Review: Think Tank #1 - Thinking your way out of trouble

This week saw the release of issue 1 of Matt Hawkin's new science based, slightly espionage feeling action book Think Tank.

As the synopsis states (and the character reiterates during the book), Dr David Loren is a genius; a child prodigy, a slacker as well as being a mass murderer. He makes new weapons for the military and now seems to want out. However, as this opening issue shows, getting out is easier said than done as David is threatened with blacklisting and is hunted down when he winds up going missing after a one-night stand.

The tagline on the cover above the title reads "Danger: Reading this book will make you smarter" and, in truth, it does. It also makes me much more appreciative of a quality title, which this is. Matt Hawkins has written a deeply interesting, as well as incredibly humorous, story about a man who builds things to kill people that wants out. There is a reference to Schlinder's List in here that describes the general plot well as David explains to us the inner workings of the think tank he's trapped, what is expected of him and why he does it all.

The art by Rahsan Ekedal only serves to enhance this tale as his black and white panel are beautifully drawn. With the light pencils and the heavy detail, this work makes me think walking dead, only without the dirt and grime of Charlie Adlard's work. This place is a cold, sterile prison and Ekedal's work embodies it perfectly.
What I hate about new issue 1's is that they will either suck and can be ignored or they'll be too good and you have to find the pennies to buy them forever more. Sadly for my wallet, this one comes under that latter category as lovely visuals and a compelling story tell me that these will be hitting my buy pile. I just hope new titles next week are crap because with this and Harvest being fantastic I'm running out of dosh fast.