REVIEW: 'Under the Influence' #1 by Eliot Rahal and Stefano Simeone

UNDER THE INFLUENCE #1

Writer: Eliot Rahal

Artist: Stefano Simeone

Letterer: Frank Cvetkovic

Publisher: Mad Cave Studios

Release Date: July 5, 2023

Cover Price: $4.99

(New Series) A teenage sociopath, Paul Kozac, has accidentally created an internet cult called The Hot Dog Party. When a prank turns deadly, the F.B.I. sends in an undercover agent, Cara Cole, to investigate and infiltrate their ranks. Now Cara battles against real stakes, fake news, and memes in a character-driven story about power structures and the communities you build. This is a story about "Click to follow" cultism during the age of social media

Score: 8.5/10

QUICK REVIEW: UNDER THE INFLUENCE #1 is an entertaining and timely mystery set in a world of influencers turned cultism. Eliot Rahal centers the story around one such influencer who's a prankish viral sensation but when things turn deadly the FBI is tasked to investigate. The power of the Internet can be seductive and tribal where its influence can be easily wielded into a hive mind. This is Rahal's 'Black Mirror' episode but decidedly more lighthearted. Questions will arise as to what's been influenced and what's been manufactured. Just when you think you have the comic figured out, Rahal throws in another twist and the answers aren't so simple. There's more going on than meets the eye. Stefano Simeone’s art style is outsized and energetic. It can be too cartoonish when things get serious but there's an exciting pace that's hard to resist even in heavy dialogue scenes. The world designed by Simeone is so dynamic and emotive that it'll be easy to get wrapped into.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE #1 is a clever, funny, dark, and mysterious story that blurs the line between online influencers and cult leaders. Rahal shines a light on the dark corners of the web with a wink and a grin. Maybe we are all sheep.

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