Enter For A Chance To Win A Pass For Two To The IMAX® Advance Screening Of Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN MARVEL!

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February 21, 2019

Monkeys Fighting Robots, POPAXIOM, and Marvel Studios have teamed up to bring you three special screenings of CAPTAIN MARVEL!

The screenings will be held in Miami, Tampa, and Orlando on Tuesday, March 5.

AMC Sunset Place 24
5701 Sunset Dr Suite 300
South Miami, FL 33143

Regal Pointe Orlando 20
9101 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819

AMC Veterans 24
9302 Anderson Rd
Tampa, FL 33634

The contest is straightforward to enter, find your city and follow us on Instagram. If you’re already doing that, share the contest with your friends to increase your chances to win. Check out all the options to enter below.

Winners will be chosen at random on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at noon EST. You will increase your odds of winning the more you share the contest.

MIAMI

Contest by Rewards Fuel.

ORLANDO

Contest by Rewards Fuel.

TAMPA

Contest by Rewards Fuel.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Limit 1 admit-two passes per person. This film is rated PG-13. Must be 13 years of age or older to win passes. Employees of all promotional partners and their agencies are not eligible. Void where prohibited. Entries must be received by 11:59 AM, MARCH 3,2019, to be eligible to receive pass. Winners will be contacted via e-mail to receive their pass. Sponsors not responsible for incomplete, lost, late or misdirected entries or for failure to receive entries due to transmission or technical failures of any kind. SEATING IS LIMITED, SO ARRIVE EARLY. PASS DOES NOT GUARANTEE A SEAT AT THE SCREENING. Refer to screening pass for further restrictions. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON.

Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN MARVEL

Set in the 1990s, Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that follows the journey of Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes. While a galactic war between two alien races reaches Earth, Danvers finds herself and a small cadre of allies at the center of the maelstrom.

The film stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Rune Temte, Algenis Perez Soto, Mckenna Grace, with Annette Bening, with Clark Gregg, and Jude Law.

Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” is produced by Kevin Feige and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jonathan Schwartz, Patricia Whitcher and Stan Lee are the executive producers. The story is by Nicole Perlman & Meg LeFauve and Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet, and the screenplay is by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck & Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “Captain Marvel” opens on March 8, 2019 in U.S. theaters.

After you see the movie, be sure to let us know what you think.

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[Review] The Price is Paid in BATMAN #65

By

David DeCorte

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“If you could have any superpower, which one would you pick?” It’s a question people often ask as an ice breaker. You may also remember hearing it on the playground in elementary school. It raises two critical follow-up questions, though: Why would you choose that power, and what price would you pay for it? Batman #65 asks those questions.

The book continues the Batman/Flash crossover event The Price, which is also a Heroes in Crisis tie-in. Batman and Flash attempt to run down the batteries on Gotham Girl’s venom-powered undead fighters. Meanwhile Gotham Girl, her specific goals—if she has any at all—still kept ambiguous, plans her next attack against Central City.

The Writing

Batman #65 is more action-centered than the previous entry in the event, but the action is not as compelling as you would hope. For example, Barry describes Gotham Girl’s undead fighters as being like “an army of Supermen.” However, he and Bruce come up with a rather anticlimactic plan to handle the threat. Later, the duo go up against another attacker, only for the threat to fall apart in a few pages again.

The book’s more interesting aspects focus on exploring Gotham Girl. From the beginning, she saw herself as a support character to her brother. In this chapter, though, we see her striving to make up an origin story for herself and nail down a motivation. She invents herself in the same way a comic book writer would invent a character. And, by the book’s end, Gotham Girl takes an action propelling us forcefully toward the story’s conclusion.

Williamson’s writing in Batman #65 is good overall, with strong dialogue that manages to be emotive without slipping into melodrama. However, the action feels like an afterthought, only serving as beats to hit simply as we move the plot along.

