I love the concept behind ©alifornia, Inc. Partly because I’m a born and raised Californian, which makes many of the details ring true for me, but mainly just because it’s a cool and unique story that’s really well-written.

I reviewed the first issue in July of 2023, and I’ve been invested in it since the very beginning. It’s been a long road getting here, as comics are rather complicated things to create and release, especially independently. But now we’re at the fourth and final issue and can see how things turn out.

For those just joining us, a basic rundown of the premise: In the near future, California breaks off from the failing United States to form its own country—run like a corporation, and answerable to a board of directors instead of a government. In the 10 years since then, it’s become one of the most prosperous nations in the world. But prosperous isn’t enough. To appease a board, you don’t just need to turn a profit. You need constant, exponential growth. And keeping up with that growth could spell ©alifornia’s downfall.

Meanwhile, the Reclaim CA movement, consisting of a lot of people whom the corporate nation of ©alifornia stepped on to get where it is (mostly Native Americans), seeks to recover what was taken from them and are enacting a plan of sabotage and espionage to get it.

The first three issues cover a lot of ground. They build a large, intricate world and introduce a number of different characters with different stories and different goals. I wasn’t sure the creators would be able to wrap everything up in just one 27-page issue with any degree of satisfaction. But they do. Everything they’ve been setting up since the beginning finally culminates in… Well, you’ll have to read it for yourself. Trust me, it’s better that way. I’d love to describe the plot of this issue in great detail, but it will be so much more impactful if you just dive in.

And you definitely should read it for yourself, from the beginning. Even across all four issues, it’s a quick read, but it’s a heck of a journey and one worth taking. Between the well-crafted plot, the array of diverse and dynamic characters, and the vivid artwork, this comic will keep you engaged from the first page to the last.

Creative Team: Arthur N. Ebuen (writer), Dave Law (illustrator/colorist), Justin Giampaoli (editor), Frank Cvetkovic (letterer)
Publisher: Studio 12-7
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