When an ambitious and troubled video game programmer dares to audition for a secret society in the gaming/tech industry, composed of cutthroat, genius masterminds that promise to help their members achieve their wildest dreams, he and his rebellious co-worker find themselves in a gauntlet of real-life puzzles that quickly turn deadly. Are they truly smart enough to survive the mysterious game of the Masterminds? Masterminds #1 feels like a mix of some beloved properties but underneath skewers the video game industry and employment in general.

Written by Zack Kaplan, Masterminds #1 takes us into the world of video game development where a talented designer, Edward, winds up working in a group on a game where his focus is the details of trees. It skewers the industry talking about the perks, like going to game conventions, only to see the devs being forced to work long hours to deliver a playable demo during the convention. The comic shines a spotlight on the crunch of video game development which has been an issue raised for years and regularly discussed as part of the abuse of workers in the industry. It goes beyond that calling out an industry focused more on tie-ins and licensing their properties out as well as microtransactions, all of that over the gameplay itself. But, that abuse goes up to 11 as Edward solves a puzzle while at a party and introducing him to Masterminds, a secret society that’s all about power and success. To get in, you must go through their sadistic quests that piles up the bodies.

Kaplan gives a wink and a nod with an interesting commentary on today’s employment environment which leads to the abuse of the workers, endangering their health and at times leading to their death without a second thought from corporate masters. It’s a system where one kills themselves to barely rise and get minimal raises while Masterminds is that same sacrifice on a grander scale, but of others, to get ahead. It raises the debate that those succeed do so at the inhumane expense and abuse of others. Both are acceptable by society in different ways.

The art by Stephen Thompson with color by Thiago Rocha and lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou gives an almost Tron sequel meets horror vibe. There’s a shock to what’s witnessed as the comic does a solid job of building to its reveals. What feels like a simple game to start escalates visually but those visuals are interesting in that they suck in the readers to try to solve the problems as well. It’s a comic where every panel might hold a clue and begs to be examined.

Masterminds #1 can be taken at a surface level reading and just a mindfuck of a horror game but it also has something more to say. The first issue seems to give a finger as to where we are as a society when it comes to success in one’s career and hopefully we get to see more of that as the body count rises with each issue.

Story: Zack Kaplan Art: Stephen Thompson
Color: Thiago Rocha Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle