Written by: Steve Niles
Art by: Christopher Mitten
Publisher: Black Mask Comics
I’m a Steve Niles fan. Let’s just get that out of the way. I’ve been accused in the past of being too loyal to creators (as if that was a bad thing). By being too loyal, I believe people are claiming that my eyes are bias to their work. I like to think that I’m able to calmly criticize creators I love when I see something that doesn’t live up to what I’ve seen in the past, as their best work. Now, it ain’t easy but I think I am honest.
So let’s get down to it. I really liked this one from Steve Niles and let me explain why. Firstly, it’s a science fiction story that brings it’s characters near Europa. Europa is f*&%ing cool. In case you weren’t aware, its one of Jupiter’s many moons and possesses on the higher possibilities in our solar system to being home to life. It’s f*&%ing cool. In this story, the crew of the ship Frankenstein (lol just joking, the ship isn’t called Frankenstein), are traveling to this part of our solar system to find a chick who’s been taken in by some cultist.
Firstly, I really enjoyed this issue as an introduction. For these reasons:
1. It contained enough information about the setting to let me know that I actually care. One thing I hate about a lot of science fiction and fantasy books, is when the first issue doesn’t give you a good run down of where the characters are, and what era they are in. What future? What past? What planet? We have answers here, and that’s important.
2. I received a good sense of who the characters are, what kind of attitudes they have and how they interact with each other. A brief look at their relationships with one another. This is just enough to get me interested.
3. Beautiful panels of space. Need I saw more? Really?
4. An exciting and surprising development that left me with questions and wonder at the very end of the issue which is a MUST in monthly serials.
Black Mask Comics has been making me really happy lately. I love current series We Can Never Go Home and Space Riders. Now I can add The Disciples to the list of monthly purchases.
