Alex + Ada #7
Written by Jonathan Luna and Sara Vaughn
Illustrated by Jonathan Luna
Lettered and colored by Jonathan Luna
Cover by Jonathan Luna
Image Comics
Release Date: June 18, 2014
Cover Price: $2.99

Imagine you’ve never been thoughtfully aware. Now envision yourself becoming sentient for the first time; what sort of activities would you do? What places would you want to visit? With whom would you want to spend your time? In Alex + Ada #7, written by Jonathan Luna and Sara Vaughn with illustrations from Luna, one of the title characters will experience this process firsthand.

When Alex and Ada are forced to pretend that Ada is still simply an android around others, Alex does his best to make the sentient Ada feel as human as possible; however, when Alex returns to work and leaves Ada home alone for the first time, she discovers how cruel people can be. And just when circumstances begin to improve, Alex and Ada have a dinner date with Alex’s grandmother and her Tanaka X5 and become the recipients of some very disturbing news.

Alex + Ada has been an intriguing series since issue #1, but Luna and Vaughn have offered something special as a creative team for issue #7, which is surely the best thus far. This is first issue in which all of Ada’s emotions are brought to the forefront, including sadness due to mistreatment from a human being. This issue also continues to explore the relationship between Alex and Ada, one that is beautiful to watch grow. Finally, Luna and Vaughn set the tone for the comic as it moves forward through a shocking revelatory scene.

Luna’s art excels in this issue. When Ada discovers new emotions and sensations, we uncover them alongside her through telling facial expressions and visual character beats. Ada’s feelings, and her need to hide them, are never more evident than on Luna’s masterfully conceptualized and drawn cover. His clean lines and still panels mesh perfectly with the slow-paced world which the two protagonists inhabit.

The moral dilemmas, philosophical concepts, and beautiful characterization are all factors in making Alex + Ada one of my favorite comics out right now. There are so many possibilities for the direction this series takes, and I cannot wait to follow along. Issue number eight can’t come soon enough.