Blue Juice Comics 2015
Created & Written by R.F.I. Porto
Illustrated by Gavin Smith
Coloured by Tim Yates
Welcome to issue two of the current story arc which is also an extra sized issue. This one really showcases a wide range of creativity and imagination by the guys here. I’m thrilled by the extra length of the story so that this wasn’t broken up and we can experience the forward momentum of the story and the times they experience till they end up where they do. Last issue they decided to keep jumping forward in time to a point where hopefully someone had created a way to go back in time so they could all return home and possibly meet up in the 88th century where it is rumored that the others went.
First stop on this tour is 2190 a.d.. Poor Spatz however doesn’t seem to be handling these and better with each new journey as keeps throwing up and passing out. It does make you wonder what all this time travel is doing to their bodies and if this is affecting Spatz more prominently than the others in a harmful way. Though that’s of little consequence at the moment as they’ve landed smack dab in the middle of a war.
I have to say that i’m really impressed with Gavin and Tim’s interiors, they really do just get stronger and more detailed as if they’ve hit that zone where it all seems to come to them with apparent ease, though I know differently. With the introduction of Field Marshal Cienfuegos you really see the work on the faces and what they are capable conveying more than ever before.
Having survived their encounter with the fourth accelerator war the group jumps again and finds themselves in 2334 a.d.. This is 144 years after their last destination. This jump doesn’t last long and soon with the next jump they hit 2567 a.d. which is another 233 years into the future. Here we finally see something interesting. While humans aren’t encountered, a cyberbug type creature is, the Earth looks like it’s been healing from all the devastation that it’s been through with a lush green island that shows promise that at some point all the wars and destruction are behind them.
Though when Spatz wakes up he freaks out and forces everyone to jump again to 2944 a.d. 377 years into the future from the last point in time. Again we see something that’s surprising and not just to the group. It’s almost like Colonial America with the houses, buidling and dress of the local citizens. Again however our intrepid travelers aren’t prepared for what’s about to happen for the folks in this time period while living what seems like a simpler lifestyle have advanced technology the kind that can render electronics dead and utterly useless which takes out Spartacus, the robot guy and the Major’s leg.
Whelp Porto manages to not only take us through time where thanks to Gavin and Tim we see the world change, heal and become a hospitable and lush world again but we also see that precautions have been taken to ensure strangers coming to this point in time can’t undo what’s established. So now we’ll have to see if this group can acclimate to this era or will they find a way to keep jumping forward. There’s not just that however as with three of their number suffering from the burned out technology they rely on can they survive without it?
This just gets more and more exciting and complex with each issue. With superb characterization and gorgeous interior artwork this series is one of those rare finds that proves that Blue Juice Comics has what it takes to be a contender in today’s world of excellent comics.