Think Tank Vol 1
Publisher: Top Cow
Writer: Matt Hawkins
Artist: Rahsan Ekedal
Cover: Rahsan Ekedal and Brian Reber
When David Loren starts taking stock of his life and decides there’s some changes to be made, his employers aren’t too keen on the idea. See, David is part of a DARPA think tank, and he’s one of the best at what he does. Though he’s realized that through his inventions he’s got as much blood on his hands as any of the soldiers on the battle field. It’s when things finally reach that boiling point for him that he decides it’s time to end his “career” with the military, and get out of the heavily guarded base he’s been living in. But not without first rescuing the young lady he picked up and got captured one night while AWOL.
In a time where people feel the need to dumb down certain forms of entertainment, Matt Hawkins delivers intelligence and keen storytelling the way it should be done. Think Tank is told from the viewpoint of David, and right from the minute we’re introduced, Hawkins makes sure we get a sense of who this guy is. It’s when you get deeper into the story that you start to actually enjoy his character and the circumstances surrounding him. We are even treated to a brief but quite detailed origin that not only explains how he was recruited into the program, but also showcases some of his hijinks which help to lighten the mood at times.
Knowing that the story is strong is one thing, but I’m sure you’re wondering if the artwork does the same. There is no question that Ekedal makes this book just as fun to look at as Hawkins made it to read. The artwork is in black and white, and just seems to give the story a stronger impact. There is a nice amount of detail in a lot of the work, which is necessary since he’s drawing a lot of practical military hardware. The characters’ looks are consistent, and his panel layouts are just another added layer of visual storytelling.
After you’ve been entertained, there’s the added bonus of a cover gallery, and one of my favorite parts of the book which is titled “Science Class.” This section sheds some light on some of the characters, inventions, military equipment, and locations used throughout the story. This is definitely worth reading as it takes story immersion even deeper.
By the time this story wraps up, you’ve been introduced to some really solid characters and a great story that leads to one hell of a cliff hanger. So, if you missed out on collecting the singles or just prefer to read them at once all over again with added goodies, then I suggest picking up Think Tank Vol 1 from your local comic shop. You might also want to take a look at the trailer for the book to get a glimpse of what I’m talking about!
Infinite Speech
infinitespeech@comicattack.net
