Citizen Rex, by Mario & Gilbert Hernandez

Story and Art: Mario & Gilbert Hernandez

Rating 4 out of 5 stars

The three Hernandez Brothers are best known for their work on the long-running Love and Rockets. Jaime and Gilbert are the most prolific, with Mario contributing the occasional short story. Mario and Gilbert have also collaborated before, on the "Me for the Unknown" serial which ran in Love and Rockets volume two.

Citizen Rex is set in a retro futuristic metropolis apparently located somewhere in Latin America. The ostensible protagonist is Sergio Bauntin, aka Bloggo, a web columnist. Sergio is really there as an observer, linking together the various other characters and uncovering the connections between events.

The plot is put in motion by the reappearance of CTZ-RX-1, i.e. Citizen Rex, a robot with extremely advanced artificial intelligence who can pass for human and change his appearance. Various individuals and factions throughout the city are seeking Rex, each for their own agendas. Rex, meanwhile, is at work on his own mysterious goals.

While all this is going on, GRA Industries, the creators of Rex, are going forward with their plan to market replacement limbs & body parts that will "improve" humanity. This results in the formation of two protest groups. The WEM movement (standing for "Water, Electricity, Meat," evoking the basic necessities for survival) want humanity to "stay pure." Then there are the Robot Rights activists, completely mechanical robots who want equal rights for machine life. It is not clear if the WEM and Robot Rights groups are clashing, or working together. At times it appears that each is ready to use the other to advance their cause.

Adding to the general mayhem is the gigantic towering black edifice that has mysteriously appeared in the middle of the city, with the word "WHY?" written on the side.

Mario and Gilbert are clearly exploring the question of what it means to be a human. Does the replacement of flesh with metal & circuitry make one less human? How close is Rex, a robot who looks like a person and possesses emotions, to being human? Is humanity defined by biology or by actions? Certainly Rex and other robots seem to be more capable of empathy than many of the human corporate and criminal figures in the story.

In the final issue, a lot of the plot becomes clearer, as we find out just how interconnected the various characters are. There is a complex web of intrigue among the numerous players. This reminded me of Gilbert's Love and Rockets graphic novels Blood of Palomar and Poison River, as well as the aforementioned "Me for the Unknown." There is very much a soap opera element to Citizen Rex, with its complicated familial connections and shifting financial alliances. And the cast of characters are extremely distinctive & unusual. Most of the players have one eccentricity or another.

In the end, I'm not sure how well all the diverse elements of Citizen Rex come together, though. The various relationships and scheming among the characters are still a bit of a tangle by the conclusion of the miniseries. And I am uncertain of how exactly Rex and the mysterious block are connected together, much less what the purpose is for the imposing structure.

I think that, as with the aforementioned Love and Rockets graphic novels, Citizen Rex would benefit from additional readings. I enjoyed Blood of Palomar much more the second time, as I was able to discern how certain elements fit together. I'll have to see if that's the case with Citizen Rex, if I have an opportunity to re-read it.

One thing is for sure: it is not a casual read. You really have to pay careful attention, and think about what is really going on.

The entertaining summaries of previous issues (ostensibly written by Sergio Bauntin as part of his blog) on the inside front covers of issue #s 2 to 6 do help in keeping track of the twisting storylines.

Regarding the artwork, I'm going to hazard a guess that Mario did the layouts, with Gilbert providing finished pencils and inks. The details look much more like Gilbert than Mario. Well, whoever drew what, it does look good.

Gilbert excels at combining pulp sci-fi trappings with surreal details and sequences. There are definite elements of both Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby's styles on Citizen Rex. Not surprising, given that Gilbert is a self-proclaimed fan of both artists. The artwork stands on its own merits, though. Gilbert may use Ditko and Kirby as starting points, but he goes off in his own unique direction.

Of course, Gilbert is also a master at rendering sexy women. The character of Sigmund Skink is a curvaceous bombshell. At the same time, Gilbert can draw a diverse selection of female characters. Sergio's three aunts are drawn as middle-aged, and Sigmund's mother Renata is an older woman who was once very beautiful, but appears to have had plastic surgery in an attempt to retain her faded youth.

One strange character is the nutty Dr. Zazie from GRA Industries. She looked like someone Fred Hembeck would draw, minus the knee & elbow squiggles, of course. But, given that Hembeck is a long-time Ditko fan, that could explain the similarity. Zazie is rather Ditko-esque. She reminds me of Madame Menace (a villain Ditko created in Machine Man) with really big hair.

While I do not think Citizen Rex is the strongest work Mario and Gilbert Hernandez have done, it is still a solid miniseries with incredible artwork. There are a few weaknesses in the writing, but it is a story that will leave you thinking. And, as I said before, I suspect it is one of those works that reveals more the second time around.

If you are a fan of Gilbert's Palomar and Luba stories, then Citizen Rex is worth a look.