One of the strengths of Mad Cave Comics since early on has been the power of their storytelling. Since Battlecats first debuted, they have made it a core value to feature great stories and artists to bring them to life. Ten years later they have not wavered from that steadfast principle. This is exemplified by their new titles, including String by Paul Tobin with art by Carlos Javier Olivares.
String
“String” tells the tale of Namgung Yoon-Sook, a young woman endowed with a peculiar ability. She perceives the ties between individuals through visible (to her) strings. Blue strings represent personal connections, often intimate, whereas black strings link murderers to their victims. Her rare gift has made her a civilian consultant for the police. This was despite the unease her talent caused among those around her, including those she consulted. Her impressive success rate, however, compels them to seek her expertise.
Questions about Yoon’s Gift
This reputation made Detective Luke Mayfield bring Yoon in for consultation. However, he also had questions about her talents and how she accessed them. This was nothing new to her, as she had faced many who either didn’t believe in her gifts or were “weirded out” by them. So, she had no problems answering his questions and did her best to explain how it worked and the tragic circumstances when she first realized her gift.
Generally, her talents made some police uncomfortable. Mayfield assumed it was because of all the violence that police faced and the people they had been forced to kill. He imagined that Yoon saw a lot of black lines in the precinct. She explained however that deaths in the line of duty usually didn’t produce a black line. It was only between murderers and their victims. However, she did see blue lines in the police station. This caused as much discomfort for officers as black lines. This is particularly true for those attempting to keep their relationships confidential.
Pizza Evaluation
After introducing themselves, they had some lunch, where Yoon used the opportunity to evaluate Detective Mayfield using her tried and true Pizza test. She explained it was one way she got a feel for a person. In Luke’s case, she thought he had passed her test. He showed total commitment in eating his pizza. That meant trustworthiness to her. Hard to figure why people found Yoon on the weird side.
Following a String
Afterwards, he took her to the cold-case morgue. He hoped that somehow, she would see a connection between one of the victims that might lead to a suspect. Almost immediately, Yoon saw a black line leading from one of the victims. She left the morgue on a run, trying to follow the string to its source, both jumping into Mayfield’s car to pursue the lead before it disappeared. That was the thing with Yoon’s strings. Sometimes they would stay visible for hours, and sometimes they would disappear in only a few minutes. She had no control over their longevity.
This led to a long chase. A chase that allowed time for Luke to get some more details about Yoon’s abilities and perhaps some insight if she might be able to PREDICT relationships. She made it clear that it really didn’t work that way and contrary to his hopes, she wouldn’t be able to predict when his next sexual encounter might be and who with. Couldn’t blame a guy for asking.
Cutting the String
Eventually they caught up to the other end of the string. A man carrying a small dog who was apparently upset about something and vowed that he would not be going back. He made his point clear by the explosive he had strapped to his chest. Fortunately, he threw Yoon the dog right before he detonated his bomb. That’s ONE way to cut a string.
WTF?!
Later, Yoon was at home, discussing with her cat the day she had. Also explaining why, a small dog had invaded their domicile. She assured her cat that it was just a temporary situation. She couldn’t just let a dog wander free who had seen their human go up in a ball of fire. However, she soon realized she had a bigger problem. She noticed that a black string had appeared. Connecting to her! WTF?!
Thoughts
Just when I think I have seen every kind of scenario, comic creators prove me wrong. Strings is one of those titles. Creators Paul Tobin and Carlos Javier Olivares have captured me with its premise and the possibilities it invited. Imagine living your life seeing all the different “ties” that people make in relationships, while also being privy to ones that include disaster and death. It’s a little like The Sixth Sense. But instead of seeing “dead people,” she sees the tethers that connect the victims to their killers. That’s a lot of weight to bear down on one’s shoulders. But that is the hand that our heroine Yoon-Sook Namgung has been handed.
It would have been very easy for Yoon to ignore what she sees and attempt to get on with her life. But instead, she accepted this “gift/curse” and is trying to make some good come of it. Which is not to say that she can prevent any of the crimes she sees a connection in. However, she may help to bring justice to the victims involved.
Part of what makes this work from the start is the chemistry between Yoon and Detective Mayfield. Tobin makes them seem comfortable with each other right after their introduction. While Mayfield has questions about how Yoon’s abilities work and what they may mean, he doesn’t hesitate to accept her visions and follow along to her lead. That shows a character secure enough in himself to not mind surrendering that responsibility. It also makes for a story that “strings” the reader along enough to want to learn more. Consider me tied up and captured. Ready for Issue #2.
Mad Cave Studios String Issue 1 by Paul Tobin, Carlos Javier Olivares, Sara Colella and Taylor Esposito is available now where great comics are sold.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 60 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove headfirst over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 21-year-old young man with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
