Injection

As in Authority and Planetary, Ellis comics' acid-tripping genius once again pits a team of complex characters against the menace of a mind-warping idea. Given the sheer mass of his writing, an intelligible summary is best rendered in the scribe's own words: building something to accelerate the future, a British think tank injects a non-biological, non-physical consciousness into the heart of the twenty-first century, causing the founding science behind ancient folklore to leak into our world. Luckily, Ellis is adept at building engagingly tortured souls (particularly women) and tight action into this massive scope. Shalvey, meanwhile, proves up to the task of visualizing the human toll these depleted people must pay. The artists also bring a graceful and absolutely crucial clarity to Ellis' density of language, ideas, and scene changes, both spatial and chronological. At the climax, the aforementioned non-biological, non-physical consciousness makes it clear that this volume is only the tip of the metaphysical iceberg. Sure to send a particularly cerebral brand of reader off on a delightful head trip.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2015 Booklist

Think reality is boring? Want to intensify everyday life with otherworldly experiences? Enter five slightly off geniuses, charged with predicting future events for a secret branch of the British government, who decide they can do just that. They set out to create something called the Injection, which resembles a computer code that is uploaded into the fabric of reality through magic. However, the results are disastrous, and a rift is torn in reality, merging the real world with that of the magical and bringing to life all of the scary things that come with it. The story follows the characters in the aftermath of the Injection as they deal with the consequences of their actions and the quest to make things right again. Ellis (Moon Knight; Transmetropolitan) has fashioned an intense hallucinogenic story. The panels are drawn in a style that reflects the overall trippy, paranormal landscape. Verdict This graphic novel inspires the reader to think about what is taking place. There is the sense of falling down the rabbit hole and at times being utterly lost. Graphic violence and a complex story line make this a title suitable for mature readers only.-Laura McKinley, Huntington P.L., NY © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.