The Artwork

Guillem March returns to provide art in this issue. Much like in Batman #64, the artwork is great on a technical standpoint. However, the frantic action goes beyond dynamism, to the point that it’s almost a bit overwhelming. It can be hard to decipher the flow of the work, as panels can feel random and chaotically-placed, making it hard to focus on any one image at a time.

Tomeu Morey’s excellent color work is, once again, a high point of the art. His colors are painstakingly-detailed, and truly gorgeous.

Final Thoughts

The storytelling in Batman #65 isn’t quite as strong as Bruce’s previous chapter. However, it’s a solid installment in the four-part The Price storyline overall.

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Bendis Announces More Wonder Comics Titles

By

Kevin Sharp

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February 20, 2019

Brian Michael Bendis has confirmed a second set of titles for his Wonder Comics line, including Naomi Volume 2 and a new Amethyst series. The writer broke the news during his Reddit AMA.

“Issue six wraps the first Naomi run. We’re going to do it Hellboy style because Jamal [Campbell] needs to take a break! David [Walker] and I will be building the next part, but by issue four of this series you will see EXACTLY how different. Naomi 2 joins Amethyst as a previously announced Wonder Comics Season 2 book!”

His reference to “Hellboy style” is an indicator that Naomi will be a series of miniseries rather than a traditional ongoing. We also got a look at the cover for issue #6, which ends the first volume in June:

The news about Amethyst joining the Wonder Comics line is further confirmation of what Bendis mentioned on Twitter in January, though we still don’t know the “major creator” to whom he referred.

Longtime readers might remember back to when the “Princess of Gemworld” first showed up in the DC Universe in the 1980s:

The sole title from Wonder Comics’ first wave still to debut is Dial H For Hero, which arrives March 27.

Have you been enjoying Wonder Comics so far? Are you looking forward to more? Comment below!

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Review: INCURSION #1 Opens the World of the Dead

By

Corey Patterson

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Valiant Comics is diving into the world of the dead with their new limited series INCURSION. The first of this four-part story introduces us to Imperatrix Virago, an extraterrestrial necromancer who has set her sights on Earth. And the only defenders standing in her way are the Eternal Warrior Gilad and a young Geomancer named Tama.

Story

Expanding on the continuity in any established fictional universe is a tough task, but Andy Diggle and Alex Paknadel are up to the challenge. From the onset, they plunge readers into the midst of a starving planet overrun by a parasitic virus. There’s almost no context at first, but the intensity makes the initial confusion all the more exciting.

We’re drawn into the inner turmoil of one of the planet’s inhabitants as he pleas for mercy from their ruler Imperatrix, who reveals she’s been sapping the planet of its life. The peasant slowly grapples with the knowledge that they’ve been betrayed. Reader’s easily sympathize with his distress as any hopes for survival are extinguished.

Diggle and Paknadel also introduce us to Earth’s first line of defense: Gilad and Hama. Gilad, the Eternal Warrior, is a warrior charged with protecting the earth-bending Geomancers, returning century after century in a reborn body. Hama, Earth’s current Geomancer, is a young girl who’s learning how to control her incredible powers.

Through the Imperatrix, Gilad, and Hama, Diggle and Paknadel brilliantly introduce a new villain with its own history while also paying homage to the Valiant comic canon. This story’s foundation is solid and will likely entrance readers by the hundreds.

Art

Doug Braithwaite, Jose Villarrubia, Diego Rodriguez and Marshall Dillon offer great illustrations for this fantastic fantasy. With Braithwaite on pencils and Villarrubia and Rodriguez on colors, the reader is treated to highly detailed scenes of exotic alien landscapes one minute and a horde of undead charging through Iowa’s plains the next. Their ability to transition seamlessly between settings helps connect these new worlds to our own, whether they be an alien planet or dimensions containing the dead.

