BLADE RUNNER: BLACK LOTUS #1, from Titan Comics on August 10th, 2022, continues the critically-acclaimed Netflix anime series with Elle, the prototype replicant assassin codenamed Black Lotus, on the run from the Wallace corporation.
The Details
- Written by: Nancy A. Collins
- Art by: Enid Balam, Bit
- Colors by: Marco Lesko
- Letters by: Jim Campbell
- Cover art by: Jung-Geun Yoon (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: August 10, 2022
Is It Good?
BLADE RUNNER: BLACK LOTUS #1 picks up Titan’s successful collection of runs in the Blade Runner universe by transporting readers to 2032 with a sequel to the popular Netflix anime of the same name. On her own and on the run, the replicant, Elle, looks for a new life away from L.A. and the threat of the Wallace corporation.
On its surface, this first issue is fine. Collins and the editors wisely start the issue with a lengthy preface page explaining what happened in the Netflix series that explained Elle’s background and what brought her to her current location. You need not have watched the Netflix show to know what’s going on and can jump into the action. In other words, it’s amazing how effective a simple preface page can be when used properly.
Elle plays the part of a stranger with secrets who finds herself in a desert town populated by the good, the bad, and some ugly. The setup has a Cowboy Western feel, and Collins expertly establishes the supporting cast with distinctive voices and clear motivations. You get the lay of the land very quickly and can see exactly how and why the conflicts will start to emerge.
The minor down point in the story is the setting. Los Angeles is practically its own character in the Blade Runner mythos, so relocating a replicant to a dusty Western town makes the series feel somehow un-Blade Runner-like. You could make the case that this point is less of a flaw and more of a creative preference, so take of it what you will.
The art by Balam and Bit is fine. Excluding a brief fight scene at the beginning, this issue is all dialog and character interactions, so there’s not much opportunity for big visuals and wow moments. Regardless, Balam, Bit, and Lesko put a significant amount of work into giving each character a distinctive look, posture, and presence. The second high point lies in the unique architecture Balam and Bit create for the self-sustaining commune town. The commune has an intriguing design that looks both lived-in and futuristic.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Elle riding on a spinner bike along a desert road when she’s jumped by a group of scavengers. The scavengers discuss what to do with her when she springs into action and knocks out the attackers, taking their truck to haul away her damaged spinner bike.
Later, Elle drives into a small mining town called Fracktown to find a repair mechanic for her bike. She finds Jones, a mechanic who claims to be able to repair anything. While they discuss terms of payment, Elle is approached by Boss Barnes, the mining operation owner and bully. Barnes wants to buy Elle’s spinner bike, and he doesn’t take no for an answer.
Before the conversation gets heated, Miguel, the leader of a local commune steps in to diffuse the situation. Barens leaves after receiving an urgent message about a visit from a Wallace Corporation rep, and Miguel offers Elle temporary shelter and rest while her spinner bike gets repaired.
Meanwhile, Barnes makes it back to camp to find a Wallace repo waiting for him to discuss the terms of his broken contracts. We conclude the issue with a secret search, a secret place to rest, and a secret plan.
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Final Thoughts
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BLADE RUNNER: BLACK LOTUS #1 is a better-than-average start for a new Blade Runner adventure. The setup and character introductions are rock solid, as is the art. That said, the desert town setting and absence of detective noir mood make this story feel like a Cowboy Western rather than a Blade Runner series.
Related Information
What is the main point of Blade Runner?
Blade Runner’s main point revolves around the blurring line between humanity and machine. It asks you to question what is “true” life and what it means to have a soul. Is a replicant’s life any less valid because it was constructed? If a machine can think, feel, and remember, how is it any less alive than a human?
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