Back in Oliver #1 we met what appears to be most of our main characters.  Here in issue 2 we learn the story and what is happening.  It is nothing new, and follows form pretty closely, but when you call your Comic “Oliver” after the Charles Dickens classic book of the same name, of course you are going to draw from known templates.  With this title it will not be about how original the format is, it will be about what they do with it that matters.  Can they make this title something unique that stands out, or will it be a typical cookie cutter story?

Not Just Another Sheep

As we find out, Oliver is a forbidden hybrid.  One of the IVC soldiers escaped their compound and had a child with the woman we met back in issue #1.  Apparently, she knew this as she came back to the soldiers when it was time to have her child.  No big deal, though, right?  Who knows Oliver is with the IVC?  Well, apparently a soldier attempting to save his own life blabs the whole thing to the wrong people.  They are coming…

Oliver knows he does not fit in, and I really like the lengths he is going to trying to be just another one of the guys.  Hair must not be a clone trait as Oliver shaves his head to try and blend in.  He wants to go to work with his father figure so bad he will do anything, like shaving his head.

There is one big problem.  Oliver doesn’t fit in.  No matter how hard he tries, his individuality, spunk and rebellious streak always win out.  In issue 1 it was stealing someone’s medal just to be obnoxious.  In this one, its his strength and attitude.  He works much faster than the others in the factory, a point which I will come back to in a minute, he sees the way everyone is treated in this factory and knows it isn’t right, and finally, THE SCENE.  That’s right, if you are gonna call your comic Oliver, you might as well throw in the typical “Please, sir, may I have some more” scene.

The “Scene”

While appropriate that the scene would be there, it then differs in one major way.  The real “Oliver” meekly asks for more and runs.  This Oliver goes toe-to-toe with a guard five times his size!  Not only that, he kills him!  Now we know Oliver is not only super agile, he is super strong, a gifted fighter and able to heal very quickly. The one thing we do not know yet is the purpose young Ollie will serve, but about that…

The Real IVC Life

The new aspect of the IVC we see in this comic is their daily lives.  We know they are confined to this certain area, but now we get a glimpse of their work life – slavery, serfdom, indentured servitude.  However, you want to label it, it is neither a free life nor a happy life.  Will Oliver be the catalyst for change the IVC needs to live free?  Guess we shall find out as we continue to read.

One last thing, contrary to hat we were led to believe in issue #1, Oliver’s mother survived and is out there somewhere.  He tosses a letter from her into a fire and tells his father she can go to hell.  You know this thread isn’t over yet!