(with apologies to Warren Zevon)

Paradigm Shift

by Dirk I. Tiede

http://www.webcomicsnation.com/dirktiede/ps/series.php

reviewed by Anthony R. Cardno

Anyone who reads my book reviews on my own blog knows that I’m a sucker for a good mystery. Or even for a bad mystery. And I definitely have no problem with the “tall and thin / big eyed / motion lines” form of manga – it’s not my favorite art style, but it doesn’t annoy me at all as long as it fits the style of story being told.

Still, something about Paradigm Shift doesn’t work for me. It should – it’s a straightforward police procedural with supernatural or super-scientific overtones. The main characters are Detectives Stuart and MacAllister, partners in the Chicago PD. One mundane case leads them into an X-Files-ish world that possibly contains werewolves and the Chinese gangs. Stuart and MacAllister are not exactly Mulder and Scully though, although they each have their share of secrets. MacAllister has nightmares which are either inspired by the crime scenes or are buried memories of them. Stuart has a background that seems to involve martial arts and black ops training.

The pace of the story is fine – things are developing in a timely manner and there aren’t any real diversions or digressions. Even the subplot – the mundane case that starts the story off – looks like it will eventually tie into the main plot nicely. Even with the good pacing, something just doesn’t click. It might be the main characters themselves. I don’t really believe their cameraderie, and their banter seems forced. Individually, MacAllister’s confusion and Stuart’s zen-like calm are good character points, but they don’t feel fully rounded. It feels like they serve the story rather than the story serving them.

There are aspects of the art that are fantastic. Tiede takes every pain to make the Chicago locales true to life. Panoramic shots of the city, detailed shots of the Lincoln Park Zoo and other real places, all add verisimilitude to the goings-on. Character art is, as I said, that sort of stereotypical “serious manga” look, which does not really detract from the story … except in the visual for Detective MacAllister. She is for some reason burdened with pointy bangs on her head that sometimes extend down to her cheekbones. I find this incredibly distracting, not to mention slightly unbelievable – how many working female cops let the front of their hair flop down in a way that may possibly obstruct their view when they’re on the job? And how many use enough gel to turn those bangs into theoretically deadly weapons?

Paradigm Shift is not a bad comic, but it’s not one I’ll be coming back to frequently to check on the progress. Warning: each individual page is comprised of several “regular” pages, so scrolling to the bottom tends to feel a bit endless. http://www.webcomicsnation.com/dirktiede/ps/series.php?view=archive&chapter=18397

[rating= 2.5]

Paradigm Shift
by Dirk Tiede
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/dirktiede/ps/series.php?view=archive&chapter=10435
review by Talekyn
(5 votes, average: 4.6 out of 5)

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