Image Comics 2015
Written by Kel Symons
Illustrated by Nate Stockman
Coloured by Paul Little
Last issue’s cliffhanger ending changes everything about this book and confirms a few things I’ve already suspected. Okay so while we are still left with so many questions I have to admit that Kel really has done a number on me here that he was able to keep this something of a surprise, no i don’t look at advance happenings on books. It does however explain how these people have such diverse and limited knowledge of the world they live in and why it seems that they live in a world that seems have regressed to a certain point in it’s history.
The opening narration along with Nate’s artwork really make a spectacular impact on the reader. These seven individuals have fought their way here and what they see is something they are having trouble comprehending. It’s definitely a game changing moment in the direction this series is heading and it really makes this stand out from the crowd.
Once they start getting their bearings Reyn quickly assumes that Adon knew about this since he was keeper of the tech, a tribal elder as it were. Though will everyone’s tempers flaring it takes the calm voice of reason to intervene. How much time had to have passed that even after a thousand years of darkness and then the arrival of the Venn kept information at a standstill not passing from generation to generation like it should have. Instead like the telephone game things got twisted and then became folk tales and long forgotten lore.
Thanks to some good thinking, though awfully sarcastic in nature, Bram was chosen as the speaker to machines to try and ask the ship questions. It seems it’s operational systems were still intact and recording. First things first they wanted, nay needed, to know how it all began the history of Fate. How the sun of their ancestors planet grew, expanded and heated up the their home so that they were forced to flee to the stars to survive. Three ships Hope, Destiny and Fate were launched into space carrying humanity to find a world to make their own.
All that is the beginning but learn the whole story you have to pick this up. It’s like some magical combination of science fiction, fantasy, horror and sword and sorcery all mixed into this one place. Don’t forget though they were being chased by the Venn and their machine enforcers have found them once again. So don’t forget to add action and adventure to the what we’re seeing here as well. I didn’t think it was possible to cram almost every genre into one book but somehow Kel manages to weave them into one cohesive story that is just darn good and entertaining. As impressed with and good the writing, characterization, plot advancement are I’m equally impressed with the work Nate and Paul are doing. I mean wow the whole issue just wouldn’t be the same or have the same impact without their interiors.
With the past behind them and facing an uncertain future can and those with him find a way to defeat the Venn and take back whatever it may their future holds?