Electropolis

As regular Scoop readers know, during the disruption caused by the COVID-19 virus, we’ve featured reviews of individual back issues, runs, collected editions, and original graphic novels that captured and held our attention over the long haul. Now that “new comics Wednesday” has returned in some form for many around the country, we’ve decided to continue including great older comics among our features. Remember, once your store is open, checking out their back issue bins or bookshelves is a great way to #BackTheComeback.

Electropolis
Dark Horse Comics; $14.95

Menlo Park is not your average private detective. In fact, he’s not really average at all. He’s a reprogrammed janitor robot now working as a private eye in Electra City, and he’s got a case to solve. It’s been 16 years since the alleged suicide of his human partner, but the cold case heats up again when Menlo is given new information that casts doubt on the official explanation. New information in hand, Menlo and his assistant, Anesta Robins, reopen the case.

As he did in Mister X (the Mister X Archives was recently featured in one our Flashback Reviews) and Terminal City, creator-writer-artist Dean Motter successfully taps into old concepts of what the future was supposed to be like. With interesting architecture and broadcast power, the world of ElectraCity is a great backdrop for a tale filled with intrigue and a lot of word play (including the character names).

It’s a fun, solid read and features Mister X as a guest star. Definitely worth a read!

– J.C. Vaughn