Title: MIND MGMT.
Story-arc: The Mind Management Comprehensive Report 1 of 3.
Volume: Omnibus #1.
Writer(s): Matt Kindt.
Penciller(s): Matt Kindt.
Colourist(s): Matt Kindt.
Letterer(s): Matt Kindt.
Publisher: Dark Horse Books.
Format: Paperback.
Release Date: April 9th 2019.
Pages: 424.
Genre(s): Comics, Science-Fiction, Mystery.
ISBN13: 9781506704609.
My Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆.
It isn’t too far-fetched to think that the world we live in is only what others want us to perceive. It suffices to imagine the hands of a secret organization on all the information we obtain through the Internet to understand that the idea of objective facts is just as subjective as opinions. But how deeply-rooted could some secret organization be in our sources of information to accomplish such a feat? Maybe by incorporating weaponized psychics, hypnotic advertising, and talking dolphins, to our reality, we’ll be able to understand the lurking manipulation we’re all witness of. Matt Kindt offers us an espionage tale exposing governmental corruption and psychological manipulation with his creator-content series: MIND MGMT.
What is MIND MGMT: The Mind Management Comprehensive Report 1 of 3 about? Collecting the first two volumes of this comic book series, the story follows Meru, a true-crime writer obsessed with Flight 815’s mysterious incident where all but one passenger was diagnosed with a serious case of amnesia, coincidentally occurring at the same time as the improbable disappearance of one passenger. As she investigates this case, she uncovers a government agency of immortal spies with psychic abilities who can manipulate the world and its history. Her leads thus help her track down that missing passenger, an incredibly talented ex-agent of the MIND MGMT program who is on the run following one of his greatest failures. Together they unravel a conundrum far bigger than their own lives.
“Like a face from a dream. The more you try to picture it. The more indistinct it becomes.”
— Matt Kindt
It’s a sight to behold when a creator takes the comic book medium and attempts to reimagine the ways it could be used to tell a story. With this first omnibus, Matt Kindt utilizes narrative tools, such as flashbacks, in an incredibly inventive fashion to tell his story. While sparingly utilizing a nonlinear narrative, the story moves in a relatively fast pacing that keeps you enthralled till the end. The addition of some intriguing characters, as well as a balanced exploration of their history, also allows Matt Kindt to present the mysterious yet powerful nature of the top-secret government program. With a touch of science-fiction, he also plays with the reader’s ability to foretell the events to come up with some clever ideas that add an underlying layer of whodunnit. The comic book’s one fatality is in the illustrations, while it doesn’t deter me from continuing on with this series, it remains a hindrance in my overall appreciation.
Sometimes, the artwork is only meant to be the vessel to deliver a story. To think more of it would diminish its purpose and send it whirling into irrelevancy, wreaking havoc on the story’s potential. I told myself that maybe by the end of the first volume within this omnibus I’ll have gotten acclimated to the visual style, absorbing the watercolours, rough penciling, awkward character designs, unconventional panel structure giving it a dose of meta, subliminal coded messages within full-page publicity advertisements, and stories within the margins. The visuals do fit the bill and offer a very surreal scenario that accurately portrays the story’s supernatural elements. It’s just unappealing to me, unable to find myself impressed by its less-than-realistic style. It’s only by the end of the second volume that I started to get sort of used to the artwork and what it was meant to achieve to Matt Kindt’s eyes.
MIND MGMT: The Mind Management Comprehensive Report 1 of 3 is an experimental and riveting espionage mystery delving deep into governmental corruption and psychic manipulation.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a copy for review!
Roars and Echoes 
Great review as always Lashaan! The story really seems fascinating and just by reading your review I want to know how it ends ahah 😄 However, maybe because I am not really used to reading comic books, I am not too thrilled by the illustrations, though I think it is still interesting to see how this format can be used in different ways to tell a story, as you rightly said.Anyway, thanks for sharing! 😊
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Thank you so much, Juliette! 😀 I think this really comes down to how people usually appreciate art. If it doesn’t work at first glance for them and won’t give it a chance to convince them, then this will surely not work for them in that department. But exactly, the story is intriguing and it’s probably the main reason why I’d continue, just to see where it’ll go.
