Thus far in its short run, Deep State has managed to capture the attention of more than a few people.  Other than the readers of the series, there are already rumours of a television series based on it as well.  While there are those that have noted the X-Files influence on the series, this is still something different and freshly creative.  This issue is an excellent representation of how this series operates differently away from the focus of others in the genre.  While the X-Files has even managed some depictions in comics, it is still a property which belongs more so on television, and this series had benefited and continues to benefit from the approach which is geared more towards comics.

Comics have the ability to reach out to different areas with a lot more ease, and that is evident here.  For the same story which focuses in part on the moon, it would have taken an intricate set to replicate the same atmosphere which is replicated here with the artwork of Ariela Kristantina.  The series uses these special effects to its benefit while also not dwelling on them.  As the end issue of the first arc, this issue of course wraps up the conflict of the alien/not-so-alien which has taken over the small town.  There is a bit of cliched characterization by the end of this first issue (conjuring a bit of Agent May from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) but for a series that took so many conspiracy cliches and gave them new life, it deserves a free pass or two in something more common at the end.

The end of the story arc is maybe not as engaging as the lead-in to it, but the first story arc did well to implant this series on the comic scene.  As it comes from one of the smaller independents, probably fewer people will see this, but it is a series which deserves the attention, and for its own merits.  It may be similar to a television show and might be based on conspiracies which we know all too well, but it breathed fresh life into them, and so it is exciting to see where they might go next.

Story: Justin Jordan  Art: Ariela Kristantina
Story: 8.8  Art: 8.8 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Boom Studios provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review.