We always love the arrival of new Madefire titles, and this month we have had not one but two new installments of Dave Gibbon’s brilliant Treatment series. If you’ve not checked it out before, Treatment is a global televisual phenomenon whereupon the guilty are judged live on TV for the pleasure of an increasingly blood-thirsty audience. With franchises in different cities it makes for a brilliantly imaginative franchise and one of the most consistent in the Madefire catalogue.

Mexico City‘s episodes three (Soldiers of God #1) and four (Soldiers of God #2) have taken the title to new heights. The startlingly violent undercurrent is still there but Neil Googe and Liam Sharp have shifted the story away from the adult TV show and transported the reader to a fresh child’s eye viewpoint, where a group of four children stumble upon a loaded Treatment issue firearm!

This starts off as a simple tale of sibling rivalry and petty jealousy but it soon unravels and ends with a violent conclusion.The action skilfully weaves from showing children acting out scenes of their favourite TV show, to far more adult themes such as paedophilia and abuse. The reader view switches from panel-to-panel. Piles of innocent cuddly toys become a seedy fat, naked abuser and his victim. The children’s playful anger quickly becomes an uncomfortable adult Treatment officers rage. It invites the reader to wonder what they would do in a similar situation. What choices would they make?

The story is backed up by Neil Googe’s spectacular anime-like artwork. It perfectly captures the happiness and innocence of children at play but is effective when tackling the graphic adult themes! It’s particularly shocking when the firearm is finally shot and a fluffy teddy bear becomes a blooded pigs head! Whoever decided to marry the child and adult aspects  in one story deserves a pat on the back.

Treatment Mexico City is the most consistent titles in the Treatment universe and one of the strongest Madefire titles. Although its sister titles Tokyo and San Diego may feature the more spectacular visuals, there’s enough in these instalments that mean we can’t wait for another trip south of the border.

You can download Treatment and all the other Madefire titles via the Madefire iPad and iPhone app