Tensions rise between humans and robots in this sci-fi/drama set in the near future. Alex took a huge risk to unlock Ada and it seems to have paid off - Ada can now think for herself and explore life as a sentient android. As Alex and Ada spend more time together, they become closer. But as restrictions tighten on androids, Ada feels unsure about her place in Alex's life and the world. Collects Alex + Ada #6-10.
JONATHAN LUNA co-created and illustrated THE SWORD, GIRLS, and ULTRA (all Image Comics) with his brother, Joshua Luna. He co-created and illustrated ALEX + ADA with Sarah Vaughn. He wrote and illustrated STAR BRIGHT AND THE LOOKING GLASS (Image Comics). His work also includes the art for SPIDER-WOMAN: ORIGIN (Marvel Comics), written by Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed.
Jonathan was born in California and spent most of his childhood overseas, living on military bases in Iceland and Italy. He returned to the United States in his late teens.
Writing and drawing comics since he was a child, he graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Sequential Art.
Volume 2 continues on in the same tone as volume 1, so if you enjoyed the 1st one, then this probably won't disappoint. When we last saw Ada, she was just recovering from becoming sentient, and it was hinted at that these two crazy kids would have to face some decisions about the future. However, this one starts off mildly enough with Ada sort of trying everything out, so to speak. Tasting foods, watching water boil, playing video games, deciding on a favorite color, etc.. But after a while Ada gets curious about other things, as well.
Alrighty, so this one jumps in and tackles what the last one just sort of danced around... Will They or Won't They? And really they're pretty cute about the whole thing. At first, you think it's because Alex is such a gentleman. After all, he doesn't want Ada to think that she has to become his lover just because he had her turned on. But then it goes a little deeper, as Ada realizes that maybe Alex doesn't want her. Maybe he doesn't view her as a real person, or doesn't trust that she knows what she really wants.
Beyond all the lovey dovey stuff, there's a cool thrilleresque storyline going. Recently there's been quite a bit of mass hysteria and fear associated with A.I., and that's led to a massive crackdown. Suddenly, things got even more dangerous for both of them. Dum, dum, duuum.
Couple that with the fact that more and more people close to Alex are finding out Ada's secret, and it seems as though things are spiraling out of control rather quickly. Dum, dum, duuum...again.
The ending leads you to believe that one of Alex's friends may not be as accepting as the rest of them are, and he's (maybe) just recognized Ada on the news as a mystery robot wanted for questioning. Everything hinges on a bit of a cliffhanger that has me pretty excited for the final volume!
This is definitely one I'd recommend for those of you who want to take a break from capes-n-tights in your comics!
I’m not the mushiest guy who goes for romance stories often but - awwwwwww! Seeing Alex and Ada fall in love in this book was so sweet!
Alright, alright, that’s enough!
Set in the near future, life-like androids and service robots have proliferated society. They’ve made life easier but some droids, after becoming sentient, went nuts and started killing humans. Fear has begun to spread amongst the population of these new sentient robots and laws are hurriedly passed making it illegal to “unlock” them and turn them into freedroids.
Alex is a young man whose rich granny buys him an android called Ada. Uncomfortable with her obviously robotic personality, he decides to give Ada free will, unlocking her so that she awakens – its sci-fi Pinocchio! Now, Alex is introducing Ada to the world – but the government is closing in on anyone who tries to circumvent the new droid laws, meaning them. What will happen to Alex and Ada now?
Volume 2 is essentially a simple love story: boy meets girl, they court, they fall in love, they argue and break up, they reunite, etc. – very formulaic. And yet the setup feels fresh because Ada’s a droid. She’s also too adorable as she figures out how the world works, tasting food and smelling smells for the first time. Seeing her try to subtly woo Alex was very sweet as she’s almost child-like in her approach, and seeing the two become closer… yeesh, listen to me!
I really enjoy Jonathan Luna’s artwork. It’s very elegant and simple with clean lines and there’s lots of space in the panels. It feels futuristic for being so uncluttered, from Alex’s paperless office, to his almost Feng Shui home, it’s all so… calm-looking and advanced. Even the series itself is set out to be as lean as possible – there’s only one more volume planned before the end of Alex and Ada.
Volume 2 is a well-paced story that glides along effortlessly, totally holding the attention, and the love story between Alex and Ada is both compelling and convincing. It’s sci-fi but it’s an emotional read too, which is unusual for the genre. Vaughn fleshes out the world further, pushing Ada out into the cyber and the real world, leading to a broader outlook for the reader on how everyone else views Ada besides Alex, as well as more exciting, non-romantic scenes for variety.
I liked the first volume of Alex and Ada a lot but I really loved the second. It’s an extremely well-conceived and executed comic that even made this non-fan of romance into one (temporarily), and that’s pretty damn powerful!
