Review: Alex+Ada #3

I know you all have been waiting with bated breath so here it is, Alex+Ada issue #3 review. I really feel that Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn begin to open up both the story and the artwork in this issue. If they were on the verge of losing our interest, the turn this issue takes certainly reels us back in.This issue opens with Alex’s friend Emily sitting in the living room staring at Ada. Finally she can stand it no longer and needs to share this news with their other friends. Next page, four of Alex’s friends sit on his couch staring silently at the android. The silence is broken when Alex makes the introductions and his friends begin asking questions and discussing the safety of having such a high-tech robot in one’s home. The conversation ends with all four friends agreeing that if nothing else, “she’s hot”.                           

Next morning Alex and Ada are at eating breakfast and the news is speaking of an android with Prime Intelligence that was ripped apart by a mob after being discovered at a rock concert. The android attended alone, paid for its own ticket, bought a beer and even danced with the crowd, all things that an android should be unable to do without an owner. It had no logo on its wrist and was only discovered when hit by a mosher and bled purple.  The crowd went bonkers and ripped it apart. Alex mutes the TV and watches from the corner of his eye for a reaction from Ada. He gets none.

Over the next several pages we see interaction between Alex and Ada as they spend a weekend together, watching TV, playing video games and having diner – all at home since Alex is not ready for a public appearance with his unexpected companion. We also see that Ada has no opinion, no reaction, makes no decisions of her own. Anything she finds funny is because Alex thinks it is funny. Anything she enjoys is because Alex enjoys it. She does nothing, thinks nothing, wants nothing, goes nowhere (not even a step) without Alex to tell her to. This leaves Alex frustrated with her inability to be real and he makes a call to a Prime Intelligence Rep to find out more info. All he gets from them is that his “android will learn how to perform new tasks and skills over time, as well as adapt to his specific needs and lifestyle. “ The rep tells him he can purchase skill packs if he wants to move things along faster, but for her to be programed with any sort of free will goes against the A.I. Restrictions Act. All this leads Alex to do some online research.

In analyzing the news coverage of the concert crashing android, Alex follows the breadcrumbs as it were and is lead to the Robot Rights activists. He decides he wants to know more and, closing his eyes, enters Prime Space. Now here is where things get interesting. Alex is mentally inside the internet in a “genetic skin” avatar. It’s like a jacked up Bing search. Alex tells Prime Space what he’s looking for and is given a list which he can narrow down until he finally finds just what he’s looking for; a private forum called Degrees of Freedom. Choosing this forum he is presented with a digital honeycomb wall.  In the center of the wall is the Robots Rights Activists symbol. Touching his “hand” to the symbol he is startled by a voice asking him “What brings you to our forum?” After being put off, Alex finally hits on the right answer to the questions and is granted access. The wall opens for him to enter but he is told that once through his “basic information is collected and [his] avatar reverts to [his] true form”.  Alex is not comfortable with this, but is told he will “find the clarity [he] seeks”. Alex steps through, his avatar converting, and he find himself standing in a large room resembling a lounge. A glowing light bids him “Welcome to Degrees of Freedom”.

Hope you enjoyed this review of the third issue of Alex + Ada. It may have had a slow start but Luna and Vaughn kick it up a notch in the upcoming issues and the fun is about to begin. Join me here on Comic Booked for the upcoming review of issue four!

Catch up on previous full issue reviews of Alex+Ada here.