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Paranoid Gardens is definitely the strangest, wackiest and most surreal series in my pullbox right now, and it captivates me like magic.
But why does it captivate me so much, even though issue #2 only confuses me even more. Although, it’s not even that. Gerard Way and Shaun Simon don’t actually confuse me at all, because in order to be confused, something has to be clear first. And not much is clear here.
It is clear that Loo is something like the reader’s independent avatar. Thanks to her amnesia, she has just as much idea as we do about what these Paranoid Gardens are. But despite her amnesia, she does her job with a muscle-memory-driven routine. Takes care of the weirdest patients, puts up with the most demanding superiors, just does what the care center’s routine demands.
But somehow there is also a desire for enlightenment, something inside her knows there are things to uncover.
It is also clear that Doctor Zerc is the mad, corrupt and somehow desperate emperor in this crazy chamber play.
But what is he trying to cover up? What are the monkeys doing? Who the hell are the Beekepers? And in general: what the fu..!?
The story probably wouldn’t captivate me as much as it does. Because I’m one of those sensitive readers who like clarity, someone who likes stories that are realistic or at least comprehensible with a realistic understanding.
But Christopher Westons's artwork (meticulously and atmospherically colored by Dave Stewart) is pure magic. His work with perspective, his uncanny attention to detail, indeed the language of his images, are as captivating as a good movie. His pictures are alive in a very unique, non-static way.
And so I give myself the answer to the question of what captivates me so much about Paranoid Gardens: brilliant images, mesmerizing storytelling, and a deep need for clarification with a desire to understand.
And yeah, entertainment. As simple as that.
(You can subscribe to the series at Walt's Comic Shop through Manage Comics. Simply click HERE).
Paranoid Gardens #2 Cover A Weston
€6,95
Writers Gerard Way (The Umbrella Academy) and Shaun Simon (The Fabulous Killjoys), join forces with Illustrator Chris Weston (The Filth), colorist Dave Stewart (Hellboy), and letterer Nate Piekos (Black Hammer) to present an all-new surreal comic book experience that's ER… read more
