Aspen Comics 2017
Written by Scott Lobdell
Penciled by Josh Gunderson
Inked by Mark Roslan
Coloured by Juan Choo
Lettered by Zen
After the Fallout of Aspen Universe: Revelations,The Future of Aspen Comics’ Universe Begins HERE...They Exist in the All-New ASPEN UNIVERSE...Yet Belong to NO ONE!
Oh My God yes please and thank you! Sweet mother of pearl bailey I love findikng something you didn’t know was missing from your life until you found it! Well that’s exactly what this is. Now we all know Scott is an excellent writer and he’s fairly adept at writing team books so this one from him should seem like a no-brainer. However what’s on the surface to draw you in here is really smoke and mirrors compared to what is waiting on the inside.
The way this book opens is utterly spectacular it’s one of those what the hell kind of moments that really makes you sit up and take notice of what’s happening. To say you’ll be intrigued is an understatement. It does the best of combining a flash mob and some sort of cult initiation into one event that forever changes the course of what we’d consider domestic terrorism and let’s face it this is more terrifying than anything #45 is currently putting the Continental United States through.
Actually what Scott does with the story structure here is pretty amazing when it’s all said and done. The way he starts the story, introduces us to a few of the characters and then blends them into one mysterious story is extremely well crafted. I mean it left me with so many unanswered questions which of course we all know means we have to come to come back and see what’s next. It’s a great way to start things off with the enigma and promise of characters from the different Aspen realms meeting each other for the first time and being thrust into a situation that well let’s just say spirals out of control quickly.
I’ve been a fan of Josh’s since I saw his stiff for the first time and it seems to me he just keeps getting better and better. I think the attention to detail here is superbly done and the use of page layouts with their angles, perspective and most importantly utilisation of backgrounds is flawless. That two page mall spread was just enough detail, background and foreshadowing to set that stage to perfection. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Juan because let’s face it this is Aspen and those wings well hello and goodbye! He nails that effect and with everything else he managed to finish off this book is is done so very well.
I was impressed with the universe merge and it’s not stopping anytime soon. With Fathom and Soulfire out it’s time to see where the rest of the characters fall in this new reality. I hope that we’ll see not only these characters but the ones that Aspen teamed up, the girls that make up the Elements, as well as any more i’m forgetting at the moment. Also I kind of like the idea that these characters are like the Island of Misfit Toys in that they have no home but belong the merged universe now. There’s this whole mentality to it that is fresh and now.
With stellar writing, characterisation and story development alongside some extremely sharp interior artwork Aspen’s newest series may just eclipse it’s more well known counterparts.