Strange Attractors caught me by surprise in ways I can’t explain fully. It’s one of those comic miniseries that quietly pulls you in, then leaves something with you long after you put it down. A thought-provoking and thrilling story. NYT bestseller Charles Soule leans into some pretty big ideas like chaos, patterns, and how small actions ripple outward while grounding the series in a very lived-in version of New York City. Strange Attractors is a smart and refreshing comic series.
In 1978, Dr. Spencer Brownfield saved New York City from itself, bringing the city back from the verge of collapse and ruin. And for thirty years, his small, unnoticed adjustments to the city’s systems have kept the city afloat. Or so he claims to Heller Wilson, a young graduate student that he has chosen as his successor. Is there truth behind Dr. Brownfield’s claims about The Butterfly Effect and how his “complexity math” applies to the city’s patterns? Or are they simply the ravings of a man broken by loss and desperate to make sense of the world around him?
One of my favorite shows to watch in the early 2000s was Numb3rs. It was your typical FBI crime show, but using math to help solve crimes. It was a unique spin on the classic crime drama. Strange Attractors brings a similar feel, but with the honesty of someone who has lived within the city and understands the everyday life of a New Yorker.
Soule crafts Strange Attractors with a confidence in the concept you can almost feel. It doesn’t rush to explain itself or even talk down to the reader, never feeling inaccessible. Using chaos theory and math to subtly influence NYC could have easily felt dry and boring, yet Soule presents the story in a way that feels grounded, like being in on this secret might actually work.
The City of New York feels alive and lived-in. NYC feels like a character itself and not just a backdrop or setting for the story. Written by a resident of the city helps the story feel authentic with a care for the city. The little moments and visual cues reinforce the sense that everything is connected, making the stakes feel even more personal when these ideas are so abstract. It was easy to come away feeling like you’ll never look at a busy street or random encounter the same way again.
While the story is what drew me in, it was the visuals that made things feel even more immersive. Greg Scott‘s illustrations complement the story’s tone very well. There is a deliberate feeling, sometimes even restrained that fits the analytical nature of the tale, while still giving the living city plenty of character of its own. Additionally, the backup stories at the end of each chapter is wonderfully illustrated by Soo Lee.
Charles Soule, Greg Scott, and Soo Lee crafted a unique science fiction story with Strange Attractors that has as much off-the-wall thinking as it does emotion and heart. You feel peoples’ pain, while also looking towards the future. The comic leaves you with thought-provoking moments as well as thrilling action that blends into a great miniseries.
The collected edition of Strange Attractors is available at local comic shops and bookstores everywhere from BOOM! Studios.
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