Bill Jemas returns to the world of comics, and you know you're just like me... curious, perhaps morbidly so, as to what he has up his sleeve now that he's playing in a far less well-known playground. I'm not much of a video-gamer -- I'd never even heard of Advent Rising before -- so I came into this debut issue with no expectations, to be honest. Despite being crafted by committee (as the credits would indicate), the 360ep crew has constructed a clear, solid story here. Jemas et al are clearly trying to reach a younger demographic, but one of the main characters -- an awkward teen trying to fit in -- will definitely resonate for those Silver Age super-hero fans in us all. Jemas is taking his trademark decompressed approach to storytelling here, but this character-driven debut, though a bit derivative, is craftde competently and serves as a nice diversion.
Brothers Gideon and Ethan Wyeth are moving with their parents to the planet Artemus, where their dad, a major player in his company's terraforming outfit, is starting a new job. Ethan, the older of the two, is beginning a new job as well as the commander of a squadron of military cadets that needs to be whipped into shape in the worst way. Gideon heads to another first fday and yet another high school, and the cool, rebellious kids with whom he wants to hang out reject him because he comes from wealth and privilege. The working-class kids' sport of choice is hover=boarding, and Gideon desperately wants to learn how to ride one.
Cliff Richards is listed as the penciller for this book, but it's layout artist Arthur (Kissing Chaos) Dela Cruz's style that really shines through. There's a sketchier look than usual to Richards's pencils that's more in keeping in Dela Cruz's work. That sketchier quality helps to keep the characters grounded in what is often a fantastic setting. The collaborative effort reminds me a little of Mark (Wolverine) Texeria's style. The colors are nicely textured and often muted. The one visual element that didn't set well with me was the lettering. It's far too large and intrusive; I suspect the larger type is intentional, though, perhaps for a future reduced-sized, digest-format collection edition.
This comic is Starship Troopers meets Rudy. There are two plotlines -- Ethan's conflicts with his stubborn cadets, and Gideon's awkward efforts to fit in among the hometown kids -- and while they're not complex, the two divergent stories make for a varied read. The balance between the two main characters' stories is maintained nicely, and the shifts back and forth keep the reader from becoming bored. That's important, given the fact that the familiarity of those two plots could make for a boring read if the audience was to focus on one or the other for very long.
The package is impressive. The publisher offers a lot of storytelling at a low price (though I can't seem to find a price on the cover). The design is a little plain and far too familiar; Jemas has maintained a similar design to Marvel's Ultimate line. Another element he's brought with him is the pace of the story. The cover tells us where we're headed: war, and plenty of action. Gideon is pretty far removed from such a direction in this debut. Though plenty happens in this issue, it's all about characterization. The writers focus on who the characters are, not the core plot of any action-packed video game. I appreciate the character-driven focus of this issue, but I wonder if 360ep is going to hook an audience with it.
This Advent Rising comic has an interesting pedigree. Dela Cruz has a background in more experimental comics storytelling with Oni Press, and Rob Worley's best known as an Internet columnist. Cliff Richards is more of a mainstream super-hero artist, having done a good deal of work for Marvel and DC in the past year or two, and Jemas is best known for his business savvy. I wouldn't have expected such an eclectic mix of creators to come up with a coherent book, let alone one that's decently constructed. The more grounded, slice-of-life approach to science-fiction held my interest. What remains to be seen is whether or not future issues can do the same. 6/10
