Aphrodite IX #8 Review

Is there enough to love this dark depiction of the future? Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

Is Aphrodite XV a threat? Or an ally?

I have to say that one of the chief things I’ve enjoyed about this relaunch has been the fact that this comic book is more or less a direct reflection on elements currently evolving within the present day Top Cow universe. It’s a successor to the legacy of Cyber Force, and given how the world ends up I can’t wait to see how both franchises go from this point on. To their credit the creative team is responsible for that feeling as they deliver another socially charged and relevant entry in the life and times of this green haired assassin.

Matt Hawkins steers the ship, as we delve deeper into the current troubles of our protagonist. The author has a solid handle on both scientific theory and his own unique spin on societal structures, resulting in a cold but honest dissection of the inner demons that plague each of us. Within that scope we bare witness to a frightening concept that reveals the summation of current elements while delivering on the promise of its own merits. Even with the bleak aspects there’s plenty of humor and action to carry this story to a proper cliffhanger as the extent of the Aphrodite protocol becomes more apparent.

The visual barrage of information within this comic is downright uncanny. There are plenty of artists that offer a unique spin to the text that they’re working with but the illustrations by Stjepan Sejic continue to be the strongest aspect of what has quickly become one of my favorite titles. His unique use of line work blends an almost cell-shaded aspect to these proceedings while not sacrificing the core mechanics of precision detail yields something that’s unique to what the talent did for Witchblade or his own property, Ravine.

Aphrodite IX #8 paints a dark future, but one that has so much going for it that you can’t help but dive into the thick of it. Recommended.

4/5