Dillon’s lettering adds to the dynamics of the story as well. Among these include variations he adds to the undead army’s speech, which helps readers imagine their guttural voices. This coupled with the other character’s inflections makes for an engaging story readers won’t want to put down.

Conclusion

INCURSION #1 perfectly sets up all the players in this epic battle for Earth. The plot might seem straight-forward at first glance, but readers will find there’s much hidden within each of its enticing characters.

Do you think the Imperatrix has the potential to become an epic villain in this series? Let us know in the comments below!

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Review: Natasha Takes on Live Stream Torture in BLACK WIDOW #2

By

Corey Patterson

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Jen and Sylvia Soska’s new run on Black Widow is shaping up to be one of the hero’s most intense stories yet. Recently revived from death via a cloned body, Natasha Romanoff has been spending time fighting corruption on the fictional island of Madripoor. This serves as the backdrop for BLACK WIDOW #2, which features Natasha’s rage at one of the most horrific imaginings in human history: a live stream torture website.

Story

Natasha is most often associated with the horrors she faced during her training in the Red Room. But she has never witnessed such widespread torture of innocent women as that on the website No Restraints Play. Site users are asked to bid on any form of torture they wish to command and the organization will find young women to inflict it upon.

The brilliant writing talent of the Soska sisters uses this horrific syndicate as the perfect outlet for Natasha’s inner demons; her revival forced her to relive horrors throughout her life as well as the events leading up to her death. And in her mind, the degree of evil behind No Restraints Play justifies any lack of restraint against it. She’s done playing by the rules propagated by Captain America and the other Avengers. Her one goal is to dismantle No Restraints Play at any cost.

Art

Clayton Crain’s cover art is a great visual setup for the book. Depicting Natasha fighting the crooks up close, as opposed to attacking from a distance like Tyger Tiger, shows how No Restraints Play has affected her on a deeply personal level.

Flaviano, Veronica Gandini and VC’s Joe Caramagna weave together action-packed artwork throughout the issue. Flaviano effectively uses blurred lines to bring Natasha’s quick styles of attack to life. In addition, Gandini adds in the right touch of shading to emphasize the dark horrors found in this story.

Caramagna’s lettering captures Natasha’s voice perfectly with its inflection in her threats against No Restraints Play. This adds greater dimension to the character and helps the reader feel her intensity.

Conclusion

BLACK WIDOW #2 brilliantly draws readers into Natasha’s rage and pain as they’re fully realized via No Restraints Play. Readers will be amazed at how far Marvel is willing to push her as a character.

Do you think Natasha will reach her breaking point in this issue? Let us know in the comments below!

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[Review] SHARKEY THE BOUNTY HUNTER #1 is Space Western Action at its Finest

By

David DeCorte

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Sharkey the Bounty Hunter #1 kicks off a new six-issue limited run from writer Mark Millar. The series, set to be adapted into a live action Netflix movie next year, follows an interstellar bounty hunter who traverses the galaxy in a beat-up old ice cream truck. Sharkey’s luck turns around, though, when he gets a tip that could bring in the biggest score of his life.

Drawing heavily on genre tropes, this first issue sets up a fun, if not completely unique adventure.

The Writing

As mentioned, Sharkey the Bounty Hunter #1 leans heavily on the hallmarks of the space western. We have the lowlife bounty hunter with a mysterious past, the tag-along kid, the infamous outlaw with a massive price on her head…it’s all here.

Pastiche is good, though, as long as a writer knows how to use the tropes to tell an interesting story. Fortunately, Millar pulls that off nicely. The world building draws on many familiar elements, but still feels fresh, with enough unique weirdness to tie it together.

Not only that, but the book is actually very funny, too. Sharkey the Bounty Hunter #1 has multiple laugh-out-loud moments. That said, there is one bit with a cyborg character who muses about being surgically transformed into a military vehicle, which ends up being more awkward than funny.

