Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Jonathan Luna
Artist: Sarah Vaughn
Release Date: 18th June 2014

So after last month’s issue ending in an ‘uh-oh’ cliff-hanger, it’s nice to finally have the next in our grubby mitts, and thankfully, this issue pays off in spades.

Continuing to explore Ada’s burgeoning humanity – as well as the stigma that’s attached to sentient robots in Luna and Vaughn’s world – as well as quite how firm her grasp on reality is. Herein, they have a wee look around the virtual representation of the world readily available to everyone, known as ‘Prime’, and it’s fascinating to see quite how well she can distinguish the virtual from the real. Yet another important question of artificial intelligence, carefully and lovingly adapted into this still in-utero friendship.

The art remains exceptional – never rushed or over-blown, keeping things simple and precise, letting Vaughn’s script tell its tale in its own soft tone. There’re some great juxtapositional moments, when humanity’s coarse nature breaks through into the dialogue, and it allows our protagonist’s marginally over-protective instincts to kick in, making us, the readers, uncomfortable alongside him as the back of some nobody’s head spout’s vulgar suggestions regarding Ada. Then there’s the gorgeous moment where a realisation drops on one of our supporting characters – played rather sweetly and unjudgementally, it’s one of many lovely wee moments in this issue.

Still an understated gem of a series, the denouement of this issue leaves us in a narratively complex place – gauntlets have been thrown down by the man, and now that we’re fully rooting for our leading man and fembot, it’s a daunting prospect going forward. Quite how it’ll play out is anyone’s guess: I for one, here and now, raise a glass to the new robot revolution.

Rating: 4/5.

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The writer of this piece was: Ross Sweeney
Ross tweets from @Rostopher24