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Mindset: The Complete Series
Black Mirror meets The Social Network in the mind-bending, sci-fi technothriller Mindset, where mind control is only an app away. For fans of Dave Eggers’ The Circle and The Every.
The Cult of Control
When an introverted tech geek accidentally discovers mind control, he and his friends do something unexpected – they put the science into a meditation app to help users break their technology addiction. But as their Mindset app achieves a dangerous cult following, lies, conspiracies, and murder come to light. Are they helping people or controlling them?
Free your mind.
Who’s in control?
Collects the entire, smash and super-hot, best-selling 6-issue series!
From in-demand writer Zack Kaplan ( ECLIPSE, PORT OF EARTH, THE LOST CITY EXPLORERS, JOIN THE FUTURE, BREAK OUT, METAL SOCIETY, FOREVER FORWARD ) and star artist John J. Pearson (2021 Eisner Award winner along with Anand RK for BLUE IN GREEN (Image Comics))
For fans of Black Mirror, Halt and Catch Fire , graphic novel The Department of Truth , and for fans of technothriller writers Dave Eggers ( The Circle, The Every ), Blake Crouch (Recursion ), and Douglas E. Richards ( The Enigma Cube ), for readers interested in the CIA’s two decade-long MK Ultra mind control experiments, and readers interested in the impact of tech on society.
The Cult of Control
When an introverted tech geek accidentally discovers mind control, he and his friends do something unexpected – they put the science into a meditation app to help users break their technology addiction. But as their Mindset app achieves a dangerous cult following, lies, conspiracies, and murder come to light. Are they helping people or controlling them?
Free your mind.
Who’s in control?
Collects the entire, smash and super-hot, best-selling 6-issue series!
From in-demand writer Zack Kaplan ( ECLIPSE, PORT OF EARTH, THE LOST CITY EXPLORERS, JOIN THE FUTURE, BREAK OUT, METAL SOCIETY, FOREVER FORWARD ) and star artist John J. Pearson (2021 Eisner Award winner along with Anand RK for BLUE IN GREEN (Image Comics))
For fans of Black Mirror, Halt and Catch Fire , graphic novel The Department of Truth , and for fans of technothriller writers Dave Eggers ( The Circle, The Every ), Blake Crouch (Recursion ), and Douglas E. Richards ( The Enigma Cube ), for readers interested in the CIA’s two decade-long MK Ultra mind control experiments, and readers interested in the impact of tech on society.
184 pages, Paperback
Published June 6, 2023
1 person is currently reading
63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 20, 2023
One of my favorite titles from Vault in some time. Zack Kaplan and John Pearson craft a wonderful horror/sci-fi version of The Social Network that was engaging from beginning to end. Mindset tells the story of an app development team that create a meditation app that ultimately becomes a tool for mind control. What progresses from there is a chilling tale of the corporate world of venture capitalists and Silicon Valley where we're forced to consider the reliability of our narrator.
While Kaplan's script is sharp, the real selling point for Mindset is Pearson's artwork. It's a modernized take on the classic abstract formalisms used by titans like Sienkiewicz and McKean, with some amazing use of silhouettes and shadows. The panel layouts are fantastic and every page just oozes stylized design. It's top notch work from an artist who is clearly willing to experiment. And a lot of credit to letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou who takes Kaplan's wordy scripts and disseminates it's effectively across Pearson's gorgeous pages with ease. Truly, Otsmane-Elhaou's lettering is just as much a part of the artwork as the inks and colors are, and is in my opinion, a masterclass in lettering and design.
While Kaplan's script is sharp, the real selling point for Mindset is Pearson's artwork. It's a modernized take on the classic abstract formalisms used by titans like Sienkiewicz and McKean, with some amazing use of silhouettes and shadows. The panel layouts are fantastic and every page just oozes stylized design. It's top notch work from an artist who is clearly willing to experiment. And a lot of credit to letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou who takes Kaplan's wordy scripts and disseminates it's effectively across Pearson's gorgeous pages with ease. Truly, Otsmane-Elhaou's lettering is just as much a part of the artwork as the inks and colors are, and is in my opinion, a masterclass in lettering and design.
March 9, 2024
Actually a really enjoyable read. I liked the narrative way of storytelling that took place across all of these issues. This book is one that’ll have me thinking a lot about technology and habits for a long time.
February 2, 2024
An interesting take on social media addiction and mind control. Trippy and thought provoking, and the art is super cool.
