The Department of Truth #1 Review

Writer: James Tynion IV

Artist: Martin Simmonds

Rating: 6 of 8

The Department of Truth #1

 

Everyone knows conspiracy theorists are full of it... aren't they? When you hear people say the Earth is flat, or that the moon landing was faked, you probably dismiss them, knowing the Earth's round and that the landing was legit. But here, you get the impression such conspiracies have a lot more credence than you might expect.

Though going in, I didn't expect the explanation Tynion ultimately gave, it was an interesting one nevertheless. He was also wise in opening the issue the way he did, as he utilized one of the most hotly debated assassinations in history, that being that of JFK. It's also pretty brilliant how this wasn't simply used to open the issue and that it came into play in a pretty interesting way.

If there was anything I'd criticize about the issue, it's that I wish more of it was in the moment, rather than most of it being a recounting of what had happened. I also would've liked to have seen a bit more of the last conspiracy we see, which is breathtakingly brought to life by Martin Simmonds. At times, the issue can be a bit wordy, with a large influx of dialogue as Agent Turner recounts his tale.

When it comes to the art, it's very reminiscent of longtime Bendis collaborator, Alex Maleev, which fits the issue, given it's closed in nature. Simmonds gives a distanced feeling to the opening scene, which almost makes the situation and some of it's people feel further away than they are. It's a little scary and unclear, which definitely fits, given the abnormal situation.

Overall, it's a pretty good opening issue, that could be a bit better in certain aspects. Could be worth checking out, if only for some interesting ideas and solid art.