Review - The Infinite Loop #1

"We're doing today what someone did yesterday, and another will do tomorrow."

Turn an "8" on it's side and you get the infinity symbol, appropriately named because it never seems to end. In many ways, time is the same way, making the term "infinite loop" applicable to time travel itself. IDW applies the label with gusto in The Infinite Loop #1. The issue is written/lettered by Pierrick Colinet and illustrated/colored by Elsa Charretier.

A dynamically graphic, science-fictiony, poetical, paradoxical wunderkind of a sexy, time-traveling, adventure-packed comic series begins here. Teddy is a young woman from a future where time-traveling happens a bit more regularly and her job is to maintain consistency within timelines by correcting paradoxes. Ano just so happens to be one of those paradoxes and the girl of her dreams, forcing her to make a decision between fixing time or falling in love.

There's very much a frenetic feel to it, courtesy of the time-traveling aspect of the book. Colinet's story works around this concept though, as Teddy is tasked with maintaining history as it's remembered. Her approach is one buoyed by reason and logic, which makes the introduction of Ano as a foil to both her and the story in general is well-received. Colinett capitalizes on the ages-old notion that love and reason can be at odds with one another, presented quite entertainingly through the burgeoning relationship between Teddy and Ano. It's clear by the end of the issue that Ano will be forced to make very difficult decisions regarding her belief system to that point.

Illustrating The Infinite Loop #1 is Charretier, whose approach is very stylized; the most obvious comparison is Bruce Timm, whose work Charretier evokes. She relies on very sharp angles mixed with curves as a contrast, helping to give the characters very distinguished appearances. Considering the book's plot focuses on time travel, there's very much a modern look for the characters and settings that effectively grounds the book in a timeless setting. Beyond the character designs though, Charretier does very interesting things with the panel layouts, making them feel as if they're part of the action, as opposed to just a means of conveying the action to the reader.

The Infinite Loop #1 is a great first issue, successfully presenting a fascinating premise bolstered by an interesting lead in Teddy. The core of the plot isn't the selling point; rather, the interest comes in when Teddy is forced to reconcile her mission with her wants. Colinet's story is presented very clean and elegantly, offering dialogue that's straightforward and a story that adds on layers of complexity as it progresses. Charretier's illustrations are very clean and attractive, coalescing in a look that's perfect for depicting the time traveling aspect of the story. The Infinite Loop #1 is a great first issue that raises pretty interesting questions for its characters and the reader.

The Infinite Loop #1 is in stores now.