Polite Dissent

My medical review of issues #1 and #2 of Kinetic can be found here.

Kinetic #2 Stupid Pretty
Kelley Puckett, writer
Warren Pleece, artist

This issue starts out with Tom in the hospital after having suffered what seems to be some kind of seizure at the end of issue #2. The doctors refer to Tom as having suffered a grand mal seizure. A grand mal (or gran mal) seizure is also known as a generalized tonic-clonic seizure or a major motor seizure. It is what most people think of when they think of seizures, with the patient suffering rigidity and then jerking of the whole body. Tongue biting, loss of postural control, and incontinence are common.

However, Tom is showing no evidence of the muscle activity associated with a grand mal seizure. He instead seems to be having a petit mal seizure. This is also known as an absence seizure, and is characterized by a prolonged staring spell with a vacant expression. Like a grand mal seizure, loss of body tone and incontinence are common.

If he was having a grand mal seizure, I’m impressed that the nurses were able to place an IV; it can be challenging enough on a quiet patient, let alone one who is jerking and thrashing.

Seizure patients are extremely tired for hours after a seizure, but Tom doesn’t seem to be experiencing this post-seizure tiredness, and is actually rather garrulous.

Overall, the book proceeded along at a pace that can be generously referred to as glacial. By the end of the third issue, Tom is just beginning to realize that he has some sort of poorly defined superpowers.

I’m also a little puzzled by his mother’s attitude. For the first two issues, she was clinging to Tom, and not letting him have any freedom. Suddenly – the day after a seizure requiring a trip to the hospital – she’s leaving him alone.

I’m enjoying the comic. It has a complex character in Tom, and it’s interesting seeing him come to terms with the changes in his life. The art, especially the coloring, is bland with a very limited palate, but I suspect that’s intentional to show the bleakness of Tom’s life. I look forward to reading more issues of Kinetic, but I worry that its slow pace will not allow it to build enough of an audience to continue.