May 13, 2024
How apropos to follow David Eggers’ THE EVERY, with MINDSET, by Zack Kaplan (writer), John Pearson (Artist, Colorist, Cover Artist), Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Letterer). Where Egger’s book and MINDSET intersect is in how both question the relationship that humanity has to their cellphones, and especially the apps we use.
Where they differ is in pretty much everything else. MINDSET is far more hardcore, near-futures sci-fi, in the vein of BLACK MIRROR: some technology that already exists gets a futuristic, scientific (and, importantly, probable) twist to suddenly become dark and apocalyptic.
Like BLACK MIRROR, MINDSET is a noir thriller passed through a fine mesh of cyberpunk aesthetics. Pearson’s art is incredible—sketchy, ephemeral and disorientating—and perfectly fitting for the story Kaplan wants to tell her.
It might be odd to highlight, but I was extremely taken with Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering in the book. Lettering is one of those things that you often times don’t notice or take for granted, until it messes up the narrative. Otsmane-Elhaou’s letters deftly moves
The reader through Pearson’s shifting art in a way that feels effortless and intuitive, but what must have taken ages to work out. I found myself moving through the book in a flowy, smooth pattern that resists the left-to-right, top-to-bottom reading protocol ground into our brains through years of prose reading.
MINDSET didn’t light my brain on fire with any particular insight into technology or the way humans interact, but the characters were interesting, the plot was compelling, and the art was captivating—a new packaging for established ideas. And that’s reason enough to give the book a chance.
I’ll note here, too, that this book led me to take a long look at Vault Comics catalog. I might have slept on that publisher for too long.
Where they differ is in pretty much everything else. MINDSET is far more hardcore, near-futures sci-fi, in the vein of BLACK MIRROR: some technology that already exists gets a futuristic, scientific (and, importantly, probable) twist to suddenly become dark and apocalyptic.
Like BLACK MIRROR, MINDSET is a noir thriller passed through a fine mesh of cyberpunk aesthetics. Pearson’s art is incredible—sketchy, ephemeral and disorientating—and perfectly fitting for the story Kaplan wants to tell her.
It might be odd to highlight, but I was extremely taken with Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering in the book. Lettering is one of those things that you often times don’t notice or take for granted, until it messes up the narrative. Otsmane-Elhaou’s letters deftly moves
The reader through Pearson’s shifting art in a way that feels effortless and intuitive, but what must have taken ages to work out. I found myself moving through the book in a flowy, smooth pattern that resists the left-to-right, top-to-bottom reading protocol ground into our brains through years of prose reading.
MINDSET didn’t light my brain on fire with any particular insight into technology or the way humans interact, but the characters were interesting, the plot was compelling, and the art was captivating—a new packaging for established ideas. And that’s reason enough to give the book a chance.
I’ll note here, too, that this book led me to take a long look at Vault Comics catalog. I might have slept on that publisher for too long.
June 21, 2023
Mindset: The Complete Series by Zack Kaplan is a graphic novel about the perils of mind control. A college student is behind in his college coursework. He asks a teacher’s assistant to let him into the lab to finish an experiment. While working on the experiment, he discovers that certain sounds and lights have the ability to control people.
He decides to create an app with his friends to help people meditate and break their addiction to technology. While our protagonist’s intentions were noble, things take a turn when someone programs the app to control people maliciously. Will the college student and his friends be able to figure out who is behind the override before it’s too late?
I like reading graphic novels but this was my first time reading one from this genre. The artwork was nicely done and had a bit of a mystery. I usually like graphic novels with a bit more humor to them. It took a bit of time before I got invested in the story. If you like mind-bending, sci-fi thrillers, you might enjoy this graphic novel more than I did.
He decides to create an app with his friends to help people meditate and break their addiction to technology. While our protagonist’s intentions were noble, things take a turn when someone programs the app to control people maliciously. Will the college student and his friends be able to figure out who is behind the override before it’s too late?
I like reading graphic novels but this was my first time reading one from this genre. The artwork was nicely done and had a bit of a mystery. I usually like graphic novels with a bit more humor to them. It took a bit of time before I got invested in the story. If you like mind-bending, sci-fi thrillers, you might enjoy this graphic novel more than I did.
August 4, 2023
THIS WAS A GREAT SCI-FI THRILLER GRAPHIC NOVEL/COMIC READ! I REALLY ENJOYED READING ABOUT BEN AND HIS FRIENDS CREATING THE APP, MINDSET. MINDSET IS SUPPOSED TO BE THIS REVOLUTIONARY APP THAT HELPS PEOPLE REMOVE THEIR ADDICTION TO TECHNOLOGY. BUT WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS THAT MINDSET IS CONTROLLING PEOPLE AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY.
