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 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!