Review: The Blessed Machine
Such things used to exist, on the surface, but that was over a century ago, before the accident in the early 21st century that destroyed Earth's ecosystem. An experiment with a particle accelerator to explore the possibilities of 'Higgs fission' and create a new way to harvest energy resulted in the emergence of a cluster of microscopic black holes. They evaporated within seconds, but that was all the time it took to fatally damage the planet's atmosphere and make life unviable. People retreated to underground bunkers, eventually creating a whole new world deep within the protective bedrock.
Society survives and thrives with the aid of Djinn, an A.I. that regulates every automated function. He appears on screens as a faceless entity turned away from the viewer, but his voice is a constant, reassuring balm to the subterranean inhabitants. All he requires in return is their unswerving loyalty.
Jacob's dreams persist from childhood into his adult life, which is a source of embarrassment to his mother Anna who is an Administrator. He is convinced that life has returned to the world above, despite what Djinn tells him. He pleads with his mother to authorise an exploratory expedition to the surface, but she knows that to question the wisdom of Djinn - to whom absolute trust is on par with religious devotion - would be political suicide.
However, Jacob is not alone. A mysterious woman contacts him, representing a rebellious organisation. And she knows about his dreams...
Aficionados of classic science fiction will spot the Nineteen Eighty-Four themes here, and some may even be familiar with the much older original short story upon which this is based: The Machine Stops by renowned English author E.M. Forster in 1909. The Blessed Machine by writer/artist Jesse Ham, with co-writer Mark Rodgers, takes the original premise and gives it a modern sheen, with a gleaming futuristic 'utopia' in which only one way of life is acceptable. The role of Orwell's Big Brother is played by a nonhuman figure whose faceless interface evokes an unsettling painting by the Surrealist René Magritte. Hamm weaves an intriguing tale with fresh, sharp illustration and an overarching atmosphere of impending dread.
A new future may be in bloom above our heroes' heads, but their path to it is a dark, perilous one. Djinn has an army of maintenance bots under his control; insect-like automatons that can observe and intervene at any time.
Plus, nobody actually knows what conditions are like on the surface. A paradise? Perhaps... but Nature has had a long time to rebuild, and every Eden has its serpent...
Zak Webber
Twitter - @sfcomicartist Instagram - @sfcomicartist
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! - SCI-FI COMIC NEXUS
*****
***
*
Comments
Post a Comment