Stuart Moore has tapped into several genres -- science fiction, supernatural horror, mystery and conspiracy theories -- to craft a truly unique and engaging series here. I enjoyed the first issue, but the emergence and introduction of new story elements have drawn me even further into Sara Erie's story. The writer maintains a thoroughly accessible tone throughout the scripts here, and he balances some of the more over-the-top sci-fi aspects of the book with a strong grounding in real science and some strong and compelling personalities among the characters. The art is richly detailed, and while the characters are rendered a bit inconsistently at times, the more fantastic imagery is quite mesmerizing.
A team comprised of Sara Erie, Dr. Anderson, grad student Roger Max, paranormal expert Dr. Z and FBI agent Donna Sanchez descends once again into the supercollider facility so they can divine what happened to Erie's father's team of scientists two decades ago. Dr. Z comes face to faceplate with a robotic sentry that shouldn't be there, while Sanchez delves into Sara's backgrounds and credentials. Meanwhile, the others discover Dr. Erie's original notes on the experiments they were conducting, and they discover that they had accessed a doorway to another world. And it appears something has come through that doorway, which is fatally bad news for one member of the team.
My favorite visual element in this book are the ghostly beings that plague the characters and haunt Sara Erie. The flowing, lithe nature of these phantasms is actually quite lovely, but Villalobos is careful to balance that beauty with an air of menace at times as well. The artist also conveys the immense scope of the underground facility that serves as the backdrop for the story. My one problem with the line art is that there are some inconsistencies in how the characters are depicted. Sara's face shape shifts at times, for example. It's only a little distracting, though.
X-Files fans will no doubt enjoy Para, as it's easy to compare to the two properties. Ultimately, this is a science-fiction story, but Moore celebrates brings a richness to it with the inclusion of other genres. Furthermore, I still get the sense that the writer is celebrating the ambition and imagination of real-life science here.
Moore does a great job of making the tragedy of Sara Erie's life seem real. It's easy to relate to her pain, and therefore, her drive and determination ring true as well. This is a rather extreme plot, but Sara's emotions bring it down to earth to a level where the reader can connect with what's going on. I also love Dr. Z. Though he's something of a walking utilty belt, there's a soft and kind quality to the character's personality that makes him thoroughly likeable. It makes for an important counter-balance to Sanchez's over-the-top villainy.
Note: These comic books were not among this week's new releases.
