Skybound/Image Comics 2016
Written by Brandon Thomas
Illustrated by Juan Gedeon
Coloured by Frank Martin
Lettered by Rus Wooton
FINN DOES NOT KNOW EXACTLY HOW LONG HE'S BEEN A PRISONER
OF EARTH, BUT HE DOES KNOWS THAT WHEREVER HE IS ON THIS DYING WORLD...
ZHIA MALEN WILL FIND HIM. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.
One of the things that makes this book as good as it is is Juan and Frank’s interior work. Right off the bat we see Finn being held prisoner and making a break for it. It’s incredibly action packed as Finn has some mad skills but it’s really his appearance that’s what most noticeable. His humanoid body with that odd colouring it’s really powerful stuff to open with. I don’t know who the guy with fro and Miami Vice look is but i’ll say this much i’m intrigued that’s for sure.
The interiors are well done I love the flow through the page layouts with the use of angles and perspective. The humanoid design with the colouring does wonders to set apart and blend in with the humans. The limited use of backgrounds gives it this drama that makes you focus on the action or words. Plus the style of art is just neat and fits with the story somehow and makes it that much more enjoyable.
I like what Brandon does here with this issue. It’s got to be hard and strange to be stranded on a planet not their own and then to be hunted and captured by local law enforcement. I mean we have a habit of catching them and then experimenting on them as our first instinct after all. Slice and dice, see what makes em tick cause automatically they are an invasion force which is kind of sad but accurate. Though the characterisation here is spot on and that Finn’s people are there to find him, bust him out and get back on mission (presumably) well that’s what we like to see. After all it means they aren’t different from us after all.
I do like the background information we get as it’s intertwined with the story showing us Zhia’s relationship with Finn while she’s searching for him. It gives us a nicer look at them and why she’s willing to go to such lengths to get him back. Though no man left behind is reason enough still this was a great look at them at home and the contemplative way they talk well it’s character building.
I’m still not terribly sure myself what the end purpose of what they are doing on Earth is but i’m not sure that matters at the moment. We’ve seen a lot of capture, chase and pursuit with some level of memory loss so that can be something that’ll come once everyone is together and safe. If ever there comes a time that’s a plausible scenario. With the way this issue ends well i’m left wondering more about the wunderkind that we met, who he is, what he knows and what he has to do with all this. I mean it’s clear he’s experienced with those who are alien to Earth but why and how?
I find the way this book is done incredibly interesting and the build-up is great it’s got all this action with little revelations so it’s grabbed the attention and imagination and leaves you wanting more.