GALAXY-SIZED ASTOUNDING SPACE THRILLS #1
"Meltdown"
Recommended (8/10)
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Image Comics
Writer/Artist: Steve Conley
Price: $4.95 US |
Note: This review stems from a preview I read, provided by the creator. It did not include backup material by Marty Baumann and the late Pat Boyette.
I see Randy wasn't as wild about this special edition of Astounding Space Thrills, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Conley brings the same sense of adventure and fun that I've come to expect from the exploits of Argosy Smith, but the plot is much different than the usual AST fare. Conley delves into the power of fiction, and though it's far from subtle, it's still good reading.
Argosy Smith's friends throw him a surprise party for his 25th birthday, but just as they're about to cut the cake, Argosy is plucked from his universe and throw into a competition by an omnipotent alien being. Argosy must compete against other fictional characters (despite his protests that he is not a creature of fiction) for the continued existence of his reality.
Conley's computer-enhanced artwork is stunning. The colors are incredibly crisp, and the computer effects are well suited to the science-fiction setting and characters. The greatest strength in the art, though, is how it reinforces the light tone of the script. Conley doesn't want his readers to take any of this too seriously, and that comes through clearly through the bright art.
Some readers might think it's pretentious for Conley to place his cretion above more iconic characters like Batman, the Hulk, Captain America and Superman. But like I said, this is all in fun; it's not meant to be taken seriously. Besides, Argosy Smith is Conley's baby... he can't very well make someone else the hero of the piece, can he?
This story reminds me a little of that early issue of Todd McFarlane's Spawn written by Cerebus creator Dave Sim, in that it treats the characters as objects, as symbols of creativity, not people. Sim made some important points about creator rights in his book, while Conley focuses on why stories are important. It's all about entertainment, and Conley, through Argosy, delivers that in spades.
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