Minotaur #1 Review: Technology = Magic

Minotaur, the new book from Ignition Press by Si Spurrier and Micheal Dowling is a book that peaked my interest purely on vibes alone. We often throw around the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” but in this case I’m glad I did. I got to read the “Cold Open” from Free Comic Book Day and the first issue of the series which is now in stores. While the cold open is not a 100% necessary prequel I really enjoyed it and it helped me jump right into the first issue. 

Minotaur is set in an almost post-apocalyptic world where time is starting to bleed. There are widespread instances of things from different time periods appearing where they should not be. This was brought on by a singularity almost destroying the earth. This Singularity spawned on Wall Street, where an AI was being used by the American Government. Now why would the Government be using an AI on Wall Street you ask. Well I’ll let you put those pieces together. They were at least calculated enough to have a kill switch on this AI which stopped the full on apocalypse. Even after only 3.3 milliseconds that was enough to let things leak into the present time. 

The cold open gives you some context for the main character Gloria Monday, a photo journalist who has been tasked with visiting the sights of the time anomalies. She is also believed to be one of the only people who was able to see the aftermath of Wall Street before it was completely zoned off. Now she’s been hired by an “anonymous” tech billionaire to investigate. She is accompanied by his “privacy coordinator” Sarah Devangan. The two are very much opposite in how they handle situations one carries a camera, the other a gun. The first symptom of time-slippage the two go to investigate is in Northern India where a “Weretiger” has been attacking residents. “Weretiger” is one of those phrases that I can’t help but be caught off guard by. In a book about a tech induced pseudo-apocalypse, I feel, I can usually understand what the threats may be: rogue AI, time traveling killer androids, time police, and the like. But to be met immediately in issue one with a “Weretiger” which is terrifying to look at mind you, was such an excellent subversion of my expectation and one that really has me locked in on this book. 

While investigating the “Weretiger” Gloria and Sarah are met with US military operatives who are there to lock down the scene and cover up evidence. This drives them to being pinned down when a mysterious portal / rip opens behind them. In it is a scientist who seems to have been touched but the singularity and says that Gloria must have experienced the same thing. This is our first albeit brief look at the Minotaur which I believe is the Singularity in physical form. He addresses their billionaire boss and seems to know who he is, having once worked in Silicon Valley. Not long after he kicks Gloria and Sarah out and they see the Weretiger face-to-face before it disappears and they decide they need drinks. 

The writing and art in Minotaur really help to elevate the story as well. The regular panel where we follow the characters are well drawn but it’s the panels where we see the weird time glitches or references to the singularity that really stand out to me. They are beautifully drawn and somewhat haunting. The writing as well has some quite poetic phrasing at times. The line that sticks out most to me is “We are

Minotaur, the new book from Ignition Press by Simon Spurrier and Micheal Dowling is a book that peaked my interest purely on vibes alone. We often throw around the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” but in this case I’m glad I did. I got to read the “Cold Open” from Free Comic Book Day and the first issue of the series which is now in stores. While the cold open is not a 100% necessary prequel I really enjoyed it and it helped me jump right into the first issue. 

Minotaur is set in an almost post-apocalyptic world where time is starting to bleed. There are widespread instances of things from different time periods appearing where they should not be. This was brought on by a singularity almost destroying the earth. This Singularity spawned on Wall Street, where an AI was being used by the American Government. Now why would the Government be using an AI on Wall Street you ask. Well I’ll let you put those pieces together. They were at least calculated enough to have a kill switch on this AI which stopped the full on apocalypse. Even after only 3.3 milliseconds that was enough to let things leak into the present time. 

The cold open gives you some context for the main character Gloria Monday, a photo journalist who has been tasked with visiting the sights of the time anomalies. She is also believed to be one of the only people who was able to see the aftermath of Wall Street before it was completely zoned off. Now she’s been hired by an “anonymous” tech billionaire to investigate. She is accompanied by his “privacy coordinator” Sarah Devangan. The two are very much opposite in how they handle situations one carries a camera, the other a gun. The first symptom of time-slippage the two go to investigate is in Northern India where a “Weretiger” has been attacking residents. “Weretiger” is one of those phrases that I can’t help but be caught off guard by. In a book about a tech induced pseudo-apocalypse, I feel, I can usually understand what the threats may be: rogue AI, time traveling killer androids, time police, and the like. But to be met immediately in issue one with a “Weretiger” which is terrifying to look at mind you, was such an excellent subversion of my expectation and one that really has me locked in on this book. 

While investigating the “Weretiger” Gloria and Sarah are met with US military operatives who are there to lock down the scene and cover up evidence. This drives them to being pinned down when a mysterious portal / rip opens behind them. In it is a scientist who seems to have been touched but the singularity and says that Gloria must have experienced the same thing. This is our first albeit brief look at the Minotaur which I believe is the Singularity in physical form. He addresses their billionaire boss and seems to know who he is, having once worked in Silicon Valley. Not long after he kicks Gloria and Sarah out and they see the Weretiger face-to-face before it disappears and they decide they need drinks. 

The writing and art in this book really help to elevate the story as well. The regular panel where we follow the characters are well drawn but it’s the panels where we see the weird time glitches or references to the singularity that really stand out to me. They are beautifully drawn and somewhat haunting. The writing as well has some quite poetic phrasing at times. The line that sticks out most to me is “We are become Jonahs of the future, tossed overboard and swallowed for our wickedness.” Sinful sustenance for the techno-leviathan” this line is so powerful and hasn’t left my mind since reading it. 

This book has me hooked and I’m looking forward to seeing what writer Si Spurrier, Artist Mike Dowling, Colorist Sofie Dodgson, and Letterer Hassan Ostmane-Elhaou cook up in the coming issues. Issue 1 is out now and Issue 2 hits shelves on August 26th.

Jonahs of the future, tossed overboard and swallowed for our wickedness. Sinful sustenance for the techno-leviathan” this line is so powerful and hasn’t left my mind since reading it. 

Minotaur has me hooked and I’m looking forward to seeing what writer Si Spurrier, Artist Mike Dowling, Colorist Sofie Dodgson, and Letterer Hassan Ostmane-Elhaou cook up in the coming issues. Issue 1 is out now and Issue 2 hits shelves on August 26th.