Scott Snyder. When he’s on, he’s knocking them out of the park. When he’s off, he couldn’t hit water falling out of a boat.

For a long time, I thought the best days of Scott Snyder were long past. Never again did I expect to read a comic that came close to rivalling the perfection of his Batman New 52 run, or his iconic creator owned horror series, Wytches. But it seems that I was grossly mistaken, and Snyder may yet still have some power in his bat.

Clear is an expertly woven sci-fi/cyberpunk/detective noir thriller. It’s edgy, thought provoking, and a captivating mystery to boot. It’s one of the best first issues to cross my kindle in a long time. It’s going…going…gone.

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an awesome premise and one that is not too far fetched from what we have now in terms of "personalizing" our environment. It's not as sophisticated as the Synder's "veil" but with a set of earbuds and a connected phone you can block out external noises and hear only what you want to hear.

I don't think it's a spoiler to say that the title of the book refers to the state of not using the veil, when you are supposed to see things as they are and not what you want them to be.

It's a Sam Spade-style detective story - disgraced but connected former cop, divorced, and with a vice here and there but overall a "good guy" with allies still. The story is driven by his desire to figure out what lead his wife to kill herself.

I went through a huge Scott Synder phase that began with American Vampire 10 years ago - Has it really been that long ago? - it included reading his collection of short stories - and ended with Batman's Court of Owls. It wasn't that his Batman was not good, I was just Synder'd out.

"Clear" was a part of a series of titles that included "Night of the Ghoul" and "We Have Demons" that was being promoted at the Synder table at last October's NY Comic Con. I believe they were written specifically for Amazon Prime and Comixology members though I am not sure.

Synder's storytelling is reliable and as evidenced by the fact that I went through all five issues in a single sitting I am reminded of why I like his writing so much.

[Neil Pearson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is for the full mini-series not just issues 1.
Francis Manapul is one of the best artists around when it comes to depicting "movement" and other ideas that don't usually transfer well to static images and I'm starting to think they like motorbikes. They do a great job here particularly with conveying how people view the world through different filters.

The story is a mixed bag. The concept is fun but the neo noir aspect is tired. They could also have delved more into the social aspect, there's a really interesting reveal in the final issue that I enjoyed.

It has a lot in common with "Tokyo ghost" by Rick Remender. Fans of either should check the other one out.

[Kelly Furniss · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hard boiled, dystopia sci-fi noir read. A futuristic look at viewing the world as it no longer is.
The invention of neurological filters has made it so you can view reality however you may choose and the possibilities are endless.
Our character Dunes is one of only a handful who choose to live without a filter preferring all things vintage. When he is told of the death of his ex wife it sets him on a wild mission from the city's deadly underworld to the even deadlier heights of wealth and power.
Great artwork, it certainly leaves you with plenty to think about. I am excited to see where this series goes.

[Issac Bright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm just getting to the 'Clear' party as I wasn't aware of this even being a thing until Dark Horse just published the series in actual comic book form. My goodness, more please! Snyder finally delivers a smash, after releasing a bunch of other middling storylines, with this Sci Fi Noir that tackles the Augmented Reality future in a way that nobody has imagined yet. Manapul's art is a gorgeous triumph and evokes a world reminiscent of Blade Runner. Man, now I'm annoyed it took almost two years to get this to print! My full take on this book as well as a rant on Digital Comics is here:
https://standupcomicreader.blogspot.c...

[Jazz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty cool to have a main character from Quezon City. Other than that, everything about the plot seems pretty vanilla... There is nothing that stands out to me. Also, there is already weird romantic tension between the main character and this lady that hired him. I hated the way she was introduced like: Ooh I'm a damsel in distress! I cry over my husband! Of course, I'm not saying every female should be introduced in a badass way, I just found myself rolling my eyes. Like oh! It's one of those types of comics. 🙃😒 The art is beautiful though. The writing? Not so much.

