Skybound/Image Comics 2018
Created & Written by Robert Kirkman
Created & Illustrated by Lorenzo De Felici
Coloured by Annalisa Leoni
Lettered by Ros Wooton
A decade ago, 300,000 citizens of Philadelphia were suddenly lost in Oblivion. The government made every attempt to recover them, but after many years, they gave up. Nathan Cole...won't. He makes daily trips, risking his life to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic hellscape of Oblivion. But maybe...Nathan is looking for something else? Why can't he resist the siren call of the Oblivion Song?
When Kirkman hits he hits hard and this is one of those that will get you before you know it. Outcast, Thief of Thieves, Invincible and The Walking Dead are household names but Battle Pope and Haunt show he’s got that range and diversity which makes him such a prolific storyteller. The fact that he likes and delves into such a wide variety of genre’s is what makes him so adaptable and likeable from a fan’s viewpoint. So this one is this great science fiction deal that almost feels like Strange Worlds, Space Adventures or Weird Science books that were so prevalent once upon a time. It is stories like this one that makes you sit in your room and makes you wanna put on that helmet and pretend to be astronaut and guess what there isn’t even one of those in these pages.
Well after a decade you’d think all of those who did survive inside Oblivion would be irrevocably changed by the environment. That people still roam the region finding ways to survive is kind of a testament to our ability to adapt, and the will to survive. Also that we get to open this series up seeing Nathan in action with a solid look at Philadelphia (hmm Dawn of the Dead comes to mind for some reason) is utterly fantastic.
The way Kirkman has this book structured is extremely well done and I like the ebb & flow of how all of this feels. The introduction of the characters has a nice natural progression and helps the story move forward in a really silky smooth, almond milk, kind of way. That alongside some stellar characterisation is making this one just leap from the page into your mind. That this also has that effect of being familiar, in ways you’ll understand when reading it, and yet so alien at the same which engages the readers mind in ways that stimulate their creativity is on point.
Lorenzo’s eye for storytelling is on display here with his use of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels. His style is interesting and dynamic and it’s definitely not something you are likely to forget. Annalisa’s use of colour here is exceptional as well as we really do get to experience the whole alien creepy factor that comes with the Oblivion. The creativity and imagination on display are fantastic to see.
The subtext in the story here is nicely done as is the whole driving force that makes Nathan do what he does. The supporting cast here is fleshed out nicely and the suspense of what the reader is thinking may actually be true and that’s just a helluva bonus if you ask me. The tension created between characters and situations is well conceived and executed so that it remains in the forefront of your mind and moving forward you want to see how that plays out.
There are times I marvel and am in awe of what Kirkman’s mind is capable of conceiving and this is definitely one them. This is a great premise with some incredible execution all around. It is so modern that it almost feels retro.