Written by: Rick Remender
Art by: Matteo Scalera
Publisher: Image
I have no idea how this series is going to end. That’s the best thing about this series but also remains a minor detriment, simultaneously.
Black Science #11 is the finale to the second arc of Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera’s flagship Image sci-fi series. In comparison to the first arc, the one now closing out is much more exuberant, colorful, ambitious, and slightly confusing (in a title that already lives and breathes by all of those adjectives). Once again, this issue raises a multitude of questions, many of which seem to have no feasible answer in sight. While many may enjoy and be used to this type of storytelling (myself included), some may wain a bit on the fogginess of certain plot details presented monthly in Black Science, especially in this issue. But, as always, the parts of this title that are incredible absolutely sing. Scalera’s art, issue after issue, only improves. Characters are rendered perfectly with his stylistic attention to exaggerated detail. His art is greatly benefited by the wonderful colors of Dean White, as well, adding a moody and dire tone admits his deep purples and greens presented in the colors of this title.
Issue #11 remains a hard one to review without giving away any spoilers. Suffice to say, we pick up with Kadir’s selfless (?) last stand against the millipede death cult while multiple versions of Grant converge on the last surviving cosmonauts. Developments are made, characters live and die, and a new central plot focus is introduced in the final page. The book remains infinitely compelling despite the murkiness of some of the ideas presented and establishes a cliffhanger that would have any reader desperately yearning for the next issue.
Black Science #11 is a culmination of all that has been presented in the previous ten issues. Everything that is great about this series still remains incredible while simultaneously the ambiguity of the fates of the characters presented remains prevalent in full force, as well. I continue to love this series as it remains on the top of my pull list the week it comes out. Here’s to the long couple of months till the release of issue #12. Remender and co. have us chomping at the bit for the next installment yet again.
