Junior Citizens is a sometimes biting and bitter satire of the military-industrial-complex wrapped up in a brightly-drawn, retro-futurist sci-fi funny book package. Incompetent fools fail upwards into the highest echelons of the corporate hierarchy, while at the same time no good deed goes unpunished amongst those “juniors” who are trying their best to muddle their way through a world that views them as disposable cogs in a machine. The authors aren’t afraid to get political, but the results are always funny and never preachy. The subject matter is occasionally grim (while there is little graphic violence, “off camera” deaths due to military blunders number in the hundreds), and as the story progresses the stakes couldn’t be higher, but Ian Herring & Daniel MacIntyre also make sure this dystopia has a silver lining, and the story has its fair share of solidarity, altruistic moments, and hope mixed in.
The world of “Junior Citizens” is rendered in a gorgeous, brightly colored painted style that takes cues from optimistic mid-century art, but to my eyes also has a touch of painted mid-90s comics like Grendel: Devil Quest by Matt Wagner was well (the often sardonic tone of that era’s comics is also echoed here). Every page has something fun in store for the reader, from the goofy, angular character designs to weird and wonderful interstellar settings. This doesn’t really look like anything else being produced today (that I know of) and I think is definitely worth a look. I for one am looking forward to Herring & MacIntyre’s future efforts, be it further adventures with these characters or a whole new tale. Highly recommended.
