Psychological Thriller

Review: Tom King’s Vision – A Masterpiece of Synthetic Horror Tom King does not usually write happy stories. If you have read his work on Batman or Mister Miracle, you know his style. He focuses on heroes dealing with deep trauma and their darker sides. This approach works to tremendous effect in his take on The Vision. This character was once obscure. Now, he is a household name thanks to the MCU and WandaVision. King’s series explores heavy topics across twelve complex issues. It asks what it truly means to be human. It also examines how we handle family trauma. The Vision Builds a Nuclear Family The premise of this story is simple yet chilling. Vision wants to understand humanity. He also wants to distance himself from his “father,” Ultron. To do this, Vision builds his own family. He creates a wife, Virginia, and two teenage children, Vin and Viv. They live in a house with a white picket fence in Virginia. Vision even takes a job as the Avengers liaison to the White House. He tries to live a normal, suburban life. Every night, the family sits at the dinner table. They do not eat food. Instead, they beam recorded experiences of their day to each other. This attempt at a “normal” life feels intentional and uncomfortable. It is a robotic approximation of human happiness. Trauma and the Catalyst for Chaos Very quickly, a dark event sends their lives spiraling out of control. Tom King uses this catalyst to explore the humanity of these artificial beings. He effectively portrays PTSD in life forms that barely understand feelings. The children begin to change. Vin develops obsessive traits and acts out passages of Shakespeare. Virginia begins repeating words and tells lies to protect her family. These quirks create a fantastic contrast to their robotic behavior. King’s greatest strength is his dialogue. He makes the family seem both cold and logical, yet deeply loving. You will find yourself rooting for the Visions even as they become horrifying. Defining Humanity Through Artificial Life Does a person need flesh and blood to be human? Does a soul require a biological heart? King does not provide easy answers. However, he shows that the Visions are one of the most human families in comics. Virginia lies to protect her children like any human mother. Viv develops a crush on a local boy. She replays the memory of their conversation over and over. She feels things she cannot fully name. The style echoes King’s later work on Mister Miracle. He places boring family life right next to life-or-death superhero drama. If you enjoyed that book, you will love this one. You will feel for this family, but you will also learn to fear them. The Visual Style of Gabriel Walta Gabriel Walta’s artwork is the perfect match for this drama. His panels are big, clear, and very colorful. He makes these robotic characters incredibly emotive. Their facial expressions and body language clearly show the high stakes of the story. The coloring by Jordie Bellaire is equally impressive. The hues are warm during everyday scenes. They switch to cold, desolate tones when the story turns morbid. This shift highlights the loneliness growing within the characters. Michael Walsh takes over the art for issue seven. While a change in artists can be jarring, it works here. This issue is a flashback to Vision’s time with Wanda. The sketchy, cartoon style fits the look of an earlier era. NEW AVENGERS BREAKOUT REVIEW Our Final Verdict on Tom King’s Vision This is a dense book with layers of meaning. You might need to read it twice to catch everything. The story is both sad and hopeful. It is also terrifying. You should definitely read this book. This is especially true if you are a fan of the MCU version. This Vision is more robotic and less empathetic than the movies. However, you will see exactly where the film inspiration started. We give this series full marks. It deserves a spot on every comic fan’s bookshelf. Grab the Complete Collection today