Image © DC Comics.

This is the most interesting issue of UNFOLLOW in a while, as it explores the life of Larry Ferrell, the multi-billionaire tech company head who conceived and funded the entire Unfollow tontine or game, call it what you will, in which 140 people were willed shares of his vast fortune. Through past issues we’ve seen their jubilation turn to fear and anger as members of the group become victims of one another. As in a tontine, the fewer survivors there are, the larger the share for those who remain. As the issue opens, the 140 are down to 86 after the bloodbath on Akira’s island retreat last issue.

Ferrell is a strange and quirky person, high on the autism scale despite his technical brilliance, and someone who does not deal at all well with people. As the issue opens in Ferrell’s past some years before the 140, a reporter, Nathan Baer, has arrived at Ferrell’s home for a promised interview. It will be the first ever interview for the reclusive billionaire. Ferrell appears briefly, but soon ducks out without speaking to Baer, and things go downhill rapidly for Baer after that. Ferrell’s story is filled in by his new fiancee, and his oddities are striking, but Baer’s attempts to find out more turn Ferrell against both him and his fiancee, which does not bode well for either.

While this is probably only a momentary respite in the death spiral of the 140, I enjoyed it quite a lot. Recommended.