Like a dirtier and more graphic Lost in Space, Black Science debuted back in November with a strong first issue. There was a large cast of characters with a focus on the alien creatures the heroes encounter whilst transversing the dimensions. I was a bit confused on the character bits, but the premise held up, so how’s issue #3: is it good?
Black Science #3 (Image Comics)
The main character of this book, Grant McKay, scientist and creator of interdimensional travel, is an anarchist, which suits this book because it’s a bit chaotic in its delivery. Opening this book I was a bit lost and not sure where we were; I suppose it takes place on our world, but then it cuts to three hours later, where Native Americans have alien tech and then again cuts to what appears to be World War I Germany. McKay’s technology is broken, so maybe there’s a melding of dimensions going on, but there’s nothing done to explain these details on the page.
To recap: McKay is injured, the machine is broken and a new crew is brought in to help out. Unfortunately this crew involves a man and his children, the man not even aware of the gravity of the situation, which spells more drama for the next issue.
Sure you will…
If however, you have ADD you’ll love Rick Remender’s script. The book opens with some head honcho proclaiming the protagonist has failed, cuts to some Native Americans donning robot suits and then cuts again to the trenches of World War I. The characters have tough choices and they’re written quite well in a realistic and honest way, but the plot is all over the place. There’s also so many characters I’m having trouble caring about them. Unfortunately for this issue it’s all largely setup aside from some infidelity issues of a select character. By issue’s end you’ll read this and think, “Okay, what just happened and why do I care?”
The art by Matteo Scalera and Dean White is, in all its chaotic glory, pretty marvelous. The sky in the page below for instance, has an incredibly beautiful pastel-esque sky to go along with the highly detailed city. White is on painting, with Scalera on the rest, and you can tell White helps punch up the pages with some beautiful colors and fluid, painterly pages. There’s also a really neat effect Scalera brings to the pages, specifically how panels seem to be cut off on the sides of the page. You’ll get a panel that seems to have been shifted two inches too far to the right leaving your imagination to fill in the gaps. The effect makes the page that much more chaotic, but also striking. I haven’t seen this done before and it’s a neat effect to grab your attention.
Very pretty sky.
Is It Good?
I’m not so sure. The art is impeccable with great colors, but I’m not sold on what the story is trying to say. If you find yourself a bit lost maybe that’s the intention, but it’s not conducive to keeping your attention.
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