Syn

(Dark Horse, 2003-2004)
™ and © Dark Horse Comics, Inc.

The sun has set on humanity, as robots rule Earth. However, in this distant future, machines follow the prime directive “to know man” at their own peril: The ones who become too human are terminated by the police of the Artificial Intelligence Network. Syn is one such agent who seeks to destroy wayward bots. But is she more like her victims than she’d care to disclose, as she flirts with the idea of becoming human?

When Syn makes a fateful decision to cast off her metal skin and consciously take the dive into a body of flesh. Is it no surprise that she emerges as a spiky blonde with six-pack abs? However, as she gets used to her new, supple form, she is in for a rude awakening, since she is now the prey of another female synthetic hunter.

In this amalgam of such SF movies as Blade Runner, The Matrix, and Terminator, Syn still has an interesting premise. However, this is often undermined by Giffen’s dense techno jargon and Titus’ thick lines. When the action is on, Syn does the SuperPatriot proud. But the gears grind in the transitions to moments of psychological reflection: an unfortunate sin.

— Oliver Chin

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