Character development in this first issue focuses primarily on Sharkey, who is delightful. He’s a jerk with a heart of gold, possessing a ’70-era, Burt Reynolds-esque swagger. Readers will look forward to following his adventure in the next issue.

The Artwork

The art by Simone Bianchi in Sharkey the Bounty Hunter #1 is a real treat. His illustrations are alien, yet familiar at the same time, perfectly underscoring the Millar’s storytelling style.

He brings everything to life with incredible detail and dynamic, kinetic character designs. You can read the emotion in characters’ faces, and feel as they grapple over key decisions. You could honestly pull some of these panels out of the book and frame them on your wall.

Bianchi handles color duties, too. His choices are all over the map, underscoring the off-world vibe. However, the colors have similar tones, keeping everything cohesive. It’s a damn impressive display of ability.

Final Thoughts

Even if you’re not big on the space western genre, Sharkey the Bounty Hunter #1 is a home run you won’t want to miss. Highly recommended.

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INTERVIEW: BIRD BOX Visual FX Supervisor Marcus Taormina Talks Terminator 2 And Bright 2

By

Ruben Diaz

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February 19, 2019

Bird Box is a horror film that made a huge splash when it premiered on Netflix in January and making the movie look seamless is Marcus Taormina who handled the hundreds of FX shots in the film.

Marcus Taormina started his career back in 2009 as a “data wrangler” for the Dragonball: Evolution film. Flash-forward ten years later and Marcus’ resume includes working on projects such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Fast and Furious, Amazing Spider-Man, and Guardians of the Galaxy. In 2017, he leveled up to Visual Effects Supervisor on the Netflix film Bright.

PopAxiom put on a blindfold to talk to Marcus via the phone about working in the movie industry, making special effects, and what was his biggest challenge while making Bird Box.

Computers & Film

Marcus started making movies early on “I think it goes back to my childhood when I would steal my parents’ camera. I’d sneak down into the basement and tried my best making stop-motion kind of movies. Lamps for lighting. Anything I could grab.”

But it was just a hobby, and he went to school to study computers “It never really occurred to me until my sophomore year in college that I could make working on movies a career. I changed my major from Computer Science to Media Studies.”

After the switch, Marcus “… explored that world as much as I could … Exposed myself to everything I could. I started to get into classes about animation and what you could do with green screen. How much you could manipulate picture to the point that an audience would believe it.”

From computer science to filmmaking “Working in visual effects is the best of both worlds for me.”

Early FX Influences

Marcus points to one film immediately when asked what influenced his love of FX as a kid “… Terminator 2. If I walked into that theater, I could tell you where I was sitting. It was so cool, breathtaking, and real. But in this gritty way.”

A couple of other films come to mind “I’m a big fan of Indiana Jones; also Jurassic Park … how forward-thinking they were on that film.”

About Bird Box

On to Bird Box, the film that took over January and caused nationwide trends that Netflix was not happy about. Famously, the movie garnered 45 million views within the first few days. On the surface, Bird Box doesn’t look like an effects-heavy film but according to Marcus “There were 520 visual effects shots in the movie.”

The number includes “A combination of computer-generated images or cleanup and practical stuff.”

For Marcus, he approaches each project with the idea of “… doing as much practically and support it later on with visual effects.”

Marcus shares a few examples “Jessica’s death, when she gets hit by the garbage truck, we tried to do that in more of an ‘old-school’ fashion. We shot Jessica walking out of the house and into the street, the garbage truck passing, etc. We’d do a few little bits of compositing tricks. But as soon as we shot it, it lacked that frenetic, violent action it needed.”

CGI was used instead “In post-production, we utilized the portion of Jessica walking out and the stunt-pass for reference.”

And the computer, oddly, made it more real “Rendering the scene, the software accounted for the mass and speed of the truck. Because of that, it would push the hair in front of the face. Normally you don’t want to cover an actors face. But the motion of the hair made it feel so visceral that we kept it.”

