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Issue: Syndrome OGN
Creator: Blake Leibel
Writers: Daniel Quantz, R.J. Ryan
Artist: David Marquez
Colors: Bill Farmer
Letters: Dave Lanphear
Editor: Stephen Christy
Publisher: Archaia Entertainment
Release Date: Sept. 2010
Pages: 112
Price: $19.95

“When a rogue neuropathologist makes a startling breakthrough—literally isolating the root of all evil in the recesses of the human brain—he’ll stop at nothing to advance his theory. With the help of a naïve Hollywood actress, a tormented motion picture production designer and a condemned serial killer, Dr. Wolfe Chitel launches a bold experiment in the Nevada desert, the outcome of which could transform humanity forever. “The Truman Show” meets “Se7en” in SYNDROME, an inventive, original graphic novel hardcover that serves as one of the first titles to be featured under Archaia’s new Black Label line. Published in association with Fantasy Prone.“

Artwork: 4.0 out of 5
Just straight out of the box, this book looks great. I love the color work on this one. The characters stay nice and consistent from panel to panel. It has that realistic, yet still a comic vibe to it. My big downside is the cover, it creeps me out. I also don’t see much relation with it to the interiors of this book. I also want to point out that I really like the chapter intro pages. So yeah over all, I like the look of this one.

Story: 3.0 out of 5
I think that seeing a rating of 3 on this section may take away from the whole of the book so hear me out. I loved the concept on this one. I thought that it was approached so well and done so right. The dialogue was intriguing and kept me turning the pages. The story design, of telling one tale in each chapter as it led to the end was great. So what was the downside? I didn’t like the ending. I did not like how I was attracted to the bad guy only to be just let down at the end. I think if I went into detail it would give some of it away, but I wanted more.

Dying Breath: 3.5 out of 5
Great look, great idea, bad ending, but that is my opinion. You might like it. I think that the overall idea here rocks. I just wanted more to come at the end. I think this is a book where we could easily see a part 2, and I would really want to. So overall it was solid story, it just let me down at the end. So check it out and judge for yourself, because it is one killer idea, pun intended.

If you would like to buy or know more about Syndrome OGN you can find it at http://www.archaia.com

I reviewed this for CA a while back. It's a great book. I love the art and can't believe it's all digital. I agree with you about the ending, Dan.

Sounds like a fascinating concept.