Review by Booklist Review
On a floating landmass resembling a human hand, a nameless and faceless man goes to The Fingers to change his face forever so that he can be reunited with his family, picking up allies along his journey. All of his companions are similarly haunted and wear their hearts on their sleeves, quickly launching into backstories in intricate monologues with little provocation. In a story that refuses to be subtle, Lesniewski's bombastic art style not only mirrors that tone but kicks it in the teeth with a stylish "Kapow!" His artwork is utterly original, an unhinged blend of genre and style combining anime action with character designs that are half 1920's rubber-hose comics and half Mad Max apunkalypse for a truly unique experience. Onomatopoeic words for literally every sound imaginable are ingeniously integrated into the action, curving around bodies flying through the air, or pressing against shattering floorboards. All this would be enough to make this a memorable book, but the level of intricate crosshatched detail in everything from individual hairs to crowd shots to gravity-defying fight scenes makes this a work of art. Every page invites deep scrutiny and will fascinate comics readers who are in it for the artwork. A one-of-a-kind book, perhaps one of the best of the year.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"Ten years of isolation. Because of what I did," muses the protagonist--known only as Faceless--of Lesniewski's brilliantly drawn, genre-bending latest (after Mind MGMT). The anonymous voyager, whose past never comes into sharper focus and whose head has been covered by a broken-off piece of machinery, languishes in self-imposed exile in the wastelands--until he encounters other wanderers, including Giant Jerry and a mechanical genius known as Carp, short for Carpenter ("They made me fix things," she explains, and "now I'm just trying to fix myself"). As they tag along on an epic quest to restore Faceless's visage and identity, the motley crew explore the hidden alleyways, bustling main streets, and towering architecture of the Finger Cities. Upstart challengers, alien technology, and the bizarre, almost sentient terrain are among the uncanny obstacles that threaten this found family's bond, as they face physical and metaphysical trials. The plot takes a back seat to the visual delights of Lesniewski's surreal, fantastical planetscape, rendered in remarkably innovative brushwork and distorted perspectives. It's a true visual feast. (July)
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