The lines are drawn as scientist Matt Travers learns of the perils of his creation and how it may be exploited. Still reeling from a recipient's death, Travers has to face his own grief and search for answers in this excellent sci-fi drama.
DUPLICANT #2
Writer: Karla Nappi
Artist: Marianna Strychowska
Publisher: Second Sight
Release Date: June 30, 2021
Cover Price: $3.99
Matt Travers is haunted by the sudden death of Duplicant organ recipient Pamela Wilton. His research into whether his tech caused Pamela's death points to the possibility of a traitor in their midst, and Matt learns the Duplicant program has been taking advantage of already vulnerable people.
Score:
★★★★☆ (4/5)
In this futuristic setting where a deadly virus causes organ failure, a brilliant scientist creates duplicate organs saving thousands. The prohibitive cost results in indentured servitude for those who qualify and a dangerous black market run by a religious zealot for those who don't. After a Duplicant organ recipient dies in front of him, the scientist, Matt Travers begins to question his work. Facing a recall, the culprit could be a destructive mole in the company.
One of the chilling things about 'Duplicant' #1 was the sad realization that medical expenses that lead to indentured servitude aren't totally out of the realm of possibility in a society that doesn't offer universal. As it is, many people turn to crowdfunding sites to pay for medical procedures. So writer Karla Nappi isn't too far off in imagining a society like the one depicted in the series.
Travers wasn't developed in the first issue. The focus was more on world-building and the plight of Pamela Wilton. Nappi takes an extended look at Travers as he's the central figure and heart of the story. It's important to see how Pamela's death has affected him and how it's opened his eyes to the cruel inequities the market has created. His former mentor, the religious zealot, is also under suspicion as the only other person to be able to sabotage his work. But it's Travers's own guilt, his grief for Pamela, his personal loss, and his desire to save his life's work that drives him. Nappi allows Travers to come to terms with his tech's consequences while also unraveling a mystery surrounding his deadly rival.
Marianna Strychowska's art is very clean and clinical in this pristine-looking future world. The colors are subdued but varied. It's the emotional range she gives Travers that helps humanize him and convince readers of his sorrow. The futuristic designs are restrained and cold but it matches the attitude of a tech pharma company concerned with their bottom line over a possible recall.
'Duplicant' #2 is a dramatic and emotional continuation of this new medical thriller. Matt Travers steps into the spotlight to examine his devastation over a recipient's death and the factors that led to possible sabotage. It's a more thoughtful slow-burn approach that Nappi takes here that's refreshing because the story demands it. There's no escalation into action for the sake of it. Instead, we get to empathize with Travers and root for him. And as such, the reader is drawn further into the story.
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