Sheep Comic Review: Pariah Issue #4 by Aron Warner

Pariah Issue #4

By Aron Warner

The series follows the adventures of a group of ‘vitros’ – genetically enhanced children with “beyond-human intelligence” – who go on the run after being framed for the release of a deadly virus

This issue introduces us to Franklin Hyde. He is the mastermind behind the round up of Vitros by the government. We learn about his childhood and how he gained the resources to set up an island off the coast of Venezuela where the Vitros can live peacefully. At least that was the plan. There is a betrayal and things go terribly wrong.

We have now met all 4 of the main characters. The issues from here on out will be about how they survive their fate. There wasn’t a lot of action because we were learning about Franklin’s life, but…the ending made my jaw drop, I didn’t see this coming. I was quite tickled that it caught me by surprise. I am looking forward to the next issue and finding out what the kids are going to do.

Here are my reviews of issues #1, #2, #3

Pariah website

Sea Lion Books website- where you can purchase the comic

4 surprised Sheep

Pariah: YA Graphic Novel Give Away

Pariah: Y.A. Graphic Novel
They’re not super powered, they’re just super smart. The teen protagonists who lead us through the world of Pariah, a twelve-book graphic novel series from the mind of Oscar-winning film producer Aron Warner and published by Sea Lion Books, are the next generation of heroes in the comic book world. Eisner-nominated illustrator Brett Weldele (The Surrogates) will bring the stories to life in ink, and Philip Gelatt will pen the scripts set in Warner’s world for the twelve books

There is a website devoted to all things Pariah. You released issues, news and downloads. They have just added webisodes of some of the Vitros like the one below.


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****Contest****

The wonderful folks over at Sea Lion Books sent me Issue #1 and #2 to give away to our readers!

To enter:

Leave a comment telling me what super-intelligent quality you would like to have (math, science, computers, psychology, ect....)
*double entry if you are a follower of I Smell Sheep, Sea Lion Books or Pariah


Contest ends: Sept 30 at midnight

Sea Lion Books is quickly becoming one of the leading publishers of fantasy, science-fiction, paranormal and young adult trade-paperbacks, hardcovers and graphic novels in the industry. In addition to Pariah, upcoming releases include the graphic novel adaptation to Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist, Extraterrestrial by Pat Lee and Dark Swan by Richelle Mead.

Aron Warners Pariah Issue #3 Review

Pariah Issue #3 by Aron Warner

Illustrations: Brett Weldele

Writer: Philip Gelatt

Robert Maudsley knows what makes us tick. He knows what people want, need, hate and love. He can use that knowledge to get us so do whatever he wants, no matter how dangerous, immoral or repugnant that might be. Maudsley has no moral compass. He has no compassion. But he’s very curious about how far he can push people and what he can get away with. Maudsley wants to rule the world. Maudsley wants to control us all. Maudsley is 15 years old.

This is the third installment of Aron Warner’s 12-issue comic about a group of super-intelligent teenagers that are being hunted by the government. The first 4 issues are character specific, giving us insight into the life of a Vitro and their fall from grace so to speak. In issue #1 we met Brent Marks, in #2 we met Lila Ellerman and issue #3 introduces us to Robert Maudsley who can influence people to do things. To him people are like pieces in a chess game; he sets something in motion, in this case a bank robbery, and then sits back and watches what happens. He now has plans on a much grander scale, but meets Franklin Hyde, a famous Vitro who has a proposition for Maudsley. Issue #4 will be Franklin’s story.

This issue isn’t as exciting as #2, we are shown Maudsley and his powers, but that is pretty much it. The Maudsley in the comic doesn’t look like the same on the cover, which was shame because the guy on the cover looks intimidating and the one inside isn’t. While this issue wasn't as exciting as the last one, I am still looking forward to seeing where this story is going.

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3 Sheep

SS (edited by BAK)

Sea Lion Books LLC is a newly established publishing house which specializes in all formats-hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market in urban fantasy, paranormal, and young adult genres.

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Pariah Issue #2

Pariah by Aron Warner

illustrations: Brett Weldele

writer: Philip Gelatt

Why are the most elite black-op forces chasing a 16 year old girl across the country? Why can’t they find her? And why do they want to kill her? Because they think Lila Ellerman is a terrorist who released a deadly virus into the wild. But really, she’s just a girl with a crush on a guy named Brandon. Yes, she’s figured out the science of controlling anit-matter, but that doesn’t make her a criminal. Will she be able to protect her friends and keep them from being taken prisoner, or worse?

