Sea of Stars

Volume 1

Jason Aaron, Dennis Hallum, Rico Renzi Stephen Green (Illustrator), Image Comics (JAN 21) Softcover $14.99 (120pp), 978-1-5343-1495-5

The tender tale of a father looking for his lost son is cast across an imaginative cosmic canvas in Sea of Stars: Volume 1.

Without anyone to watch his young son Kadyn, recently widowed space trucker Gil is forced to bring his boy on a week-long job. A giant leviathan attacks their ship, and—just before he’s thrown clear of a huge explosion that he might have caused—kadyn sees his father swallowed.

Kaydn is found by two talking aliens whom he dubs “Space Monkey” and “Space Dolphin.” They serve as his companions as he explores space and begins to manifest additional powers. The trio are discovered by Dalla, an alien outcast who believes that Kadyn may be the long-lost god of her people; she is determined to return their savior to them by any means necessary. Meanwhile, through ingenuity and boldness, Gil survives and sets about finding his son.

The story takes place in a freewheeling universe that takes the grimy details of everyday life and survival and combines them with wondrous, ethereal concepts like swimming in space (among space sharks, no less). The book is odd, refreshing, and all its own, but stays true to its internal logic. With plenty of action and no shortage of humor, every page is fun.

Green’s art is a visual feast of aliens, robots, and humanoids, but special mention is merited for Renzi, whose colors give the book a vibrant, beautiful, unique look. Even Jared K. Fletcher’s designs and fonts, from the cover and title pages to dialogue and sound effects, contribute to the overall sense of immersion and otherworldliness. Sea of Stars plunges headfirst into a great story and a fantastic ocean of possibilities.