The first in the Clockwork Watch “series” is The Arrival and it really caught my attention.
I put “series” in quotes because Clockwork Watch is more than just a comic book line; it’s a transmedia experience too. At least, I think that’s the term. There are LARPs to accompany it, events and art. The Anachronauts Digest is the project’s home on the web and worth checking in on.
As the name hints at – this is a steampunk series. London is in trouble and the invention of clockwork robots may have been aimed at helping out but it hasn’t really worked that way. Now you’ve clockwork people who are taking jobs, doing well and people resent that.
Breakaway leaps forward in time from The Arrival. Janav has grown up and grown a chip on his shoulder. He’s educated, sure, but clearly resents his father and the automations he invented. The clockwork people have moved on too and could, almost, pass as people. No wonder they want their own rights and freedom.
The art and adaptation here is top notch. This isn’t a glossy production. Instead the style invokes thoughts of lines and colours. Clockwork Watch: Breakaway is an ideal choice for a clever reader, especially a steampunk fan, looking for an alternative.
There are some misses in the comic book though. There’s an Indian style font used for some of the text and although that’s a clever idea I really struggled to read it on my Kindle Fire.