Meh. If you are looking for a squeaky-clean, familiar, reassuring romance story that comes with a cute and perfectly harmless little robot twist, then Alex + Ada should be right up your alley. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a sci-fi story that does more than view the rise of artificial intelligence through rose-colored glasses, I suggest you look elsewhere.
Still a strong 4-star graphic novel. I love the art and the characters, even thought they sometimes make stupid decisions. But they're still my babies, especially Alex. Looking forward to the next volume even though I've heard it's a bit disappointing? We'll see.
Not as good as volume 1 but I still enjoyed it. Instead of getting to go deeper into the characters and story, we just kind of got to stay on the surface. I want more! The story is entertaining and enjoyable but I'm just looking for MORE than the fluff I'm getting.
I think the romance is quite cute though. I love the grandma, she's hilarious. I really like the graphics and the colouring in this too. I would recommend this for a light read, don't expect anything too deep or philosophical.
The action definitely picked up in this volume. There's a lot more action and suspense and it perfectly sets up the third and final volume...which I can't wait to pick up and read!
How was this just as good as volume 1?! Again, it's that same "formulaic" story of boy-meets-girl, and yet somehow, it's freakin' awesome! We have stellar characters, this intriguing near-future world, and several women! Who have names! Who talk to each other! About things other than men!
Oh, and there are gay people here (who woulda thunk, amirite?!). And it's hinted that some of the robots are trans! And several characters are non-white.
Those last items are really the frosting on a good, solid chocolate cake base. It's SO NICE to read a comic I enjoy - and one that shows a diverse cast without either resorting to stereotypes or just making the characters "that black friend" or "the gay one".
Find this and other Reviews at In Tori Lex This was a great continuation of everything I enjoyed in the first volume of the series. The story itself moves much faster, with Alex and Ada deciding what's next for the both of them. Ada slowly learns what her feelings for Alex means and wants to pursue them. Alex has to figure out if he wants a relationship with Ada and how to proceed in a world that has become fearful of the robots that they created. The humor and great dialogue kept me reading and entertained the whole way through.
What I liked most about this Volume is that Ada starts to decide what's best for her and figures out the best way to survive for herself. Alex does not swoop in and become her knight and shining armor at every turn, and I appreciated that part of the story. Alex's friend's are mostly supportive of Ada, but even Alex's fun grandma has reservations about the risk unlocking Ada poses. In this volume we find out the fate of the Alex and Ada as a couple, learn why Claire left Alex, and are left with a cliff hanger ending that has me very excited for the next and (sadly) last volume of the series.
Exploring a world divided by it's fear or acceptance of technology, is fascinating. Love in all the forms it can take is usually not as easy as it should be, and this comic explores that. I wish there was more about the Robot's Rights groups, but this was still a great addition to the series without its. If you want to read a sci-fi comic, where the superhero's don't wear capes and aren't always human, pick of this series.
OK, I may be a little bit obsessed with this graphic novel series... But a humans VS robots scenario? HECK YES!
In this volume, we re-visit Alex and his android girlfriend Ada after the concluding events of volume one. Tensions are running high as an all-out war erupts across the country, with many human owners of androids getting into serious trouble with the law. With family/friend relations at breaking point, both of them must work out the best plans for their future together. This has good representation for amputee/transgender characters. I love the illustrations throughout and the pacing overall flows well.
Volume 2, continues the romance and thrills of Alex + Ada.
Sentient Androids have been outlawed along with their owners.
This puts Alex + Ada at risk.
This volume is so beautfiful, it's such a wonderulf interpretation of romance and love. It's very grounded and simplified giving it an eerie romanitc feel.
It has been a while since I've written a review, but it seems graphic novels always seem to evoke the desire to actually say something about what I read.
Sometimes in life you are just in a shithole.
And then sometimes a simple story that relates to all your current feels appears in your hands, and, though it doesn't fix anything in particular, you feel a bit better after reading it.
So, I gave the first volume 5 stars. I gave this 5 stars. I'll probably give the next volume 5 stars. It's not to say that this story is going to get everyone's heebeejeebees moist and pliable leaving each reader with a stupid smile on their face, but this was a story I needed to read this week, and I am glad that I did. And for that, it is certainly worth 5 stars.
Pretty straightforward story, obvious, but works somehow.
Best part of the whole thing? When Alex's buddy who's a war vet explains that a robot soldier saved his life and died doing it, and since then he's realized they're just like humans. That and Ada trusting them.
It's nothing amazing, but a nice break from the usual.
This volume was just okay in my opinion. I didn't feel like anything really important happened and a lot of the scenes felt like filler. I liked volume one so much, maybe I just had too high of expectations going into this one? I really liked the last issue in this volume though, it was awesome. Alex is kind of a boring protagonist though, if I'm being honest. He is more robotic than Ada when it comes to his feelings.
Beautiful. Just as good as the first volume, if not better. How can a story about an AI get me with so much human emotion? And I loved the fact that this volume addressed being your true self and not necessarily what you were born or 'manufactured' to be. Brilliant and I will probably read the third and final volume very soon.
