I found Asylum a bit of a muddled strip. I never quite got to what it was aiming at in this first story. A couple of people have mentioned in this section that here is room in 2000ad for a romps that are there mainly to support a good old bit of action and fun all presented with glorious art. I’d certainly support that idea, and there’s countless stories to evidence this working brilliantly in the comic.
When this is used as the default setting, as I’ve speculated, not without evidence, partly resulted from the mandate Andy Diggle gave his creators, it can misfire as often as not. I think this could be the perfect example of that.
We’re well into Matt Smith’s reign as Tharg’s little helper at this point but it’s fair to say much of the ethos that his predecessor gave remains. Whether this is because stuff was in the pipe line already, or whether, as seems likely, at this point it’s just that Matt Smith agrees I can only guess at. There is clear evidence that he is trying to get more of a balance to things and stories that need space are getting it (see my review of Red Seas) but sometime it feels like strips are cramped into the 8 (or 9) part format that Andy Diggle liked.
Asylum for me is an example of this... maybe. It doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be and mixes many different things up. It has a real ‘tough cop’ vibe to it, it toys with being a Nemesis tribute strip it even plays with being a fun examination of alien cultures. Throwing it all together in such a small space means none of that really gels or works completely. Given more space could it have pulled off all it wanted to be? Not sure maybe it just lacked direction? It certainly had some fun bits to it and Boo Cook’s art is ok, if a bit cute for my palate, but bits of it don’t stick together.
The way the female led, whose name escapes me sorry, flips sides is utterly unconvincing and seems very heavy handed. With more space could this have been worked through, with the other issues I have? You know I’m just not sure.
Confused.
