Written by: Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn
Art by: Jonathan Luna
Publisher: Image
Alex + Ada #9 extends its winning streak this month. When I first heard of this series, written by one half of the duo responsible for Girls, Ultra, and The Sword, I knew I would have to pick it up. I did not expect that nine issues later, this may be the best work Jonathan Luna has done so far in his career.
Ada is a newly “freed” android, meaning that she has gained sentience. Not only can she think for herself, but we learn in this issue that she can also feel for herself. This distinction is important because Ada is not simply a vessel who Alex can fill with knowledge. Ada is instead learning things on her own in this issue, which again subtly shows how Ada has grown since her “awakening” at the beginning of the series. Ada’s learning curve is steep however, as this marks the first time that she has had to act like a human in order to protect herself and her new android friends. Things go south quickly though, when we learn that the FBI has the right to stop any possible sentient androids on the street, just based on baseless suspicion (“A bit hot to be wearing a jacket, don’t you think?”). The parallels to the Untied States and its continued march towards becoming a police state 24/7 were not lost on this reader. “When they came for my android, I said nothing,” in other words. Luna and Vaughn continue to craft a world that is at once believable, far-fetched, and captivating.
As impressed as I was by Ada’s growth and characterization in this issue, I was equally impressed with Alex’s. Alex, we learned last issue, was left by his fiancé some time ago. We don’t know why and we’ll probably never find out. Unfortunately, given Alex’s behavior in the past eight issues, his abandonment comes as no real surprise. Having said that, Alex is finally starting to come into his own a bit in this issue. Once again, this is because of a believable and touching growth arc that Luna and Vaughn have been cultivating since the start. Not only is Alex changing, but sentient androids are among the ones driving him towards that change. Consider this exchange: “She’s doing exactly what’s best for her, and that’s exactly why you unlocked her, isn’t it?” “It is. You’re right. It is.”
I wasn’t sure how long a series about a newly sentient robot could continue, but now that Ada is on the run and Alex is becoming more human than ever, it’s clear this story has legs. Luna and Vaughn continue to pile on the problems for our unlikely couple, I only hope that there is some sort of relief for them soon. Even if it’s only in the form of a friendly virtual reality forum.
