Review: MIND MGMT #13

MIND MGMT #13
Written by Matt Kindt
Art by Matt Kindt
Release Date: July 24, 2013

MindMGMT13Mind MGMT takes a brief interlude from its globe-trotting action to narrow down to a lovely cul-de-sac in the oh-so-innocent suburbs. But like so much of this series and its characters, history, and relationships, not everything is as it seems… Could YOU be an agent of a defunct government agency of psychics, and what happens if you suddenly WAKE UP?

Matt Kindt is really giving readers who have yet to experience his unique brand of storytelling a chance to jump right in with the first of six stand-alone tales set in this complex world he’s devised. The opening page gives an excellent summary (hard to believe it’s possible actually) of the events of the previous 12 issues, so even those who aren’t sure about the series can give this issue a try and go back to pick up two trades of previous material. While this series is known for being one deserving (if not requiring) multiple rereads to catch all the hidden codes and clues, issue #13 is a refreshing tale of new characters leading an otherwise innocent life, until odd things and omissions escalate. Kindt combines the best of suburban comforts with post-modern suspicion and unease to produce a single tale that should have you wondering if you really know your neighbors after all.

The art throughout is rendered in Kindt’s somewhat rudimentary style, but what it’s lacking in realism, it far makes up for in tone and creative energy. Every time I crack open an issue of Mind MGMT, I feel transported back to a 1950s or 60s ad agency, and this issue in particular reinforces that retro-feel while injecting that standard of sinister unease the series projects so well. Everything from the chapter headings to the color palette and little scribbles noted around the edges of mock field report paper creates a visceral experience that bleeds past the panels and right out into our world. Like a Mind Agent penetrating your immediate surroundings, this issue doesn’t just tell a story, it puts it directly into your hands and brain as an object in itself, not simply a vehicle to tell an otherwise innocuous story. That’s the real genius of the series as a whole, and certainly is continued in this latest chapter.

If you haven’t had the benefit of picking up Mind MGMT before now, buy this issue. It’s a thorough introduction to the feel of the series without bogging you down too much in the minutiae of its complex, but fascinating history. Once you do, I’m certain those first 12 issues will find their way into your collection pretty fast. Who knows? They may already be there without you even realizing it.

The Verdict: 10/10

 

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