Post by jugglingman on Jun 19, 2008 18:33:13 GMT -4
Red Mass for Mars #1 (of 4) By Jonathan Hickman and Ryan Bodenheim
Red Mass for Mars is a science fiction/superhero story taking place on Earth in a dystopian future (2115) where humans have managed to survive several global cataclysms. It features a wealthy clairvoyant world leader nicknamed "The Benefactor" (the tale's narrator) who sees a new catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions that humans will not survive. What do you do when you know you face complete extinction? You go through the motions apparently. The Benefactor, along with Dr. Thaddeus, "the smartest man on the planet" summon as many superhumans as possible. A handful of supporting characters are introduced, most notably Lightbender of the English Language Reclamation Project (ELRP), a terrorist with a violent linguistic agenda. It's a big and classic premise with a bit of a twist. It's distinct yet accessible. Does it work?
Yes! Hickman offers up a great product! He wisely avoids genre tropes and tells an engrossing tale. This issue's goal is to show you what's at stake and leave you uncertain as to which direction we're heading. I personally like that open ended approach for a first issue but some might argue that nothing really happens. Ultimately, it comes across as an introduction to an epic world with a story spanning over 3000 years with a clearly identifiable center to which readers can cling.
I do have a few quibbles. My first being that so far it's all very cerebral. We have been introduced to an interesting universe and to some eccentric characters. But everything comes off as cold ad distant. This is likely done on purpose for dramatic effect. But my personal preference is for a more down-to-earth flavor of characterization. My other concern is that this is issue #1 of 4. Four issues seems a rather compact space to fit such a grand idea. If this was an on-going I'd be much more excited.
Technically speaking this is razor sharp stuff. Ryan Bodenheim has been relegated to the role of production designer more so than storyteller. If that strikes you as lopsided have no fear, it complements Hickman's writing style brilliantly! Expect imaginative and compelling art. Hickman also lends a hand to the art as colorist with assistance from Marty Shelley. Jonathan's graphic design background adds a polish to the book like few I see on the shelves. The cover, typography and page layouts are enough to make my designer heart flutter.
Conclusion: Red Mass for Mars #1 is a promising start to a series that appears like it might be painfully short. If you like dense and layered stories and masterful comics crafting, I recommend this.
I would give this comic an R rating for violent scenes.
Red Mass for Mars is a science fiction/superhero story taking place on Earth in a dystopian future (2115) where humans have managed to survive several global cataclysms. It features a wealthy clairvoyant world leader nicknamed "The Benefactor" (the tale's narrator) who sees a new catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions that humans will not survive. What do you do when you know you face complete extinction? You go through the motions apparently. The Benefactor, along with Dr. Thaddeus, "the smartest man on the planet" summon as many superhumans as possible. A handful of supporting characters are introduced, most notably Lightbender of the English Language Reclamation Project (ELRP), a terrorist with a violent linguistic agenda. It's a big and classic premise with a bit of a twist. It's distinct yet accessible. Does it work?
Yes! Hickman offers up a great product! He wisely avoids genre tropes and tells an engrossing tale. This issue's goal is to show you what's at stake and leave you uncertain as to which direction we're heading. I personally like that open ended approach for a first issue but some might argue that nothing really happens. Ultimately, it comes across as an introduction to an epic world with a story spanning over 3000 years with a clearly identifiable center to which readers can cling.
I do have a few quibbles. My first being that so far it's all very cerebral. We have been introduced to an interesting universe and to some eccentric characters. But everything comes off as cold ad distant. This is likely done on purpose for dramatic effect. But my personal preference is for a more down-to-earth flavor of characterization. My other concern is that this is issue #1 of 4. Four issues seems a rather compact space to fit such a grand idea. If this was an on-going I'd be much more excited.
Technically speaking this is razor sharp stuff. Ryan Bodenheim has been relegated to the role of production designer more so than storyteller. If that strikes you as lopsided have no fear, it complements Hickman's writing style brilliantly! Expect imaginative and compelling art. Hickman also lends a hand to the art as colorist with assistance from Marty Shelley. Jonathan's graphic design background adds a polish to the book like few I see on the shelves. The cover, typography and page layouts are enough to make my designer heart flutter.
Conclusion: Red Mass for Mars #1 is a promising start to a series that appears like it might be painfully short. If you like dense and layered stories and masterful comics crafting, I recommend this.
I would give this comic an R rating for violent scenes.
