Cyber Realm by Wren McDonald

Writer/Artist: Wren McDonald
Publisher: Nobrow Press
Release Date: August 11, 2015
Nobrow’s final 17 × 23 series installment is Wren McDonald’s Cyber Realm, the story of an everyman reborn a la The Six Million Dollar Man to fistfight a post-cyberpunk tyrant. At only 24 pages, McDonald doesn’t have the room to stretch his longform muscles, but he favors the tightly woven narrative of a side-scrolling arcade game. Cyber Realm is light on story, but McDonald allows his stylized cartooning to carry the weight of the comic.
McDonald doesn’t abandon narrative completely, and his characters portray interesting subversions of archetypes. Protagonist Nicolas is the classic “chosen one,” with the responsibility to save the day. But he’s inept: an id, driven by the all-consuming desire for revenge. He never develops the arc of a Neo or Katniss or Luke Skywalker, but that’s to Cyber Realm’s benefit. The author emphasizes a sensational experience over a linear, structured story, and Nicolas’ rage and anger provide that fuel. This keeps the narrative tight and lean, moving from set piece to set piece without a moment of rest. Nicolas bombastically fights an evil cyborg named Dark Edge before immediately gliding across the desert on a hoverbike. This expediency adds a level of engagement that sustains the book, and McDonald’s humorous, energetic style fully immerses the reader in the action. The rare beats of calm are more than welcome, though, allowing brief glimpses into the larger world.
Cyber Realm Interior Art by Wren McDonald