Computers can help when actors don’t do what you want “Another scene was the birds in the market … we worked with an animal wrangler who was confident she could get the birds to make this frantic motion and sell to the audience that they’re scared. But … the birds would only react to the wrangler a handful of time. It got to the point where we don’t want to stress the birds out anymore. So we did it digitally.”

Maybe Spoilers?

If you haven’t watched Bird Box, maybe skip
to the final section called “Wrapping Up.”

The big non-reveal of Bird Box is that the audience never sees the actual creature or “presence” as Marcus likes to call it. How did that play out from production to post? “We did months and months of R&D, some really great concepts we came up with, artwork, and 3D simulations that never made it into the final film.”

About the decision to not show a creature “Ultimately, I agree with the idea of not showing a creature. It just felt like it was all within the viewers’ eyes. Everyone can interpret the creature differently.”

Wrapping Up

Closing out I ask Marcus to name a recent film that’s impressed him recently “I have to say Avengers: Infinity Wars because of the sheer complexity of those effects. From a technical standpoint, it’s impressive. They’re really pushing the bar.”

What’s next for the computer science nerd turned FX Supervisor? “Bird Box 2! Just kidding. I’m prepping Bright 2 for Netflix.” About the Bright-verse, Marcus adds “It’s a fun world to build.”

Thanks to Marcus Taormina and Impact24 PR for making this interview possible.

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Advance Review: In ALIENS RESISTANCE #2 Horror Is Replaced By Mystery

By

Darryll Robson

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With Aliens Resistance #2, the Dark Horse Comics publication continues the adventure of the underdogs against the mass corporation. By drawing on aspects from all over the Aliens franchise, the creators have produced a comic that it instantly familiar and hauntingly uncomfortable.

Like the game Alien Isolation, where one of the central characters comes from, Resistance is not a war on the Xenomorphs directly, but a fight for survival against something larger, something in control of everything else. This is a tale about two women fighting greed and arrogance. As such there are political undertones throughout.

Story/Writing

The essence of this comic is the individual standing up against the faceless corporation. In the opening of this issue Brian Wood gives the reader exactly that. As the mystery deepens around the activities at the Weyland-Yutani Blacksite Wood uses a small act of resistance to illustrate the seeming futility of putting up a fight.

This sequence is a larger reflection on the story as a whole but also on modern government and corporations. It is about who has control and how that control is used. The orange suits worn by the evacuees in Aliens Resistance purposefully conjures up images of prisoners, political and civilian.

This overshadows everything that follows with Amanda Ripley and Zula Hendricks. Although they are the heroes, and as a reader you are rooting for them from the very beginning, Wood has laid an element of doubt whether they can succeed. As the story unfolds the struggle becomes greater and greater as the tension, likewise, increases.

One of the most surprising choices Wood has made is in his approach to the Xenomorphs in this issue. They were hinted at in the first issue, creeping around the outside of spaceships but the villains in this comic are clearly the synthetics in employ of Weyland-Yutani. They are literally representative of a faceless corporation and their gold, reflective masks show no sign of humanity or individuality.

Aliens Resistance #2 Cover Credit: Dark Horse Comics

Art

The atmosphere created in Aliens Resistance is a perfect match for the Alien Isolation game which this series is a sequel to. The design of the space vessels and the industrial Blacksite, clinging to a rock in orbit of a barren planet, match up with the aesthetic created for the original Alien movie. Robert Carey uses extremely thin lines during inking so that he can get as much detail as possible into the panels. His landscape and architecture work is outstanding and creates an ideal setting for Woods story.

Carey’s figure work is a lot more expressive that you would expect after the scene setting first page. He drops a lot of the detail and simplifies the human features. He then manipulates the few lines to relay the emotion of the character. This provides a stark contrast to the machine-like Synthetics and the industrial settings, helping to highlight the themes in Woods script.

