Comic Review: Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated #1

Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated #1

AfterShock Comics

Writer: Patrick Kindlon

Artist: Stefano Simeone

See the dark future of loss prevention in the first issue of the new AfterShock series Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated. Taking place in a hyper-consumerist future, Nussbaum is the only line of defense against shoplifting in the sprawling Causcaus SuperStore. He executes his duties with extreme prejudice, dedicating himself entirely to his job. Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated is a social satire in the vein of John Carpenter films and early 2000 AD strips. It has a lot to say, communicated entirely through absurd concepts, over the top dialogue, and gratuitous violence. Writer Patrick Kindlon and artist Stefano Simeone definitely capture our cultural moment in a warped world where people pay life and limb for stolen junk food.

Nussbaum’s “heroics” guides the reader through Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated‘s bleak, sanitized future. His worldview is as vicious and shallow as the retail superstore he inhabits. His extreme antics are amusing and serve as a good vehicle for social commentary. However, you’re not really rooting for him. As the other characters point out, Nussbaum’s thoughts, dreams, and aspirations go no further than loss prevention. Many of my favorite stories have similarly single-minded anti-heroes but even they offer some character for the reader to latch onto. Or at the very least, make the antagonists even more monstrous and absurd than the “hero.” Nussbaum’s coworkers have similar ethics and his victims are shoplifters. As of right now, Shoplifter’s will be Liquidated lacks a real emotional hook.

Thankfully the book has a compelling setting to fall back on, one vividly realized by Stefano Simeone’s art. He has a very unique style that relies on the spontaneity that’s in vogue right now. However, his work has the stability that makes his art feel organic but not inconsistent. It’s also easy to distinguish and recognize the characters at a glance, even with everything in flux. The mix of muted colors rounds everything out. It feels like you’re viewing the world of Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated through old security tapes, an atmosphere that couldn’t be more perfect.

The composition of Shoplifters Will Be liquidated is also used to great effect and likely the most memorable aspect of this book. The high number of panels are arranged in a very claustrophobic way, creating the sense that the reader is trapped in this endless retail store alongside Nussbaum. That really works in the book’s favor during the brief but impactful action scenes, as it adds to the weight of everything. While the emotional aspects of Shoplifters Will Be Liquidated needs more development everything else is on point. Most importantly, the social commentary is properly conveyed through a darkly humorous take on loss prevention. Whatever doubts I have pale in comparison to all the promise this series has.

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