Everyone has that certain someone in their office that seems to relish in causing chaos. For the IT team in ‘Adventures of a System Admin’ that person is Rik. Over the previous issues the company has had hacker and malware problems. Our hero or lead guy JJ has been putting out fires and taking care of the computer stuff which is mostly caused by employee negligence. This comic-book dealing with the problems of the everyman, regular people without the threat of a dystopia on the horizon is a refreshing read. One that in a sea of supermen and mutants is necessary since comics are the best places for good old storytelling.
In JJ’s life we see his Dominican heritage seamlessly weaved into his world. His parents are happy he’s seeing someone with a job. His mother wants to make sure he leaves home with a full belly. Always a full spread JJ’s mother thinks of the possible weary traveler, or someone stopping by in need of sustenance There’s also his colleagues at work who have lives outside the IT department. You see them volunteering their services, unwinding and relaxing. Essentially, these characters are leading lives their readers live. Consider analyzing ‘System Admin’ as a meta-experience, there are people reading comics as you’re going through this one, you also have a man who’s good at his job, has a nemesis and is just trying to date and be a young person. In our lives we all have obstacles, our kryptonite, but it’s not actually some rock that Batman keeps in his utility belt. Here JJ is going about the business of being a good son and by the end of the comic-book a good friend when he takes a stand against the ineptitude of bureaucracy.
Writer Juan Espinosa and equally as important artist El Santa and colorist Candella Grizutti are weaving a narrative and visuals to show likeable characters in inventive artwork. In order to make some pages pop there will be a vibrant color against a muted background, where a character will be wearing a yellow shirt. Several characters are grouped together and scenes where there are multiple speakers are not lost since the dialogue bubbles are well placed. What’s more the characters look like people you would see on the street. JJ especially with his cool beard and glasses or Sandro with bushy soul patch have the look of people you see in the drugstore or your local coffee place.
This third issue of ‘Adventures of a System Admin’ cleanses the palette of heavy interstellar stories, or dystopian futures. Sometimes you just want to read about a guy who has to deal with rude coworkers. And it can be an enjoyable experience.
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