Review: Think Tank Fun with PTSD – another Must Read Issue

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Think Tank Fun with PTSDThink Tank: Fun with PTSD!

Oversized One-Shot

Co-Creator and Writer: Matt Hawkin
Co-Creator and Artist: Rahsan Ekedal
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Editor: Betsy Gonia
Publisher: Minotaur Press, a Top Cow Productions Company

On Sale: May 14, 2014
Price: $4.99
Format: B&W

Fresh from the minds of master craftsmen Matt Hawkins and Rahsan Ekedal comes this oversized oneshot, Think Tank: Fun With PTSD. When a familiar face turns up under seriously unfortunate circumstances, it’s up to Dr. David Loren to save the day and find a cure for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. But can cutting edge science succeed where decades of psychotherapy has barely made a dent?

Pick up this standalone issue to revisit some old friends and check in on the world of Think Tank!

And while you’re at it, flip the book over – it also contains a super-secret preview of WIldfire, coming soon from Matt Hawkins and Linda Sejic!

From space faring dogs to where PTSD can lead to this issue covers a broad spectrum of emotions with panache.  We once again see the more evolved side of David Loren as he attempts to do what nobody has yet managed to do, find a cure for PTSD.

Matt Hawkins manages to write a story that will take you from laughter and reacting to the cuteness of Newton to the pain and tears of a strong man destroyed by the images his mind makes him relive as a result of the missions he has been on and the resultant PTSD he has acquired.  To broach this topic in a comic book and do it in a manner that does not belittle the men or women who are dealing with PTSD says much for Matt’s story telling skills.   But he didn’t stop there.  The research Matt did for this story so impacted him that he not only did a personal contribution to the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), he then turned around and committed pretty much all the profit he would have earned from this issue to also be contributed to the WWP.  When you read this issue, be sure to read the Science Class at the end and check out WWP for yourself.

But the writing in this issue isn’t the only part that was handled tastefully and respectfully.  Rahsan made sure to give us some cuteness to with Newton at the beginning of this book (and yes once again he had me awwww’ing and laughing at some of the panels) but then as the story moved along to what I can only call the meat of this issues story, a strong man brought low by his mind, Rahsan managed to both convey the man’s strength and his weakness without one overshadowing the other.

Having a brother that is former military I can only say that I am grateful he never endured what so many of our military men and women have endured in recent decades and was spared the lifelong mental anguish and destruction of lives that PTSD can cause.

Thank you both Matt and Rahsan for tackling this important story and doing so in a manner that could open eyes without hitting us over the head with a baseball bat as so many might have done.

But the fun doesn’t stop with the main story or with Science Class.  There is also a mini “bonus” with Rahsan credited as the writer.  As for the topic, well since it is a mini story I’ll just say, David, drones and the rest you need to read for yourself.

And still the fun continues.  We did say OVERSIZED ISSUE didn’t we?  There is a preview of the new book Matt Hawkins is writing and Linda Sejic is providing the art for, Wildfire.  And though it is hard for me to say wildfire tonight, after San Diego has been dealign with just that a wild fire, I will say that this is one book I highly recommend you put on your pull list.  Check out the preview pages in this issue of Think Tank.  Keep in mind that while the preview is black and white, Wildfire is full of bright vibrant COLORS. Once again Matt applies his scientific brain and ability to do research to good use for our reading pleasure (and like with Think Tank, I think he will leave his readers a little smarter for reading the book).

Overall Think Tank: Fun with PTSD is another stellar issue from this amazing duo.  Only thing left for me to say is this is a book that should be on everybody’s MUST READ list for a variety of reasons.  Please don’t miss it and make sure your friends, family and neighbors don’t miss it either, if for no other reason that how important it is to know the signs of PTSD so that our veterans aren’t left to cope alone.

There is no other score I can give this issue of Think Tank except for 10/10, even though I would like to deduct points for making me cry.  But when a comic can elicit that strong an emotional reaction without leaving you miserable afterwards then no penalty can be deducted for achieving this.

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