The flow of the story is enhanced by Nate Piekos’ lettering as the positioning of the speech balloons and captions lead the reader across the page. Although the lettering itself lacks character distinction, the emphasis within the dialogue creates a rhythm that builds anticipation. The emotional aspects of the speech, especially the nervousness, is evident and this is important for building atmosphere.

As with Carey’s pencils and inks, the coloring for the locations by Dan Jackson is exceptional. It produces a cinematic appearance to the settings, drawing the reader in. The look captures the aesthetic of the original film so well you can almost hear Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting music playing over the top.

Unfortunately, after the opening sequence, the colors on the characters themselves lacks depth; the two central characters especially have a ghostly quality to them. If the intention was to show that they are emotionally ‘cold’ in the same way as the synthetics then this would work, however the rest of the comic is opposed to that concept.

Aliens Resistance #2 Alternative Cover Credit: Dark Horse Comics

Conclusion

Aliens Resistance is an atmospheric story that slowly builds up the tension. It also has a poignant element by showing that Weyland-Yutani has control over life and that the company is above law and reason. How this fits in with the Xenomorphs is still to be seen, however, I don’t think it is too difficult to work out. All will be revealed soon.

Wood’s script is full of banter between the central characters and this plays out well as the comic progresses. From an art point of view, the atmosphere and location work is wonderful all-round. However, some elements lack the definition required to raise the emotional level up that extra notch.

As a single issue, Aliens Resistance #2 works well but I think it will be in the collection where it all comes together.

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DCEASED: New DC Event Arrives in May

By

Kevin Sharp

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February 19, 2019

A new DC Comics event titled DCeased — written by Tom Taylor, with art by Trevor Hairsine, James Harren, and Stefano Gaudiano — will be released in May. Here’s the publisher’s official description:

DCeased #1
(W) Tom Taylor (A) Trevor Harisine, Stefano Gaudiano, James Harren (CA) Greg Capullo

A mysterious techno-virus has been released on Earth, infecting 600 million people and turning them instantly into violent, monstrous engines of destruction.
The heroes of the DCU are caught completely unprepared for a pandemic of this magnitude and struggle to save their loved ones first…but what happens to the World’s Greatest Heroes if the world ends?
New York Times best-selling writer Tom Taylor (Injustice) returns with a terrifying new tale and is joined by artist Trevor Hairsine (Legends of the Dark Knight) and Stefano Gaudiano (The Walking Dead)

Rated T+
In Shops: May 01, 2019
SRP: $3.99

We’ve also seen two covers for the first issue. Greg Capullo’s Batman:

And Yasmin Putri’s It-inspired Joker cover:

Before the official announcement, Taylor (Marvel’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man) teased glimpses across social media. On Twitter, he shared ominous hints and an image of bloodied Darkseid.

On Facebook, he posted a Superman image along with the words “Screaming… the world is screaming.”

Still unknown at the moment is whether DCeased is an in-continuity event or something more akin to Taylor’s Injustice series. Based on the premise as described, fans have already made comparisons to Marvel Zombies.

DCeased #1 arrives in comic stores May 1, which will be a big day for the publisher; they’ve already announced another title being released simultaneously: Year of the Villain.

Does DCeased look like an event you’ll pick up? Leave us a comment!

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Review: The Search For Truth In RELAY #4

By

Darryll Robson

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After a long break, Relay, from Aftershock Comics, returns to the shelves bringing with it space exploration and complex theological questions. It continues the journey started on last year’s Free Comic Book day; it introduces new worlds; and throws a whole set of new problems at Jad Carter, the central character.

Writing/Story

Traveling through the depths of space, Jad Carter is in search of the First World and the Relay creator Hank Donaldson. All because of a message on a mug. His journey sees him pitted against space pirates, inhospitable planets and former co-workers from the Relay.

