Webtoon Spotlight

Spotlight#169: Roach

Have you ever felt as though the world is out to get you? If so, you'll get a mesothoracic kick out of Roach by Nowoe and Right Hand.

Summary

Taesu It is running out of time. Ever since his brain tumor was uncovered, he's been acting weird in his attempts to fight against his ticking clock. It's peculiar. From his now patchy dry skin to his constant need for water, Taesu hasn't felt well. Little did he know these small symptoms would spread into an evolution that would have the entire world hostage.

Characters

Taesu Im: Our tragic MC, Taesu, is at first a very timid and fear-stricken man who is only trying to get by for his daughter Yujin's sake. However, when his startling mutation takes full effect, Taesu starts losing more of his humanity, becoming a cold blooded monster who is only in it for his daughter's continued survival.

Yeongho Park: Arriving first on the scene into the investigation of Taesu's rampage,  Yeongho is a hardened detective. Or, at least, he was until his wife was violently murdered in the crossfire. Now, Yeongho is nothing more than a dangerous vigilante willing to get to the truth of the matter, no matter how many people he has to get in the way.

Sehun Yu: An assistant for the Science Foundation, Sehun is a snake who is willing to employ any side to get his benefit—making him an ardent ally or harsh enemy at the right opportunity.

Junheyeok: A former boxer and current criminal on the abandoned island of Big Let, Junheyeok is a man with everything to gain and nothing to lose. Thus turning himself into quite the opportunist when he becomes Taesu's most loyal advisor and sidekick. Ever ruthless and cavalier, Junheyoek is highly adaptable and resourceful, making him almost as invincible as the title's namesake.

Yurim An: A popular streamer and self-made journalist, Yurim is a woman who wishes to make content that shakes the world rather than her body; hence, when her leads on mysterious humanized cocoons start to turn their head to Taesu, her big break forces her hungry journalist side to take full effect.

Summary

Roach is the definition of a series going from 0 to 60 in 6 seconds while increasing the acceleration ever further. Many early chapters set up our various characters right before throwing them right in the thick of it, with more details coming to light as time passes. Something that aids a lot of the early horror elements.

Taesu's startling transformation from man to monster gives the character a host of unique abilities, like regeneration, superhuman strength, and an ability to turn anyone in his vicinity into a raging monster, all create a chaotic scene everywhere he goes. As these abilities get stronger, though, the humanity of our main cast gets put more into question.

Unthinkable choices become tempting, seeds of corporate corruption take root, and selfish tendencies become even more prominent. Aspects are visually displayed rather well through the art. Right-Hand uses a very washed-out and dark color palette, filled with "ugly faces" and squinted outlines, to display a world that is just a little bit "off" while getting more overpowering as time passes—leading up to a powerful finale that displays a world still filled with monsters wearing human faces.

Epilogue

Roach is a relatively fast but well-earned read; it's an ever-evolving action ride that doesn't stick around for long. I wish I had saved this for Halloween 2023, but work has gotten in. I hope the next couple of webtoons can help illuminate my return.