Written by: Pierrick Colinet
Art by: Elsa Charretier
Publisher: IDW
When I read the first issue of The Infinite Loop, I knew there was something special about it. OK, so it was a little rough around the edges, and the story was mildly ambiguous and linear, but on the whole, I had a lot of fun with it. The Infinite Loop #2 builds on all of that and multiplies its appeal by a hundred. The story steps up a notch, and the characters are better presented. This is indeed a science fiction romp with elements of time travel and lasers and futuristic nuances, but at the heart of the story lies so much more.
Teddy, the main character, has up until now been presented as a hardened veteran in her field of work; she has seen so many things in her four years of service that even she admits to having a ‘screw loose.’ Hunting down the anomalies she swore to erase has led her to Ano, the first anomaly to take human form. Teddy has become enamored by her, and even with her steely-faced approach to love, she can’t help but turn into a shy and clumsy schoolgirl whenever Ano is near. On top of this dynamic, you have two guys who work for the same company out to track Teddy down as she’s off the grid—even her friend Ulysses doesn’t know where she went. There is a constant, background dread throughout the issue, and you have that feeling that Teddy and Ano will get found out by the end; however, that doesn’t stop you from wanting the two agents’ trail to go cold.
Pierrick Colinet has written a fast-paced, thoroughly engrossing story that doesn’t let up. At its core, there is a tender and sweet love story that questions the very notion of choosing love above all else. It goes to show that no matter what the environment, love can always be challenged by the circumstances it faces and lambasted by the people that oppose it.
The artwork is beautiful. Although simplistic in design, Elsa has drawn beautiful panels that elicit a Blade Runner vibe. Whenever we see Teddy and Ano together, the colouring changes from a minimalistic autumnal feel to a neon, cyberpunk flurry of colours that are bold and bright—much like their blossoming romance which is constantly bubbling just underneath the surface.
I want to read the next issue now. I rarely feel this way about a comic, but the hard work that Pierrick and Elsa have put into it makes me thirsty for more. The Infinite Loop #2 is a nicely crafted comic that is a hundred times more engaging that the first in terms of the sci-fi element, with the romance between Teddy and Ano also being a main draw. The first issue was in no way terrible, but the two talents behind this series are clearly getting better, and I am positive that The Infinite Loop will be receiving a lot more praise as it continues.