Zac Thompson uses this issue to recap the story so far before taking it to new places. He achieves this by giving his central character an internal monologue befitting of a man trying to convince himself he is on the right track. The voice over works to develop Jad’s character showing the mental process he experiences as he encounters the various obstacles blocking his search for the Truth. It also helps to portray his inner turmoil when faced with the possibility of failure.

The voice over acts as narrator, exposition and character enhancement. Thompson makes it fit snuggly within the framing of his narrative so that it is not intrusive and feels like a natural part of the story.

This issue of Relay also takes some large leaps forward in plot development. Jad experiences a lot as he searches for The Donaldson and the First World but this is just a gateway into a whole new area for the comic. Thompson opens up the world and introduces several groups of characters who all have the potential for future conflict.

One of the central themes of this comic is the quest for the Truth on a universal scale. Who is God? lays at the heart of Jad’s journey and the new characters that Thompson introduces builds on this, adding several new dimensions to the initial problem. The Relay system is a symbol of a controlling religion, an all knowing force that should not be questioned. Additional elements of religious dogma and philosophical pondering are added into the mix this issue. Thompson does not want to give simple, clear cut answers to some of the most difficult questions ever asked; instead he provides a number of alternatives and uses Jad as a relay between the concepts and the reader.

Relay #4 Cover Credit: AfterShock Comics

Art

Dalibor Talajic has a clean pencil style with inking to match. This allows for density and detail in each panel on each page with a result that is sometimes over powering but mostly absorbing. Talajic pulls you into the story by creating a world that is 100% believable.

The design of the space vessels is Giger-esq and the costumes, especially on the lost world of Zalis, look like they have been tailored in Frank Herbert’s Dune novels. In fact, the general aesthetic for Relay doesn’t come from one source but is an amalgamation of many different Sci-Fi influences.

The coloring style on the planets is a blend of bold pastel colors behind a foreground of mostly whites and greys. This emphasises the ‘alien’ aspect of the worlds which in turn grounds the ‘human’ characters by contrasting the two. Jose Villarrubia has obviously been influenced by a number of the European comic artists and colorists such as Moebius, who are not afraid to use color in their storytelling. For the remainder of the comic Villarrubia draws on the darkness of space for his color palette, with plenty of purples and blues breaking up the black shadows.

On the lettering side, Charles Pritchett uses slightly different fonts for some of the characters, subtly creating a barrier between Jad and those pursuing him. When he meets like-minded people the lettering matches symbolising that their ideologies are also linked.

There is, however, a lot of text to fit into the pages, especially with the caption boxes for Jad’s internal dialogue. This does result in some placement issues meaning that at a quick glance there isn’t a smooth flow through the pages. This becomes especially apparent when you reach a page devoid of text. It’s like slamming on the breaks in a car and suddenly having the time to take in the surroundings. Thompson does compensate for this by pacing the overall narrative of the comic perfectly so that Jad moves from one situation to another. There is no sense of rushing through the story but also, there isn’t any unnecessary lingering.

Conclusion

For a comic that has taken a long time between issues, Relay does not suffer because of it. This is a self-contained comic which ties into the greater narrative but can easily be read in isolation. A strong narrative runs through the comic with a strong central character. Some of the side characters don’t get much to do and exist simply to serve Jad’s narrative but there is still plenty for a reader to get their teeth into.

Relay is a discussion on the nature of existence and the dangers of searching for your creator. This heavy topic may put some people off the comic, especially as it’s difficult to escape this aspect of it. Relay isn’t ashamed to ask difficult questions while engaging the reader in an exciting sci-fi story. Thompson takes elements of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Dune and throws them into a blender with the Aliens franchise. What he is left with are the building blocks for Relay and the world he builds out of them is extremely intriguing.

This is a title that is not for everyone, it isn’t a title you pick up, read in five minutes then discard. If you enjoy taking time with a comic, pulling apart the different aspects and then questioning what is meant by each, Relay is what you are looking for. And this issue is a great place to start.

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