Wren McDonald

SP4RX is the story of mankind clawing for survival. Set in a future where a class system has emerged, the world is divided into four levels, with the elite ruling from the extravagant top level.
SP4RX, is a young hacker who lives off grid, hacks into corporations and sells stolen data to wealthy buyers on the black market – just your average thief. Mega corporation Structus Industries introduces a welfare program called the “Elpis Program”, which allows the working class to apply for show more Cybernetic implants to make workers more efficient. On the surface, it seems like a program to empower the poor and allow them to rise to the ranks of the elite. But SP4RX soon discovers all is not as it seems… SP4RX and Structus are set on a collision course with the fate of humanity at stake in Wren McDonald’s latest sci-fi tale of survival and corruption!

SP4RX is not a feel good story. SP4RX is not a romance. SP4RX contains a lot of profanity and some (non sex-related) nudity. If what you look for in a graphic novel is stuff getting blown up, people getting shot, killer robots, bad guys that are just straight up bad guys, and good guys that may also be bad guys, then SP4RX should definitely appeal. The human figures are simplistically drawn, especially their faces, but still convey emotion and action in an effective manner. The artist saves detail for the hacking scenes, which is an excellent tactic, because it creates more drama during plot points that could be otherwise hard to convey. Hacking, in this case, is done in a Matrix fashion, with the characters actually taking a “physical” form in the program. The artist also puts detail into the scenes involving the low-level citizenry, creating a sense of clutter and crowdedness. There are also multiple scenes of senseless violence toward the lower class, conveying the hopelessness of living in a society where those without wealth are seen as dispensable. Meanwhile, art depicting the upper levels show scenes of organization and cleanliness. While there is still violence in the mid-level, it is not as rampant and blatant as on the lower level. I enjoyed reading SP4RX because it tells a big story in a simple style that will appeal to reluctant readers. I would recommend this book to teens with the maturity to understand that violence isn’t really the answer to most problems, but is super-entertaining in a graphic novel. show less

SP4RX is the story of mankind clawing for survival. Set in a future where a class system has emerged, the world is divided into four levels, with the elite ruling from the extravagant top level. SP4RX, a young hacker who lives off grid, hacks into corporations and sells stolen data to wealthy buyers on the black market - just your average thief. Mega corporation Structus Industries introduces a welfare program called the "Elpis Program”, which allows the working class to apply for show more Cybernetic implants to make workers more efficient. On the surface, it seems like a program to empower the poor and allow them to rise to the ranks of the elite. But SP4RX soon discovers all is not as it seems... SP4RX and Structus are set on a collision course with the fate of humanity at stake in Wren McDonald’s latest sci-fi tale of survival and corruption! show less

By far, the story that I liked the most in this anthology was Connor Willumsen's.