Graphic Novel Review - Alex + Ada Volume 1 - Sarah Vaughn & Jonathan Luna
Alex + Ada Volume 1 is the start of a wonderfully absorbing science-fiction graphic novel series that looks at the morality behind the creation of robots and sentient life.
When Alex is gifted an android by his grandmother, he struggles to get over the fact that Ada is completely subservient to him, and though her appearance is human her character is distinctly robotic. She lives entirely by his command, will only have the same opinion as him, and is clearly the type of android that we've been warned will rebel in the future. After seeing a news report about another android that seemingly broke its programming, Alex seeks to get Ada to do the same.
I was hooked on this right from the start. It's a classic science-fiction theme re-told superbly, looking at the morality behind owning an android with a degree of artificial intelligence. Alex's desire to provide Ada with a mind of her own is one of the big questions that is posed when it comes to AI - do we make androids entirely self-aware and therefore our equals, or do we put in programming to keep them our servants? Alex's struggle with what to do is perfect, and I look forward to seeing where their relationship heads following the conclusion of this first volume.
It's also a very recognisable world to our own, despite being set in the future. Beyond androids and an internet that now resides in people's minds, it's as if nothing much has changed, beyond the natural evolution of technology. It feels like all this could be coming in the very near future.
I also absolutely loved the artwork. It's bright and vivid and fits the futuristic setting perfectly. It's interesting just how much the style of art can affect your enjoyment of a story (no matter how stupid it sounds, I can't connect with the Golden and Silver age style of comics in the same way I do the modern), but this is absolutely spot on for it's subject matter.
I really can't wait for the second volume of this story. I'm hoping to see a lot more of Alex + Ada adapting to her new found sentience, and how they hide it from the rest of the world. This is surely a must-read for fans of science-fiction.
5/5
