The Tin Can Society is a murder mystery with some Sci-fi and superhero elements, and also some pretty interesting twists to the plot that make it a genuinely intriguing read. It's an original story by Peter Warren, with gorgeous art by Francesco Mobili and colours by Chris Chuckry, that fit nicely with the overall theme.The book begins with the violent murder of Johnny Moore, a tech mogul who has reached global fame through his groundbreaking inventions involving technology that powers innovative mobility aids for people with disabilities. The same technology also allowed him, despite his own disability, to moonlight as a superhero vigilante by the use of his Caliburn tech suit. His murder is what brings back together the group of his now estranged childhood friends, who are determined to get to the bottom of it and uncover who was responsible for killing him.
The mystery grabs you from the start, and I particularly liked the pacing, and how the book switches between flashback scenes, showing the main characters as kids, who were best buddies, accommodating their friend's disability without patronising him, shielding him from bullies, and sharing special moments that tightened their bonds, and current scenes of them as adults, who now barely trust each other, as what happened to cause them to drift apart is slowly revealed.
I also liked how Johnny is portrayed as a good, but flawed person with a complex personality. In fact, the same can be said for most main characters, their backgrounds, and their motivations, adding a very human and grounded tone that blends well with the otherwise futuristic elements of the book. The story wraps up nicely, without leaving any loose ends, and with a satisfying, and also rather touching conclusion. The way the mystery unravels also works well in keeping you invested up until the end. There is some graphic violence and gore, and some depictions of consensual sex, so it's not a book for younger readers, but it's definitely a worthy read for any adult fan of Sci-fi mysteries.
A big thank you to Image Comics for the advance review copy of the book. The Tin Can Society is coming out on February 11, 2026.
