Caroline
Sharp (aka Chrysalis) is a woman with problems. Fortunately, she’s seeing a therapist to deal
with the fact that she was endowed with super-human abilities by way of ALPHA
13’s super secret science experiment. She has the ability to transmute
elements, which she employs in the battle against evil (and Madame Atom) on
behalf of Alpha 13.
But
she’s not happy about it. She’s depressed. So depressed she wants to die. So
depressed she’s tried to die, but being an elemental, all of her atoms are
self-healing, so she can never die. Bummer. What’s there to live for?
Fortunately,
in her emotional tailspin, she is communing with the shade of Madame Atom, who
shows her the secret of existence, and how to destroy it. In doing so, it will
destroy the universe, and thereby end her own life. With this kind of genocidal
manipulation in play, Alpha 13 calls in the Never Man, a fellow agent, to bring
Chrysalis into custody.
But
there are more thing in heaven and Earth (and beyond) than are dreamed of in
this philosophy, that take you on a dreamy hipster nightmare where you can
taste music and hear color. The only thing missing is Willy Wonka singing.
The
artwork is appropriately funky, and references classic Silver Age styles as
well as the funny pages of our youth. One might think it all discordant and
chaotic, but it has a purpose and it works.
Rating:
7/10