Recently I reviewed issue #1 of Aron Warner’s newest comic Pariah. I liked the concept of a group of genius teens called “Vitros” who are on the run from the government after being framed for creating and releasing a deadly virus into the world. Issue #1 introduced us to Brent and his capture by government forces. I enjoyed the minimalist art work and the muted colors, but the story hadn’t grabbed me. I felt it wouldn’t have been fair to make a judgment about the series as a whole based on this one issue. I am glad I didn’t!

Issue #2 introduces us to Lila. She is a Vitro that works for Marinus Labs, a corporation that hired as many Vitros as it could and created a kind of boarding school atmosphere for them to work in. We aren’t given much more information about this organization in this issue, but it is clear they might not have the world’s best interests in mind.

Lila and her friends end up barely escaping with their lives when the lab blows up, but they quickly discover they have been blamed. Now, not only are they fugitives, Lila has been pegged as the mastermind behind the lab explosion.

I love Lila’s character. She is Buffy-esque, and has become the reluctant leader of the genius fugitives while trying to get some quality making-out time with her (maybe) boyfriend Brandon. Things were going pretty well when a stranger shows up and tells her to go quietly when “they” come. Then all hell breaks loose.

I am definitely intrigued by this series and look forward to the next issue when we I think we meet the person behind the Virto’s betrayal.

Here is a little snippet from Lila:

“I never thought I could be intimidating. Turns out all it takes is the properly applied use of pyrotechnics. A dash of physical force, and a flair for the dramatic. A week ago, I’d never given a single thought on how to I might be able to make a grown man shit himself.”

Visit the Pariah website for more information about upcoming issues and news.

4 freakingly smart Sheep!

SS (edited by BAK)

Sea Lion Books LLC is a newly established publishing house which specializes in all formats-hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market in urban fantasy, paranormal, and young adult genres.

Friend them on Facebook!

Y.A. Comic Book, might not be just for Young Adults...

Pariah

Brent Marks is not a freak. He is one of the Pariah, a group of teens who become extremely intelligent after being cured of a genetic disorder. Although in most ways a normal teen, Brent is considered dangerous and is tracked down by the government who see these kids as an enormous threat. Can he evade them? What do they have planned for Brent and the others?

Pariah is the brain child of Oscar-winning film producer Aron Warner. He came up with the idea after reading an article about in-vitro genetic manipulation. The main characters are teenagers called Vitros who have become super-intelligent as a result of genetic “cures”. Aron, along with illustrator Brett Weldele (The Surrogates) and script writer Philip Gelatt, have partnered with Sea Lion Books to create a new type of hero. There will be 12 issues in this series, with a graphic novel after each 4^th issue.

The art work caught my attention first because it isn't like most YA graphic novels. The colors used are subdued and it looks more like watercolor work which seems to fit the tone of the story.

At the beginning we meet a very melancholy Brent Marks. We get an opening narrative of Brent’s thoughts as he tries to convince both the reader and himself that he is not a freak. We follow Brent though his day where we learn he doesn’t fit in with the rest of the kids. No one in school understands or cares about his ideas and he is socially awkward when trying to talk to a girl. He refers to home as just a “shelter” because he doesn’t have a good relationship with his parents. Through his narrative we learn that he is a Vitro, a teenager with extraordinary intelligence because of his genetic cure. Expressing his intelligence exhilarates him, but it also scares him and he must hide it from society at large. Brent chose not to go live with the other Vitros because he wanted a normal life.

Unfortunately for him and all the other Vitros, a government facility is blown up releasing a deadly virus. The media and government blame it on the Vitros and a witch hunt follows. Brent ends up creating a device to keep some bullies from trying to hurt him, but it appears to have killed them. Brent decides it's safer to go on the run and find the others like him. He makes the mistake of going home to pack and gets captured by the government.

The ground work for the story is being set up in this first issue and therefore there isn’t a lot of action yet. I don’t feel I can make an accurate assessment of the comic based on the first issue. I will hold off judgment until I have read more.

Sheep in waiting...

SS (edited by BAK)