Black Science, Vol. 1: How to Fall Forever
Ratings34
Average rating3.8
This takes exactly the same amount of time to read as listening to Sufjan Stevens's Carrie & Lowell. Fact.
Super gorgeous art. Fun/funky idea (basically the multiverse, except instead of that 1995 Sliders episode where Hillary is president, or that one universe in which I am a banana (ALL HAIL MU), there is a Nazi/Navajo galactic war going on in one ‘verse and a monkey kung fu kingdom in another). Poor execution.
Poor execution cuz the “hero” of the story is your classic Ego Man anti-hero that hates himself, that everyone hates, that is meant to be vile, yet that the author(s) clearly really really like. Sorry, but I just don't care about multiverse-traveling douchebags.
Points for the monkey kingdom.
Meh, it's okay. The art is okay, nothing really to write home about. The plot is essentially Sliders, but I like Sliders better. I like the characters better.
You have a batch of scientists, pretty much par for the course. A jerk who cheats on his wife, is a brilliant scientist, and has children (God knows why); the woman he cheats with, who is okay; the jerk who funds him and can't be trusted; the jerk's sycophantic henchwoman, etc. No one very original here. The worlds are all skimmed through, and we don't get to know anyone in them really.
This could have potential, but it's not meeting that potential so far. Really, just watch Sliders. Sure, it's dated, but it's more satisfying and amusing, and the characters are better.
Okay, so I went on a small comic book binge the other day, picking up titles that I've been wanting to get my hands on for a while now. And this was definitely something that's been on my radar. I had fairly high expectations for Black Science because the artwork here is fucking beautiful. I mean, take a look at this:
The coloring is just stunning, especially when you see it in print...unfortunately, the story was a little bit lacking for me. It wasn't bad, and there were definitely really great moments in the comic, but there were other moments where I was just like, “What the fuck?”. Plus, I really did not like the main character, Grant. And it's not like you need to like the protagonist in order to enjoy a story, but this guy is a douche.
Still, I am interested in picking up the next volume, if only for the artwork.
3.5 stars out of 5.