At first glance, you’d think The Domain is a sci-fi/superhero comic with a unique twist – par for the course for Image nowadays. It even has a neat setup: Destiny, Liz and Max have been friends since high school, even founding an astronomy club. Years later, the trio witness a spaceship crash to Earth, and stumble upon a group of aliens as well as collection of gauntlets that grant them superhuman abilities. But there’s a catch: only one of them can use their powers at a time, and they’re not the only ones who know about the UFO crash landing.
So what makes The Domain different from other comics? There’s the fact that it sprouts from another Image title: Chip Zdarsky’s Public Domain. While that series is a great look into the world of comic creators (and how they often don’t receive the profits they deserve from their creations), it also features a superhero named “The Domain”. The Domain #1 is a “reboot” of sorts within this world, taking a more modern approach to a superhero origin/first contact story.
It also continues to prove Zdarksy’s gift for telling stories that are laced with humor, emotion and creativity. Both Destiny and Max are dealing with the crushing weight of adulthood, which tends to interfere with one’s dreams; Liz keeps reminding them that they’re only in their twenties, and that their life isn’t quite over yet. Like any good sci-fi story, the aliens and super-powered technology serve as a metaphor for how power is meant to be shared, rather than hoarded, and tapping into your true potential.
Zdarsky doesn’t just have a gift for writing, he also has a gift for finding the best artists in the business. The Domain sees him joined by Rachael Stott and Eren Angiolini, who alternate between the realistic and the fantastic. Destiny, Max and Liz all look like real, different people; Stott hints at a intense intelligence dancing behind Liz’s glasses, shows Destiny shrinking into herself, and has Max moving with a surprising speed. She also draws some creepy looking aliens, who possess multiple arms and razor sharp teeth in addition to bodies that bend and twist at unnatural angles. Angiolini further juxtaposes this by playing with darker colors for the first half of the book, and then bringing in a burst of brightness when the spaceship crashes, immediately drawing the reader’s attention.
The Domain #1 is a story that’s working on multiple levels. It’s a superhero story steeped in metafiction, as well as a story about reaching for your true potential. You don’t have to read Public Domain to enjoy this comic, but if you do end up checking it out you’ll appreciate what Zdarsky is going for with this project.
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