Review - Think Tank #2

Being a genius working for the government is a tough gig. There's all the acoutrements and luxuries afforded you, but you're essentially giving your life up in exchange. That's the predicament that Dr. David Loren finds himself troubled with in Think Tank #2 from Top Cow.

The series is written by Matt Hawkins, with art by Rahsan Ekedal and letters by Troy Peteri.

Actions have consequences and David is learning that the hard way in the second issue. He's apprehended and brought in for questioning regarding his escapades in the previous issue. Escapades that amount to nothing more than a night on the town with some advanced, military technology.

He's paired with Mannish, another incredibly smart mind and the two of them are being forced to continue doing what they do best. That is, make weapons that kill people effectively and at little to no cost. For someone with a personality like David's that's a little troublesome, which leads to a plan of escape.

The second issue is a lot more backstory on David and how he got to where he is. Hawkins continues with the first-person narration quite a bit in the issue, giving the reader a rundown of what David's faced to this point. It helps to put you in David's shoes and see it as he sees it, amplifying the intensity of the situation he's faced with.

The issue is probably equal parts moving forward and moving back. That is, there's a lot of flashbacks here, but they're all important in setting the context for the present. It's hard to say you'd give up having everything you need for freedom, until you see how much David's intelligence actually traps him.

Ekedal's art continues to impress in the second issue. There are some panels that feature David's weapons on display and they successfully convey the full damage they bring with them. Ekedal even gets to play with some of the various devices David concocts, creating fanciful renderings of what an invisibility cloak could look like.

The series Think Tank seems to be about a scientist working for the military, but it's bigger than that. It's got an overarching theme regarding the military's respect/disdain for science. They want the product, but hate dealing with the manufacturer. It's a lot like Breaking Bad in that sense.

Although, in all fairness, David Loren is no Walter White.

Think Tank #2 is in stores today with interiors below.