PARALLEL BY JASON DOUGLAS, ADAM FERRIS & JUSTIN BIRCH
When first entering the world of Parallel I had no idea what to expect. The foreword introduced the concept of destiny and control. How free are we truly? Can we ever escape who we are supposed to become? Lastly, and most importantly, who decides who we are supposed to be? Protagonist Landon Smith is not the architect of his destiny. Life has made all his choices for him until something inside Landon finally decides to intervene.
Landon Smith was meant to be a rockstar. He was part of a popular band. He was living his dream. But like many creatives, his dream was not sustainable. Dreams gave-way to bills and responsibilities. Hope was pushed to the side and replaced by the cruel reality of American capitalism. Some people create things, most work for people who create things. Landon could have created something amazing through his musical talent. Instead of an adventurous career as a rockstar, he fell into the monotonous routine of corporate America. His boss? None other than his high-maintenance wife.
His passion is a relic of the past. Dusty and discarded like an old photograph. Landon has barely scratched the surface of his potential and he knows it. He isn’t getting any younger. His wife isn’t getting any more open-minded. He is trapped in a life that he never wanted. So much so that when he is hit by a bus, detectives consider it as a suicide attempt.
The reality, or Landon’s reality rather, is that his past and potential have manifested into what appears to be an alter ego. Landon was pushed by himself. A version of himself that could have achieved the dream he strived for so many years ago. He was pushed by his parallel. Landon is so discontent with his life that even death seemed like a better alternative at times.
While this may seem extreme, Landon’s tale is all too relatable. Creatives can easily become drones out of necessity. Dreams don’t always keep the lights on. Landon conveys the consequences of a life unlived because there is a huge difference between living and surviving. He has lived when he was chasing his dream. He began to survive when it no longer seemed attainable. The responsibilities of marriage and adulthood ate away at his confidence and drive to achieve greatness. Parallel forces readers to split themselves into two categories. 1. Who we are. 2. Who we could be. Jason Douglas gives readers a clear message. Giving up on your dream is worse than dying because giving up is effectively killing a part of yourself.
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PARALLEL SSCO GARNER VARIANT: https://sanctumsanctorumcomics.com/products/04-29-2020-parallel-ssco-garner-variant?_pos=2&_sid=ad9fa6cd5&_ss=r
Diamond Order Code: FEB20 1983
Comic Book Chuck’s Take
Landon Smith’s tale hits very close to home. This book is needed now more than ever because we are all faced with a choice. We can choose to take the most logical route to survival and employment. Or, we can take a gamble on our dreams and face the adversity of building something new. We can only stifle our hopes and aspirations for so long until they resurface and guide us to our destiny.
Rating: 6/6 Infinity Stones
Amazing art and an immersive story earn this book a solid 100%.