A man is living two lives. He is a private detective in a dystopian cyberpunk future trying to solve a triple murder. But when he falls asleep–he wakes up as a wandering adventurer in a barbaric fantasy world where magic exists. Is he two separate people? Or is he a third person that has undergone a psychotic split? He jumps back and forth from sword-wielding barbarian to jaded private eye trying to solve the brutal crime. But the bigger question is, can he merge these realities without losing himself? Subgenre #1 is another intriguing beginning from writer Matt Kindt who sucks you into a layered read that makes you think.

Matt Kindt is a writer whose stories suck you in with an almost ride like experience. They’re often weird, usually wonderful, and always entertaining with a style that straddles mainstream and indie comics. Often, you’re sucked into a spiral like adventure going deeper into a world where the reader is unsure what is reality and what’s not. Subgenre #1 is another example of that delivering a familiar ride that’s also a bit more meta.

I often dislike the self referential releases but Kindt does what he does best using the weird to drive a story but not dwelling on the specifics right away. Here, the world’s entertainment is created by one major mega corporation using AI. A few murders at that corporation leads a detective onto a path that involves cults and printed books. Those printed books… we’re not spoiling it but those who have read Kindt’s past work will appreciate it all.

Subgenre #1 is an interesting start, with a concept we’ve seen before but also something that’s rather topical. It digs needles into digital and physical media. It pokes at giant corporate comics (ironically its publisher Dark Horse was gobbled up by an cross media IP farm after being independent). It feels like there’s potentially a lot more than the surface level adventure of a detective trying to solve some murders.

The art by Wilfredo Torres is solid and entertaining. Along with color by Bill Crabtree and lettering by Jim Campbell, the comic’s two parts work well with subtle differences. And that art is part of the fun and what makes the issue so good. For those who read the back material, Kindt gives his notes that include changes to the color and lettering, or is it all part of the rabbit hole we’re being dragged into? When you can’t tell if the backmatter is just extra behind-the-scenes material or part of the story, you’re in for an adventure. But, back to the art, it delivers a future that’s not quite grimy but overall feels beaten down, a logical extension of where we’re at. It’s futuristic without being totally distracting with a nice tinge of sci-fi oddity thrown in for good measure.

Subgenre #1 is a weird start that dances around and pulls off something so many other comics have failed at. Where it goes with it all is key but I have faith in Kindt who has shown time and time again he can balance short entertainment with long term payoff. The fact he has this reader looking for clues shoes he’s “trained” his readers well to look over every detail, as you’ll never know what will matter.

Story: Matt Kindt Art: Wilfredo Torres
Color: Bill Crabtree Letterer: Jim Campbell
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: TFAW – Kindle