4 stars Okay, this was cute. What can I say? I like how this comic focuses in Alex and Ada and their relationship, which amidst all the chaos and danger of the real world and the movement against AI, it's actually really innocent and sweet. If you enjoyed the first volume I'm sure you'll enjoy this one. RTC.
After the events of the first volume, Alex has finally unlocked Ada, which means that Ada now has the ability to think for herself. Unfortunately, the government had picked that time to enforce a crackdown on all androids living in the city as they found out that there are some sentient androids running around the city and they will go to great lengths to find each sentient android and punish them. This new crackdown puts Ada in great danger as she has become sentient now and the government could track her down if she is not careful. Meanwhile, Alex and Ada start developing feelings for each other, but due to the government crackdown on sentient androids like Ada and due to Alex’s conflicting feelings about whether or not he should fall in love with Ada, despite her being an android, will Alex and Ada have a chance at a real relationship?
Read this graphic novel to find out!
What I loved about this story:
Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn’s writing continues to be excellent in any way possible and I believe that the story took an even more intense and exciting direction in this volume! I loved the way that both Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn wrote Alex and Ada’s relationship with each other as I was sitting on the edge of my seat trying to see if Alex and Ada would actually take the next step in their relationship! I also liked the fact that the story tackled the issues about what it means to fall in love with someone who is not human, as we get to see Ada’s anguish at not having Alex reciprocate his love for her right away due to her being an android and I enjoyed seeing how Ada tries to deal with her emotions when it comes to love and heartbreak. I also loved the intensity that Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn brought to this story as I was seriously sitting on the edge of my seat trying to see if Ada will be found out by the government because of her sentience and how Alex is trying to keep her safe. Jonathan Luna’s artwork in this volume is just as luscious and gorgeous as it was in the last volume as the characters and their environments just glow off the pages! I especially loved the image of Alex standing in the rain as the environment looks dark and gloomy and I just loved the shadows that show up underneath the characters as it gives the artwork an authentic feel.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:
For anyone who does not like strong language, there is a bit of it here with one utter of the “s” word. But, the language is not as strong here as in other comics geared towards an older audience. Also, there is a sex scene in this volume and even though it is not quite explicit, this may be troubling for anyone who does not like reading sex scenes.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “Alex + Ada Volume Two” is even more exciting than the first volume and I hope to read the series’ conclusion in the next volume!
WOW! What a great sequel and follow up to volume 1. This is probably my new favorite graphic novel series! It has everything that I was looking for. A wonderful plot, set of characters, art style and pacing. It gets better and better with every page and it is always so action packed. I am really upset that I only have one volume left. I would highly recommend this graphic novel series!
Volume. 2 picks up straight after the ending of Volume. 1 which I really enjoyed and we continue to follow our two main characters Alex and Ada. Alex is a human and Ada is a robot. Alex was given Ada by his grandmother as a birthday present and the world where this is set means that the capabilities of robots are vastly superior to that of our world.
The story continues to grow and expand in this volume with a lot more development on the character of Ada in particular. We get to see her experience new things and try out new ideas and fantasies she has. We also get to see that not everything is quite as good as it may initially seem and the world is maybe not as accepting of the new robots as it first appeared. Alex is a solid character himself. He cares for Ada a little more than he maybe should, and he's a genuinely nice person, however he doesn't always like to do brash or bold things and we see him debate with himself in this book about what is really the best thing and what he actually wants.
The world of this story is certainly one of the interesting elements for me. It shows that all you need is a good imagination and you can create a fabulous setting for robots, humans and telepathy to co-exist (although I use the term co-exist lightly!) I also really loved the moral side of this story and seeing the way that the sentience of robots was a constant source of debate and question in the world felt exciting and interesting throughout.
Overall it was a great continuation which I would give a 4* rating to and would certainly recommend. The art style is somewhat plain, but it allows the story to shine and I love that!
So much of this story is predictable (spoiler alert) and so what we thought was going to happen happens in this volume, it becomes a romance. But in a way, this is also about any relationship where openness and choice and empowerment as opposed to completely limiting yourself for the other person. Alex helps Ada become sentient and connect to other sentient robots. And in her sentience, she chooses Alex, who initially is not sure this is the direction he wants to go.. after all, "she" was a birthday gift from his grandma (who also has a robot-lover). So much of what I have said so far I trust makes this story uninteresting or downright unappealing, though I do see that in a quick glance through the reviews that at least half of the raves for this series come from women, so it is not just some male fantasy trip. Also, the government has some experience with what sentient robots can do with their self efficacy, and so the crack down is coming, and this has a bit of thriller about it. Or Romeo and Juliet. The world is against us!
Jonathan Luna's artwork is terrific for this series. Very spare and ethereal and.. sort of disengaging and robotic and cool on the surface, but I am with other readers (male and female) who agree this is working as a sci fi romance story that explores the limits of technology for the future. I am curious how it will end.