Review: Clean Room #13
By Philip Schweier
November 29, 2016 - 09:16
DC Comics
Writer(s): Gail Simone
Penciller(s): Walter Geovani
Inker(s): Walter Geovani
Colourist(s): Quinton Winter
Letterer(s): Todd Klein
Cover Artist(s): Jenny Frison
I
went into Clean Room completely unaware of what to expect, with no preconceived
notions. I learned there appears to be a cult-like organization, the Mueller
Foundation. Whether it is a super-secret government project or a society of
rich and powerful, I am unable to determine. I assume its goals are the usual:
world domination.
The organization is led by Astrid Mueller. Her morals are ambiguous, as is her sanity. Not foaming at the mouth crazy, but at one point she does a complete emotional 180. So it’s difficult to understand her intentions.
The foundation has a child – born, created in a lab, conjured from thin air, I don’t rightly know – with demonic overtones. What their intentions are equally vague, and given the unholy nature of the child, I anticipate their efforts to harness the child’s power for their own ends will also be reversed. This could work out for another group, perhaps working against the foundation, but I doubt it the demon child will be a good thing for anybody.
This is merely one chapter in an ongoing story, so it’s impossible for me to judge the complete story. But super-secret organizations with insidious goals seem a bit common these days. I believe what makes a story like this interesting is the characters involved; their motivations, their individual perspective on morality, etc. I really didn’t have an opportunity to assess that.
I’ve usually enjoy Gail Simone’s writing. She has a knack for throwing in little surprises with perfect timing, so they’re not telegraphed a mile away. Geovani’s artwork is good, if a little flat, though that may be a result of the coloring. Overall, it’s reminiscent of some of the work I remember from the 1980s, that’s midway between the dynamics of Neal Adams, and the cartoony look of Michael Avon Oeming. Geovani’s work does the job, but it lacks a certain energy we’ve come to expect in these modern times.