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.