A Thing Called Truth

by Iolanda Zanfardino (writer) Elisa Romboli (artist)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really wanted to like this comic, and to be fair I did until the very end. The ending just wasn’t much of an ending at all and for me, that ruined everything that came before it. The story ends so abruptly and with only one story thread somewhat being resolved. This made much of the narrative feel pointless.

(I have not found any source that suggests there will ever be more to this story. If that should happen I will reevaluate my review.)

All My Thoughts

May contain spoilers.

This story had so much potential, and it feels like that was the frame of mind the creators were in when they started it. But once they got down to it this grand story idea became one small plot line.

The creators introduced so many really interesting story elements right off the bat. Scientist Mag gets fired from her job because her research would save lives inexpensively and the shady people she works for want to keep it to make the big bucks like a greedy corporation. We also learn so much about her failed marriage and the fact that her life is in shambles because she was so dedicated to her job. Then we meet Dorian who has an intense amount of content to her character. She wants to go on this giant road trip in honor of her late brother who loved movies, so she is visiting iconic places from movie scenes she reads about in his journal. All the while though, Dorian is aware she may have the same disease that killed him but doesn’t want to know, choosing to just live life to the fullest instead. So much here!

I can look past the somewhat cheesy story of Mag agreeing to go with her after Dorian basically steals her car while she’s passed out in the back. Mag has a lot to figure out about her priorities and nothing holding her back so why not? These two were really cute together, both teaching the other a little more about life. Dorian teaching Mag to just loosen up and Mag, inadvertently, teaches Dorian that there are other things in life to live for. The romance was really cute and these story threads just keep following them outside of their knowledge as the road trip continues. We get glimpses of some of the things going on the Mag left, though it is clear it’s not so cut and dry. Dorian on the other hand still needs to take her life seriously and do something about her unclear health.

The story however drops ALL of this. The narrative ends when the two of them admit their feelings to one another and get together. And that’s it. There is nothing more about the relationship after a first kiss even. We see nothing else resolved despite being reminded of these other plot threads the entire time. This felt incredibly lazy and overly complicated all at once. I can find no information that suggests there is going to more than 1 volume (5 issues) to this series. I felt cheated. I got invested in every aspect of this story for absolutely no reason. To be honest it felt like I wasted my time. The amazing art is the only reason I did not think any less of this story than I already do.

Overall

This graphic novel has fantastic art, but reading it is a bit of a waste of time. It feels incomplete and abandoned.