[Shake · Rating 5 out of 5]

One you don’t want to miss. Everything that’s great about comic books. Artwork works perfectly with the story and it just transports you to another world. A few scenes were drawn so well I just lingered on them in appreciation. The story is smart and creative. I’m always enamored with great writers guesses at what could be our future and this one is totally believable. Language is coarse, definitely for a mature reader. The first issue does a great job of introducing an entire new world while also intriguing you at the heart of it with a mystery.

[Johanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting start - 32 pages in and I do want to read volume 2 because I'm fascinated. The concept of veils allows Manapul to try loads of different things in the art. The story is tropey but compelling. Also interesting use of allegory with the "joke" throughout the story. I don't love the saviour vibes because Sam is in a position of privilege, but I think the ending of the series helps with that

[AlbertRC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ambientat en un món distòpic on les persones utilitzen uns dispositius anomenats “veil” que et permeten visualitzar una realitat alternativa, on per exemple, imagines que ets un cowboy, mentre el teu veí imagina que viu una aventura espacial. El protagonista d’aquesta obra és dels únics que decideix mantenir-se net (d’aquí el títol de l’obra “clear”) i viure la realitat tal com és, per molt dura que sigui.
Sembla una història amb una idea interessant, veurem com evoluciona.

[Daniel Beaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really original idea with a great and alluring pace of storytelling. Interesting art with a captivating and bold ( experimental even) use of colour. Read it for free on Kindle unlimited . Very high standard throughout.

Loved it.
The ComiXology original line gets better and better. Pretty soon I’ll just be going totally digital as this knocked the ball way out of the park!

[Juan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Lo tomé porque estaba gratis en comixology y wow. Dibujo genial, historia que iniciay de una vez lo agarra a uno y quiero continuar, que salga ya el siguiente tomo.
Una sociedad no distópica completamente, simplemente ese futuro que está un poco peor en algunos aspectos pero en el que todos seguiremos viviendo. Una mezcla de realidad aumentada llevada al extremo. Genial

[Petr Nakasharal Fabián · Rating 4 out of 5]

Klasická hard boiled kriminálka našroubovaná do zajímavyho světa a odehrávající se v blízký budoucnosti. Drsnej detektiv samotář, femme fatale a veškerý další tropes, který k tomu patří. To všechno orámovaný úžasnym vizuálem.
Zatím to může jít kamkoliv, byl bych radši, kdyby se Snyder vydal cestou hlubšího zkoumání světa a jeho fungování než otrockou Marlowe formulkou. Ta, ač je dobře napsaná, prostě nepřináší zatím nic novýho a přijde mi, že je tu trošku přes sílu.
Komiks je nádhernej, má fascinující svět, dobrý tempo. Ale zatím tyhle faktory fungujou jen jako zástěrka pro tisíckrát recyklovanej, univerzální příběh drsný školy.

[Malay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A noir themed futuristic comic

This is by snyder and manapaul.if that isn't enough to get you started, consider this - it starts as a crime noir but based in a future where reality and fiction are hard to differentiate. I think this world has great potential.

The artwork is very neat and very detailed. There are no gimmicks, no exaggerations.

[Elina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Le pitch est super intéressant et original, et la direction artistique est VRAIMENT cool.
Cependant je suis pas super fan des dialogues en tant que tel, je les trouve un peu clichés et on comprend vite quel genre de propos vont tenir les personnages.
J’ai quand même envie de lire la suite, je pense que cette série promet !

[kleinerpanda_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, ich war total gefesselt. Das hatte ich echt lang nicht mehr. Die Geschichte spielt in einer Art dystopischen Zukunft, in der die Menschen nahezu eins mit der Technik geworden sind. Zum Beispiel nutzen sie mods für ihre Ansicht der Umgebung. Total spannendes Konzept. Von der eigentlichen Story wird noch nicht allzu viel preisgegeben. Aber das Worldbuilding hat mir unglaublich gut gefallen.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dystopian future that is a realistic portrait of the world in 50 years' time.

Robots do all the menial work. Most humans wear, buy, and sell veils. Veils are augmented reality filters that change how you see reality - want everything to look like a 1980s world, get the 80s filter, want to live in a porn movie, get the porn filter etc.