Group Review: BubbleGun #1

The site has been waiting for its first Aspen group review and it just happens to be BubbleGun. There is no arguing how beautiful this book looks, but you’ll have to see what the team says. Wait, you don’t know how the group review works? Well, each of the writers/reviewers of Comic Bastards will give their opinion on the issue and then give it a score of: Buy, Borrow or Pass. As always though, here’s what Aspen has to say about the series. They like the tech, but live for the high stakes! Sisters Molli and Devyn, along with teammates Roman and Kyo and a stockpile of cutting edge, cyber-punk technology, form a confident team of mercenary thieves able to take on the most formidable jobs around. Yet, when one cyber heist turns out to be more than they bargained for, as a mysterious package and its contents threaten to unravel the group to its core, the menacing worlds of corrupt industry and deadly espionage is unleashed upon them!

Kevin: Borrow

Here’s the thing about Bubble Gun, it looks great, a little too cartoon-ish for my likings but it still looks good overall. Some of the character designs were cool, like Caprice. She has a really cool and sassy look. But hey, it’s an Aspen book so great art is almost a given. As for the story, it feels a little disjointed and it has this we just started in the middle and cool things are going with or without you. Then when things do slow down, it stumbles along the way as it introduces everyone and their “tudes”. When Bubble Gun does find its footing it just ends up being ok.

Connor: Buy

This is one of those neo-techno, bubblegum, cyberpunk kind of worlds, generally associated with bright colors and such. The book reads well and I'm definitely interested in re-visiting this world and seeing the characters progress but by far what stood out with this book was the art. The art itself has some obvious manga influences and the coloring just added to the book and I really like the look of this future.

I suggest you buy it if you like sci-fi and cyberpunk stuff. Even if you just want something different to read, it wouldn't hurt to check it out. I will be reading the next issue for sure.

Sergio: Borrow

With a title like "Bubblegun" I could honestly say that I wasn't expecting much more than some sort of cute super-chick kind of story but what I actually got was an interesting, but cliché,  futuristic heist story. The roles are reversed a little in the sense that for the most part it’s the ladies of the book who call the shots. Its set up to be a sibling rivalry story which is done all too often with so many titles out there especially when the older sister is the leader and the younger sister is the hot shot up and comer of the book who is set on doing things her own way and making a name for herself. This series doesn’t scream "must buy" but it draws you in at the end when they reveal what’s in the package that they stole. The art reminded me of anime which for the most part I don't really like. BubbleGun is going to be on my radar for another issue or two but has no room in my physical collection but will make a great time killer on my iPad. The tag line for this series should be, "Read when bored".

Jordan: Buy

Color me intrigued. With a fresh faced cast of young faces as characters and a setting in a neon future city, I’ve certainly seen the ideas in BubbleGun before—just never quite like this. Mixed in to the familiar tropes are fresh ideas, for instance BubbleGun is also a heist story and one that heavily focuses on humans and cybernetics. Little things in the writing made me chuckle like when a member of Deyvn`s team hacks a bunch of screens downtown which basically turns it into a walking graffiti tag and later there’s a conversation where they deny they had anything to do with it AND one of the head hit-men at a super evil corporation just kind of goes with it. BUT, this book isn’t for thinking hard on. It`s for reading to enjoy some cheap fun and a cool looking and interesting world, all of which it nails.

Samantha: Pass

For only a dollar it is hard not to say buy to this comic, but strictly content wise I would pass on it. The comic’s fun and bright colors draws you in but the story was lacking in grabbing my attention. The comic jumps you right into the story surrounding a team stealing merchandise for big bucks set in the future. Of course the group finally comes upon an item that is more than they intended it to be. Other groups are out to get this package all while their current employer demands the package as well. A group of people holding on to something that could potentially save or destroy our world; yeah overdone.

The team is the most exciting for me either. Sisters, where one of the sisters is smarter, hotter, cooler, and more talented; the other is not so much. Reminds me of A League of Their Own. No crying in cyber heisting.

Like I said the art is eye popping and I think the story will catch up to my taste, but for this issue I would pass for the simple fact being the story didn’t grab me. The basis of it will be easy to catch on to, so buying some issues ahead will be no trouble.

Steve: Buy

I usually don’t like it when even small hints of Manga get into my comics, but I gotta admit, there’s something I dig about the pseudo-Murakami electric pop visuals of this book, even if it is tainted by a bit of cheesecake. It’s so over-the-top muscly and lean, it actually becomes artistically endearing. I love the bulbous tech in this world, and the way it stretches into lithe, anatomical impossibility. The actual story is simple, silly and pretty fun, and all of its draw is in its name. This is bubblegum stuff - fun, futuristic high-tech adventure with ridiculous things like collapsible super-arms and guns that shoot great big gobs of Big League Chew. It’s not serious and it’s not going to change the way you read comics, but nor is it trying to be more than it is, and you should approach it with the self-same sense of sticky lollipop innocence. Enjoy the day-glo neon hum pulsing through this thing’s veins with all the severity of a Saturday morning cartoon and you’ll walk away with a pretty good sugar buzz.

Dustin: Buy

I’m going with a “Buy” on this one because it was entertaining. It was definitely not without fault, but I think the entertainment value and sheer cleverness of the world outweigh the faults. The opening narration is terrible; we’re following a completely different team of people only to discover that our narrator hasn’t appeared yet. When she does it still isn’t until more exposition that we understand that she’s the “good” guy. That was really my only gripe with the issue.

The rest of the story gave me a Lone Wolf and Cub slash you’ve seen this plot before feeling. Transporter comes to mind, but even then I could name similar stories both in comics and movies. It’s not bad at all and it works very well with the poppy future. Really the design and look of the book is what sells it. Everyone looks cool as hell and the equipment they use is the stuff of dreams. I’m definitely coming back for more of this series and I’m especially looking forward to the art.

Score: 4 Buys, 2 Borrows and a Pass

Writer: Mark Roslan

Aritst; Mike Bowden

Publisher: Aspen Comics

Price: $1.00

Release Date: 6/12/13