Thumbs #1 Is The Beginning Of A Dystopian Nightmare
by Tony Thornley
There’s so much talk in the news today of the struggle millennials are going through just to make ends meet. Image Comics’ Thumbs #1 takes that struggle and asks an important question- what happens to their kids?
Sean Lewis and Hayden Sherman bring this horrifying vision of the future to life.
“Thumbs” Fellows is part of a forgotten generation, kids raised by an AI known as MOM while their parents struggle to make ends meet. He’s recruited into a special academy run by a tech billionaire as a chance to get away from the horror of everyday life. Its purpose- to train an army to overthrow the fascist government controlling every aspect of modern life.
Lewis takes this double sized first issue to build the world Thumbs lives in. It’s only a few degrees removed from our own, with only some of the advanced tech separating us from it. He also creates some interesting characters to populate the world, which helps us care about the conflict at the core of the story.
Sherman’s art is great for building up this world. It starts familiar, with a few elements that are new and strange, but then transitions over the course of the issue into a cyberpunk nightmare. He’s able to show Thumbs’ inner struggle well, so when the final page twist hits you’re invested in his story. The tech surrounding him is fascinating and relatable, but is strange and alien, perfect for establishing this world better.
Now that the world is established, Thumbs is on a course to save his world. It looks like a trip we’ll be on board for.
Thumbs #1 is available now from Image Comics.