The end of the first volume of We Live had left readers in suspense: superheroes had appeared to save the world. To find out what they have changed in volume two, you will have to follow the guide in our column.
Another world
The first volume of We Live presented a post-apocalyptic world. Natural disasters had multiplied as new animal species attacked humans. Nations had engaged in a world war and civilians had been decimated by an epidemic. This bleak picture was illuminated by an alien message. Children could be saved. It was actually a test that humanity passed. These children were transformed into Palladions.
In 2090, six years later, these superheroes ensure the protection of the shreds of humanity surviving in five megacities. Domes form a shield around these cities. Total collapse was averted. Links even exist between these communities.
Despite this support, the atmosphere remains grim. The first action scene in We Live picks the reader by the death of a protector. Indeed, the golden age of these Palladions is already over. New monsters are attacking cities. As in the Pacific Rim movies, humanity's survival is compromised by these ever-growing animals and owes its survival to only a handful of heroes and heroines. Smarter after each attack, these giants disconnect the cables powering the shield. After a power outage and a reduction in cultivable area, the city is also threatened by famine. Indeed, for the authors, superhero stories must have high stakes and therefore take place when the threat is strong, when the apocalypse arrives. While the first volume took up some codes of post-apocalyptic stories, the brothers Inaki and Roy Miranda are fully in science fiction. The vocabulary is technical and sometimes esoteric.
We Live remains an ecological fable. Monsters come out of the ground: the Earth takes revenge for the outrages that human society inflicts on it. In this moment of insecurity, faith is important and supports the courage of the characters. On several occasions, mystical elements can be found. First of all, it is a trust that of brother and sister. In addition, an apocalyptic sect reappears, even more frightening. We can see in a box a reference of Miyazaki but We Live most often evokes the anime Evangelion. Giant robots confront mysterious creatures in a sinister atmosphere. The youth of combatants makes us think about the place of children in war.
Back to the Future
The change of perspective also goes through the characters. New characters appear. Superheroes have arrived in this world: Sun Mother, Shockwave, Zodiac, Warrior and especially the mighty Dragon. They are surrounded by a whole team led by the director of the megalopolis, Terrassa. In contrast, Humbo the Scribe is more murky. A revelation also transforms the reader's perception of this character and the monsters.
In the first volume of We Live, the choice of two children deeply touched the reader. If the first episode still opens in the childhood of the heroes, Tala and Hototo have grown up. The two children are no longer passengers but protectors. Their parents' memories are a strength for the present. Having become the superhero Dragon, Hototo intervenes in the first episode. The protégé has become a protector of the world and therefore of Tala. However, Tala continues to watch over her brother. At the head of her team, she provides logistical support for the Dragon.
With the publisher 404 comics, each book is a project cared for down to the smallest detail such as the bookmark containing key moments of the plot. We must also highlight the superb cover of We Live whose image revolves all around the book. The beauty extends inside with gold and gray robotic armor on a black background. The reader is then greeted by an introduction by the Miranda brothers.
This second volume of We Live continues the magnificent description of a friendship between brother and sister and finds the dark tone of the first volume while proposing new tracks. The many adventures keep the reader in suspense. Once again, the resolution of the last episode plunges him into perplexity.
Find more science fiction chronicles with Integral Jamming and The Perfection of the Circle.