THE STORY WAS WELL WRITTEN AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THE WONDERFUL ART TOO. I LIKED HOW THE ART WAS REALISTIC IN THIS BOOK, IT MADE THE STORY COME MORE ALIVE TO ME. I ALSO REALLY RESONATE WITH THIS BOOK AND IN MY HOUSE WE DO NOT USE TECHNOLOGY, EXCEPT FOR WORK;) BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT TECHNOLOGY IS DOING TO OUR KIDS AND TO US. I APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR AND THE ARTIST FOR BRINGING THIS TOVERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO LIGHT!
THE STORY WAS WELL WRITTEN AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THE WONDERFUL ART TOO. I LIKED HOW THE ART WAS REALISTIC IN THIS BOOK, IT MADE THE STORY COME MORE ALIVE TO ME. I ALSO REALLY RESONATE WITH THIS BOOK AND IN MY HOUSE WE DO NOT USE TECHNOLOGY, EXCEPT FOR WORK;) BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT TECHNOLOGY IS DOING TO OUR KIDS AND TO US. I APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR AND THE ARTIST FOR BRINGING THIS TOVERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO LIGHT!
June 5, 2023
MINDSET is not my usual cup of tea. I prefer more action in my graphic novels, and this one is a drama-like thriller that reads like a 99-cent made-for-VHS flick from the late 1990s. The story takes place in Silicon Valley, a place I know very little about, and the plot revolves around the makers of Mindset, a meditation app with mind-control capabilities. There is a lot of social commentary about how social media may change someone's perspective. Zack Kaplan has written an intriguing modern-day setting narrative that sometimes has a strange science fiction and hybrid horror atmosphere, partly owed to John Pearson's unique artwork. —★★★★✰
June 28, 2023
Meh, this was fine; not really my cup of tea, it turns out, but fine. The story has some interesting allegorical things to say about social media use/addiction. I liked the art and lettering well enough, the unreliable narrator made for a thought-provoking read, and I surprised myself by not seeing the twist coming. (I simply wasn't looking for a twist, which is the best time for a twist.) So, all fine. But, again, not my cup of tea. Plus, whenever the villain is a person of color, and the hero/victim is a white guy, I always side-eye and wonder—even if I'm not confident enough to say with certainty—if systemic stereotypes haven't crept in.
April 1, 2023
Mind-bending and prescient, this series approaches our use of (and addiction to) technology with a unique perspective and a clever sense of storytelling. The rough art style is evocative and surprisingly fitting for the subject matter, with surreal overtones reminiscent of Dave McKean.
Once you read Mindset you might just find yourself questioning how often you feel the need to pick up your phone, and what is driving that need. Question your mindset... Do you know where it's coming from?
Once you read Mindset you might just find yourself questioning how often you feel the need to pick up your phone, and what is driving that need. Question your mindset... Do you know where it's coming from?
May 19, 2023
This was a great science fiction graphic novel! The storyline was very intriguing and the artwork was amazing! This graphic novel immediately grabbed my attention and I read it in one sitting. There were a couple pages that I found a bit hard to follow the reading order, but overall this was an excellent graphic novel. If you are looking for a quick science fiction read this may be something you want to pick up.
November 12, 2023
Absolutely loved this! Inventive and beautiful artwork with stunning colorwork, compelling premise, very well executed storytelling - engrossing and thought provoking. A great entry in the canon of Philip K. Dickian sci fi. And possibly the best fiction yet about smart phones.
August 8, 2024
Pretty fun, but I didn't like the final act's similarity to a certain other work that hinges on worldwide paradigm-shifts and truth-based-in-personal-perspective. Not that either of those things are a turn off, I just wasn't satisfied.
August 29, 2025
A pretty cool story about a college student who discovers mind control and they decide to sneak it into an app. I could easily see this being a Black Mirror episode. Gets a little confusing towards the end with all the back and forth about who is controlling who, but still a cool idea.
November 16, 2023
Very trippy but also realistic.
February 6, 2024
Very cool art style and illustration, the story is also fascinating and certainly doesn’t lack plot twists. The story makes one want to crush one’s cell phone too.
January 9, 2025
This was sooo good! The Art-😧😧 ho is u magical? 😍😍 AND THE PLOTTWISTTTT🛐 loveeee
June 8, 2025
A fun little SF story about social media and mind control.
The artwork could have been better.
The artwork could have been better.
February 18, 2024
The art is five stars, the story is trash.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews