Cyberpunk 2077: Trauma Team. Review

A long time passed (in fact, I don’t really remember how long) until we finally got hold on physical copy of Ukrainian version of Cyberpunk 2077: Trauma Team comic. So, let’s get a closer look on what authors, publishers and translators managed to do.

COVER

It is said that a book shouldn’t be judged by its cover. But when the cover is really high-end one, it would be bad not to give it some praise. Paper comics now are not only for reading – they have esthetic purpose as well. A beautiful book on a shelf is an adornment for every house.

And we definitely have such an adornment here – the cover is amazing. Original game style perfectly fits the paper and illustrates this particular vision of cyberpunk. No more words, look yourself:

GRAPHIC STYLE

Style of the book’s pages the same as the cover’s: not too much contrast, not too much violence. Exactly what is needed for coldhearted reality of huge corporations and cyberpsychopats, where might and money are the only ruling powers.

Ukrainian version is very well-made in details: every onomatopoeia, every marking and small inscription is translated and redrawn. A lot of fun for that who like to examine depths of the world to get new insights.

TRANSLATION

Reading the comic in Ukrainian is easy and pleasant process – a sign of a high-quality translation.

Of course, I will compliment the translation, you think I would scold ourselves?)))

Jokes aside – the translation was successful, and I’m very proud of us.

PLOT

Another good element. The idea is simple: daily roulite of “Trauma Team” – international rescue and health assurance company (with quite high rates for their services). Cyberpunk setting, anyway, significantly influences everything, so instead of regular ambulance we have a heli-APV hybrid with armed to the teeth paramedics (known as medtechs) inside. No surprise – their equipment and usually rich clients are valuable prize for every outlaw around. All harsh aspects of this job we see from perspective of Nadia, medtech who struggles from PTSD but tries to work anyway. That’s enough about the plot – the comic is worth to read it by yourself.

PRINTING

Good pictures in paper books mean good printing, and pictures are very good here, as I already mentioned. Saturated colors, pages are pleasant on touch, they are not glossy but also not “paper-like”.

I can make two remarks here though (but they might be issues unique for me):

1) The counterfoil looks fragile – book is “crunching” while unfolding first pages. From my experience, it’s a feature of books that wear and tear quickly.

2) Two pages glued together – glue drop fell on one page in process of printing. They are readable, but it’s impossible to divide them without tearing a bit.

Thinking about it, I’ve realized that those pages contain a bed scene. Maybe, it was a way to censor them?

Maybe I’ve got some failed copy and this issues aren’t systematic, but I think it would be right to warn everyone who might be concerned.

Thanks for reading. Keep safe, we still have a victory to celebrate.

Oleksandr Lukianov

Translated by Rostyslav Fedorko

November 27, 2022