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Yes exactly. But by continuing with the story you’ll get to appreciate the artwork more and more as you’ll get used to it – maybe!
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Man, when I first saw this in my feed I thought you were reviewing some sort of Positive Vibe Lifestyle bs kind of book. Thank goodness it was a comic!
Looking at the art you show at the end reminds me of a webcomic….
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Duuuude hhahaahhahahahahah this had me laughing out loud! I mean, I knew the cover/title would lead many to misjudge it but what you thought it was made me laugh in my beard hahhaahh
And yes… a relatively… ugly… webcomic… 😛
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I’ve seen some pretty ugly webcomics and this is what I definitely call ugly 🙂
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I see what you mean about the art 😉
Great review as always, Lashaan!
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Yep. I think it’ll play on almost everyone’s appreciation of this one. Thanks, Ola! 😀
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At first I thought it was a non fiction book that you reviewed Lashaan because the author had me fooled with that serious title! Now grahic or drawing wise I confess that it’s not the art that just interest me!
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Hahahahah tell me about it! I found it hilarious that the comic looked so serious on the outside… But yes… the inside, however, is bound to ruin everything for a lot of people. At least the story is intriguing, if you’re able to overlook the art here hahahah
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I’ve been intrigued by reviews for this before… but the art is such a turn off! For them and me. So I totally agree with you and eventually took it off my TBR. Since the art IS how the story is delivered in a graphic novel I believe its essential to enjoy the art. If you don’t the story is a wash… and it seems your rating agrees with me. I guess the only time this isn’t true is when the story is so good that the art doesn’t matter…? Maybe. I still think the art is #1 in importance!! 😉
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I can definitely see how this had intrigued you once upon a time and it’s true, it’s quite a turn off and I can’t even dare promise that people will get used to it. It’s quite hard to appreciate. I’ll probably try and complete the series to see how it’ll end but otherwise this could’ve totally been a skip for me too. Honestly, some “ugly” artworks have a purpose and work well with the story but sometimes, like here, it’s harder to see its purpose hahah
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Like others, I thought you were reviewing a non-fiction book. Someone put a comic underneath THAT cover? Mind blown. I was happy to see a psych book, and disappointed to see a comic. But it’s interesting how people try to mix and match genres.
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Sorry to disappoint hahah I would love to share reviews for non-fiction books but I have had less and less time for them for now and never really thought of reviewing the books I read for University either hhahah I do like when they mix and match genres though, they’re often very intriguing.
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I normally do not read non-fiction. It’s eaither too preachy, or too obvious, or totally not applicable to me. However, psych books do tickle my fancy most of all. It’s understandable that you’re tired of those at school and choose to escape into something else on your blog.
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Yeh, I’m with you there. I actually prefer true crime, which is no surprise honestly hahah I don’t know what’s the last pure non-fiction that I’ve read too…
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Owww the story sounds good! 😄 As I already told you, the cover really reminded of some kind of university handbook 😂 I personally like the artwork here! Maybe theuse of watercolour isn’t quite perfect, but I like the vibes it creates! Great review 😘
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Hahahah at least I’ll be able to fool people when they’ll see it on my bookshelves! 😛 Ohhh you’re the only one who found the artwork nice. I do believe that it’s your fondness for watercolour that allows you to appreciate this though. 😛 THANK YOU CHAT-ROLINE! ❤
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Hahahaha yeah, probably 😂 maybe I just have bad taste, too! 😂<3
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No way 😂😂😂
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Hm, sounds interesting but I sure the art style would just kill it for me…it just doesn’t work for me but that’s subjective and there are no doubt others who appreciate it. You can’t really understate the importance of the visuals in comics as they can make or break a the story and it’s overall affect. Great to hear your thoughts on this Lashaan!
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Hahahah I can’t blame you there! I had to harden my skin through this experience when it came to the artwork. If I hadn’t heard about the praise around this series, I would have completely dropped it a long time ago. I do hope the rest of the series doesn’t worsen in that department though. Thanks for reading, Chris!
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