Each of the writers/reviews of Comic Bastards will give the issue a score of: Buy, Borrow or Pass along with a short reason for the score. Here’s a blurb about the issue from Image before we begin: Grant McKay, former member of The Anarchistic Order of Scientists, has finally done the impossible: He has deciphered Black Science and punched through the barriers of reality. But what lies beyond the veil is not epiphany, but chaos. Now Grant and his team are lost, living ghosts shipwrecked on an infinite ocean of alien worlds, barreling through the long-forgotten, ancient, and unimaginable dark realms. The only way is forward. The only question is how far are they willing to go, and how much can they endure, to get home again?
Join writer RICK REMENDER and the superstar art team of MATTEO SCALERA & DEAN WHITE for this face-melting science fiction epic spanning the lifetimes of a cast of dimensional castaways lead by the man who caused it all.
James: BUY
I have been very hyped up about reading this title and I was blown away by the art. It is real detailed. The story itself is likewise well plotted and action packed as it follows Grant and his mad dash battling killer amphibians and other beasts as he tries to save his children (and some other members of his “crew”) from certain explosive death. Apparently, Grant is a self-taught man of science who shunned rules and delved into “black science”. The action has caused great turmoil to enter upon him, his family, his crew, and his world due to his lack of respect to the science.
This is a story of action, destruction, and possible redemption and I am sold on the concept. I also must say that there is a rather interesting artistic rendering a “fish lady” that will catch your eye. It is “unique” to say the least, but just goes to show how well the art truly is here.
Steve: BUY
I think I fell in love with this book before I even opened it. Sure, that had a lot to do with the creative names attached - especially Remender, whose highfalutin lyrical lexicon always hits my sweet spot - but credit too goes to the cover, which instantly (and not ironically) reminded me of my dad’s collection of sci-fi novels from the 50s and 60s. When I finally did turn to that first page, my anticipation was immediately validated by way of Scalera’s incredible, classic art and Remender’s forlorn, yet action-packed story about “the Anarchist League of Scientists’ stumble through the Eververse.” What follows is a story about a scientist booking it like hell through a perilous swamp world peopled by electric-tongued Battle Toads, fish strippers (who for some reason reminded me of the alien in Enemy Mine) and what promises to be a series of cross-dimensional family/team crises in a vein similar to Quantum Leap. What kind of philistine WOULDN’T want to read that book? Seriously, you need to buy Black Science #1 immediately - this is the start of something big: a mile-high concept that will undoubtedly run deep.
Dustin: BORROW
I had to go with “borrow” on this one because it wasn’t for me. It’s not a bad issue as the story is very competent and the art is of the highest quality. It just didn’t appeal to me. I loved the art and see the stranger side of Matteo Scalera’s mind, but at the end of the day it was just Lost in Space meets Sliders. Now granted that was enough to at least get me to check out the second issue, but if the narration is anything like this first issue I’ll tap out quickly. Speaking of the narration it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t interesting. It never hooked me and I could feel it trying. I could feel it trying to pull on my heart-strings when Grant’s [SPOILER AHEAD] wife died, but I don’t know Grant. I didn’t know shit about him and so the Star Trek: Into Darkness opening that “went wrong” didn’t make me care about his lose or even feel its effects on him. His wife dies so he saves a fish woman? Bah? I’ll give it another shot, but I really can’t recommend anyone else plop down money on it without giving read the first half of the issue at least.
Score: 2 Buys and a Borrow
Writer: Rick Remender Artist: Matteo Scalera Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 11/27/13