Black Science Vol.2 'Welcome, Nowhere'

  

Set adrift in the multiverse of parallel worlds they call the 'Onion' by their sabotaged dimension jumping device known as the 'pillar', what remains of the Anarchist League of Scientists having lost their leader bounce from one horror to another. Unable to control the destination or duration of each jump, their lives in the hands of fate, each world they visit being both weirdly alien and yet strangely familiar. But are the jumps as random as they appeared, or is the pillar making choices, and what damage are they and it doing. It appears where ever they, or their alternative versions, go they bring with them disaster in one form or another, consequently they're welcome nowhere. 

In Black Science Vol.2 'Welcome, Nowhere' Remender continues the fast pace story telling he established in vol.1;  he really knows how to spin a yarn, a master of world creating and character development, of situation and surprise, our protagonists are on one hell of a ride. Scaleras' art is expressive and dynamic, breathing vivid life into Remenders' characters, whilst Whites' choice and use of colour is the final touch of perfection, a feast for the eye. This story just keeps getting better.  (Collects issues 7-11)

Black Science vol1: How to fall forever

Black Science vol1: How to fall forever. Anarchist scientists and egos, a scientific breakthrough which could unlock every thing, every idea, every cure, technological advance, every desire and advantage that humanity could imagine. A door into all conceivable and inconceivable worlds and possibilities. What could go wrong. Well. Lets start with the test run. Our hi octane introduction to Grant McKay etal sets a  tone which continues throughout most of this volume, it's a hell of a read.  A real page turner of a tale.  For my money Rick Remender is one of the best writers the genre has, the complexity of his characters, the believable worlds and scenarios he creates never fail to enthral. He always collaborates with the finest artists too. Matteo Scalera being a good example. Wow. What a fabulous artist, fantastic imagination, lovely line work, wonderfully expressive too. His lines are complemented perfectly by the beautiful painted art of Dean White.  All round a top read. (collects issues 1-6)

Low Vol 2: Before the dawn burns us

 

Low continues to enthral.  Volume two: Before the dawn burns us collecting issues 7-10, sees Stel continuing her mission to the surface in pursuit of hope fulfilled, a returned probe to an Earth running out of time. Her optimism tried, though intact. With Stel the others who'd escaped Rolns' arena, a motley crew, all with pasts of their own. Rick Remender's one hell of a writer creating a believable world, a scenario with strong echoes of our own and interesting nuanced characters you get invested in; and as for Greg Tocchini art, well, it continues to be something else, dynamic and expressive lines bringing Remenders' world to life vividly, in a lovely rich palette capturing the mood of different environments perfectly. A graphic where you battle between hanging on a page for the art and turning it for the story. A great read. 

Low Vol.1: The Delirium of Hope

 

Man! What a stellar graphic. Low, Volume one: The Delirium of Hope collects issues 1-6. Old now, the original comic run began back in 2014, new to me though. Masterfully written by one of the genres finest scribes Rick Remender, it's a hell of a tale. The main protagonist is a die-hard optimist in a world which really doesn't warrant it. Set on a future Earth being slowly consumed by our expanding Sun, and with humanity reduced to a handful of great cities deep in the oceans, searching the stars for hope, waiting for a reply. A dystopian world, where humanity has lost itself as it lost hope, drifting into baseness. Spoiler, it's not full of laughs, it's a gritty, brutal tale of a clock ticking, and of hope keep getting a kicking and getting up again smiling, well, not smiling. Perfectly paced prose coupled with phenomenal illustration drive a captivating story. The art of Greg Tocchini is something else. At first a little disorientating due to the busyness of the panels and freeness of style, but once attuned, wow, gorgeous lines, dynamic and expressive, and a wonderful palette and use of colour. Tocchinis' panels are sensational. Such a good read.

Uncanny Avengers

Being laid up with covid (11 boring days testing positive) in the box room, no TV or computer, watching old television comedy and stuff on the YouTube via a phone screen (how young folks do that shit as the norm is beyond me) I leaned heavily into reading, a highlight of which was volume 1 of the Uncanny Avengers. Uncanny Avengers Vol.1 covers issues 1 through 25 (2012-2015) and includes the stories: The Red Shadow, The Apocalypse Twins, Ragnarok Now, Average the Earth and Axis prelude in just over 700 pages. Written throughout by Rick Remender, who for my money is one of the finest comic writers/storytellers of our time, Uncanny Avengers Vol. 1 is superhero storytelling at it's very best; Remender's writing is magnificently complemented by the fantastic artwork of pencillers John Cassaday, Daniel Acuña and Steve McNiven, the crisp lines of inker John Dell and the beautiful colour palette of colourist Laura Martin who combined created quite the dilemma; the writing had you eager to turn the page, although the sumptuous artwork had you lingering as you soaked up all the detail. The story includes and extensive list of heroes and villains and takes place after the events of AVX with Captain America offering Havok the lead in a new Avengers unity team; I'm tempted to wax lyrically about what happens next but that would be a spoiler fest, the twists, turns and surprises come thick and fast as the story races along at a fair pace and is best read first hand. What I can say though is that I can't recommend this run highly enough, this is the good shit.

Seven to Eternity, Vol. 1 The God of Whispers

Image are really on a roll at the moment, publishing one fantastic title after another. One of their latest is 'Seven to Eternity Vol.1, The God of Whispers' written by Rick Remender (whose current projects I'm absolutely loving), who has created another world, grim and gritty, rich with strange and complex characters and set against a backdrop of magic, paranoia and fear. A world where through granting desires a brutal god king has eyes and ears in every home. A world where not to listen to this god king's offers or accept them will lead to destruction and death. The choices are limited for dying Adam Osidis, head of an outcast family, though that could all change, everything could change. Magic, mysticism and honour run through what could become an epic tale. Rick Remender's writing is stellar, fantastic plot and sub-plots, engaging dialogue and it travels at a good pace too. Jerome Opeña's artwork is just bloody lovely! Detailed, expressive, emotive, really nice lines, man. And, the colouring by Matt Hollingsworth  brings it all to vivid life, he's used his pallet to great effect. All round Seven to Eternity Vol.1, The God of Whispers is outstanding in every aspect.

Black Science Vol.2 Welcome Nowhere

I was given the first volume of Black Science 'How to fall forever' by a friend and was first struck by Matteo Scalera's artwork it has an old skool 2000AD feel to it and is beautifully coloured by Dean White who uses a vibrant pallet to bring Scalera's expressive art to vivid life. The Story written by Rick Remender is a sort of 'Quantum leap' style affair, with a group, The Anarchist League of Scientists, set adrift in a multiverse of parallel worlds by a damaged 'Pillar' (the machine which transports them), unable to control where they end up, though hoping for home. Each world is weirdly alien and yet structurally understandable, and they only have so long before they jump to the next. Volume one set the scene and some of the background (I really should have written a review of it, it's very complicated and moved fast, and without it anything I write now about the story beyond the bones would mean nothing to you). Now volume two 'Welcome, Nowhere' runs with it. The remains of the team find themselves in world which seeks the 'key' to the 'Pillar' to enable it's use, different versions of some of the protagonists appear each following their own agendas and purpose, as the bigger picture comes into focus and maybe the 'Pillar's' jumps are not as random as they appeared. Remender creates a rich and weird story, which Scalera populates with the weirdest of creatures and with White's colours the whole things a bit of a visual trip and a touch disorientating at times as you look and think 'urgh?'. It's all cool, mind, it makes sense. The dialogue moves the story on well and at a pace, and the art ensures you feel it. What a cracking read. I shall be seeking out volume three, for sure!