Plastic – Graphic Spotlight

It begins with a tale as old as time (I guess modern times to be fair): Boy meets girl (well, boy meets girl online). Boy falls in love with girl. Girl inspires him to be a better man. He tampers down his vilest of urges and sees hope for happiness. They decide to go on a drive, touring America on a grand adventure, taking the back roads in their LTD Crown Vic (one smooth ride for sure). Then, a backroad bully makes something of a pass at the girl and the guy gives into one of those urges he’s been suppressing for so long. Well, this urge is a little much since sad “boy” is in fact a serial killer. And said “girl” is in fact a sex doll. And this indulgence involves murder and with this action comes consequences, threats to the happy couple’s bliss. This is the setup for our graphic (earning that term on several levels) spotlight, Plastic.

Plastic has had Robert Kirkman (you know, that guy who created and still writes The Walking Dead), praise it as, “This is the weirdest s**t ‘ve ever read. I love it!” And this writer must concur with another of his peers in that view (okay, “peer” in a loose definition). For story that seems hellbent on being unlikeable this is a most enjoyable experience. There’re hints of the absurdity from works like Preacher and the seriousness of Nailbiter. But there’s a heart at its core, in Vic, within this relationship that cannot be real yet is, that makes it more than the sum of its parts.

Scribe Doug Wagner teams up with artists Daniel Hillyard and Laura Martin to execute a premise that seems preposterous. Yet this crime series delivers in spades. All the thrills, chills, twists, and yes, turns, are delivered with aplomb. You’ll laugh and feel slightly ashamed, root for a killer that shows no remorse or mercy, and believe that love can conquer all, even Louisiana billionaires. Heck, it might just conquer insanity. Don’t believe it? Read t!