Fields forever
Smarts, this quartet is more than fantastic, Four of science!
Nowhere
Fab
and the
and research
the
get focusing where
sci-
story into two parts. The first one focuses on the troubled Beatlesesque relationship between the four World Corp members who changed not just the field of science but also the world. Through the four World Corp scientists, Stephenson explores the topics of ethics and power, how far science should go and where the line should be drawn.
While that part of the story deals with the top of the food chain and how the string-pullers and button-pushers make their decisions, the other part of the story deals with the consequences of those decisions.
High up in the sky is a space station where a group of 12 World Corp staff have been infected by a strange virus that is changing them and giving them new abilities.
Yes, people get superpowers here, but Stephenson wisely chooses not to let their powers define them. There is no “with great power comes great responsibility” epiphany here, just a lot of confused people suddenly blessed (or cursed, depending on how you look at it) with special powers and wondering how to cope.
It’s in the scenes that involve this group of people that Nate Bellegarde’s art really shines through. From a weird, craggy gorilla monster to a woman slowing turning into a black viscous ooze, he draws the fantastical fantastically, and his designs for some of the more out-there creatures are just amazing.
Even with all that going on, Stephenson never loses sight of the main plot. If I have one complaint, it’s that there is way too much dialogue and exposition in the book, but because much of it is essential to the plot and development of the characters, I’m willing to let it be.
The world he builds is also staggeringly rich in detail – besides all the flashbacks and exposition in the main body of the book, he expands the world further through extras such as magazine covers, interviews, advertisements and even a mag- azine poll featuring categories such as male thinker of the year, best dressed female scientist, favourite physical enhancement, and best of all, most wonderful human being.
Now, scientists aren’t usually the most interesting people to feature in a comic (unless they’re Bruce Banner or Reed Richards), but what makes this a great read is Stephenson and Bellegarde’s attention to detail, the Beatles references, and the patient way they reveal the bigger picture. Judging by this first volume, Nowhere Men certainly seems to be going somewhere. Simon Oliver robbi rodriguez THE first volume of this series about a government agency that investigates everyday physics anomalies is out now, collecting the first seven issues of the Vertigo title. The first story arc introduces the titular FBP and lead character Adam Hardy, and has the FBP investigating a gravity failure that leads to the creation of an alternate dimension known as a “BubbleVerse”. Hardy is sent on a rescue mission and finds his skills and abilities pushed to their limits when he discovers his partner has a different agenda.
Smartly written by Simon Oliver and with some interestingly outthere artwork by Robbi Rodriguez, this is a solid start for the series, and with later issues introducing a really promising new character, this bodes well for the longevity of this series. Jonathan hickman Nick Pitarra THE best science-based series currently continues to push the boundaries of reality and science fiction as the third volume of Jonathan Hickman’s Image Comics series ties up a major subplot involving Enrico Fermi (who apparently is an alien), and pushes Joseph Oppenheimer (actually Robert Oppenheimer) to the fore, establishing him as the series’ greatest protagonist so far.
And if the brain-eating Robert’s scheming in the “real world” is not enough, we also get a look at the turmoil INSIDE his head, as his brother’s consciousness launches the Oppenheimer Civil War to try and regain control over his body. And if that doesn’t convince you to pick this book up already, there’s always Albert Einstein wielding a shotgun.