Creature Tech was just optioned for movie development for Fox, and it's no wonder, as this graphic novel by Earthworm Jim creator Doug TenNapel almost literally has it all. Kung-fu fighting, shooting, aliens, mysticism, a crazy British ghost, a humanoid mantid trained in security, a giant space eel, evil cat demons, a church picnic and more, all wrapped around a story about a search for faith, love and one's place in the universe. As you might expect if you've seen Earthworm Jim, the book is not only full of weirdness, but full of humor, but the story has a heart as well, and it is one of the best reads you will find in comics all year.
Creature Tech centers around a secret government institute that studies alien technology, genetic manipulation, mystical artifacts and other assorted weird stuff, based in the small town of Turlock, California. The lead character is Doctor Ong, a prodigy who turned his back on faith (much to the chagrin of his Pastor father) to study science and who has been appointed, quite unhappily, back to his home town of Turlock to run the Research Tech Institute. Things get a little crazy when a ghost from the 1800s steals the Shroud of Turin in an attempt to resurrect a giant space eel that he called to Earth a hundred years ago seeking revenge on all who had mocked him. Oh, and there's a space symbiote that winds up attached to Dr. Ong, replacing his heart and learning martial arts for the both of them through watching kung fu movies. So basically, it's your average ghost-meets-eel, boy-meets-symbiote, ghost meets ancient spiritual artifact... oh, forget it. This is not your average plot, setting or characters.
Doug TenNapel has an interesting pacing style that shifts as necessary. The story at times almost seems like a series of vignettes, including the phenomenal opening sequence that sets up the space eel or the bonding of Blue, the Mantid security agent, with a pair of local rednecks. At the same time, the developing story of Doctor Ong's rejection of faith and small town charm and everything else he grew up with, not to mention his affection for local girl Katie, gives the book a strong throughline. As does the over-arcing plot of Dr. Jameson, the insane ghost whose motivations would be unclear if I wasn't so familiar with the creepy mad scientist archetype, whose quest for scientific acceptance has turned him into a flaming loony.
TenNapel also has a sense of humor that is staggering. His imagination is one thing, as he has come up with enough concepts in Creature Tech to fill a library of graphic novels, but his ability with the absurd and comic timing is truly impressive. Whether it's running gags (simple dialogue bits like "Can't complain" eventually elicit a laugh), funny characters (the quantum physics savant Jim who is the smartest local in Turlock or Al and Ed, the rednecks who so easily accept Blue into their midst, are three of my favorites) or just his sense of the surreal (Blue, Ed and Al out hunting cat demons with glee), I defy even the sourest person to read Creature Tech and not laugh out loud at least once.
The artwork on Creature Tech is deceptively simple, with TenNapel suggesting shapes sometimes more than actually completing them and using a fair bit of white space, giving the book a sketchbook quality at times. The storytelling is terrific, though, particularly the fast-paced fight sequences between Dr. Ong and a summoned cat demon or the sequence of a horde of demons descending on the town. In addition, TenNapel crafts his characters in a somewhat cartoony fashion, but they've got a full range of facial expressions that humanizes them. And I must once again credit his imagination for designs like Blue, the Giant Space Eel and the operational technology of Creature Tech.
Creature Tech is packed with neat ideas, funny moments and great characters, and it stands out as one of the most original graphic novels I've seen this year. Anyone making a "Year's Ten Best" list of graphic novels for 2002 isn't going to want to miss this one.
