Sci-Fi and Fantasy Illustrated #1 Review

Title:	Sci-Fi and Fantasy Illustrated
Contributors:	Joe Brusha Claudio Sepulveda
Publisher:	Zenescope
Issue #:	1
Year:	2010
Pages:	48 Pages
Age Rating:	18 (Language, Violence, Gore, Nudity, Sex, Adult Themes)
Story Grade:	A
Art Grade:	A

In this first tale from folks that brought us the Grimm Fairy Tales comics, the "The Perfect Mate" tells the tale of a lonely man who is down on his luck with the ladies. After one last rejection he decides to buy a human-like robot thinking she will be the answer to all his needs and dreams. But the reality of things turns out to be quite different.

I love stories like this. This is my type of Sci-fi. It is a direct, albeit slightly varied retelling of the story told in episode #3 the of the new Outer Limits that aired on Showtime in the mid-90s titled 'Valerie 23'.

The main question this and most of these types of stories try to raise, but never try to answer is how far can technology go to actually replacing human connection. It is really kind of a relevant questions in today's world of social media, connected X-box's and cell phones at dinner tables around the world where people connect more by being connecting less face to face at 140 characters or less. The questions is: Can technology replace human connection. The connection in question is more than just sexual, we are talking interpersonal connections which happens with more than just genitals folks, we are talking intellectual, or will there always be a void between man and machine that cannot be filled? It is a concept I cannot get tired of exploring and Joe Brusha and Claudio and Sepulveda do an excellent job in this story and the use of the art.

Of course bad things happen in the story, but not for the reasons you might think and that is what makes this story work so well. If you are familiar with this type of story you will have this hanging sense of dread throughout knowing what it is coming. But you will be in for a surprise. It is a great, original if I can say that word, twist to a tale told on more than one occasion.

I highly recommend this to anyone who has a love of sci-fi, a love of horror, a love of thinker-pieces, or a love of the "damn!" response.

I graded this book a solid A. The story, while told before, took a fresh approach to telling it and the art is amazing. At a $1 from my LCS, it was a bargain with 48 pages of great story and art and well worth a reread.