Something Fast
30-04-2007, 11:06 PM
Cities in Dust collects the first six issues of Wasteland, a new comic book series published by “Oni Press” (”http://www.onipress.com/thebigwet/”). In case you didn’t realise from the title, Wasteland is a comic that nestles quite nicely within the post-apocalyptic genre. Monochrome and sharp, the art is detailed enough that you know what’s going on in each panel, but not too so detailed that you get lost in the art. The pace of the comic is very much the same, snappy and fast and with enough action to hold even the shortest attention span. The writing isn’t going to win any literary awards, but you can’t go wrong with lines like “Time for stabbage!”
There are two intertwined plotlines in the first six issues– one following our mysterious protagonist and the residents of a small town razed by mutants and the other following the machinations of the leaders of Newbegin, a city built in the 100 years following “The Big Wet” and their subjugation of the “Sunners”. There’s probably a political message in that, but it makes for an engaging story even if you’re not one for a story with a moral.
When the protagonist of Wasteland is shown on the first page, I thought to myself "hey, he looks like he was taken straight from the goth rock band Fields of the Nephilim, complete with the obligatory big boots, floppy hat, cloak, mask and goggles. (Funnily enough, two FoTN tracks are featured on the "soundtrack" (http://www.onipress.com/thebigwet/about/music.php).) Wasteland doesn't really bring much in the way of original concepts to a genre that's been picked fairly clean. The comic features all the staples (clichés?) of post-apocalyptic fiction: mutant-types, small towns on the brink of ruin, the new city run by a crazed despot and of course, the predictably taciturn and mysterious Fields of the Nephilim roadie as the protagonist. The other characters are a tad formulaic, but in such a well turned-over genre, there isn't much more that can be done in the way of originality.
Having said all that, do we really want our post-apocalyptic fiction to be at the cutting edge of originality? Nah, we want assloads of general gritty awesomeness. Wasteland offers awesomeness in abundance. The first six issues of Wasteland show a great deal of promise indeed and it’ll be quite interesting to see where the creators take it. With good art, a decent story and some really great action scenes, this is a comic that might be destined for good things. A must read for any fan of the post-apocalyptic genre or just sci-fi comics in general.
There are two intertwined plotlines in the first six issues– one following our mysterious protagonist and the residents of a small town razed by mutants and the other following the machinations of the leaders of Newbegin, a city built in the 100 years following “The Big Wet” and their subjugation of the “Sunners”. There’s probably a political message in that, but it makes for an engaging story even if you’re not one for a story with a moral.
When the protagonist of Wasteland is shown on the first page, I thought to myself "hey, he looks like he was taken straight from the goth rock band Fields of the Nephilim, complete with the obligatory big boots, floppy hat, cloak, mask and goggles. (Funnily enough, two FoTN tracks are featured on the "soundtrack" (http://www.onipress.com/thebigwet/about/music.php).) Wasteland doesn't really bring much in the way of original concepts to a genre that's been picked fairly clean. The comic features all the staples (clichés?) of post-apocalyptic fiction: mutant-types, small towns on the brink of ruin, the new city run by a crazed despot and of course, the predictably taciturn and mysterious Fields of the Nephilim roadie as the protagonist. The other characters are a tad formulaic, but in such a well turned-over genre, there isn't much more that can be done in the way of originality.
Having said all that, do we really want our post-apocalyptic fiction to be at the cutting edge of originality? Nah, we want assloads of general gritty awesomeness. Wasteland offers awesomeness in abundance. The first six issues of Wasteland show a great deal of promise indeed and it’ll be quite interesting to see where the creators take it. With good art, a decent story and some really great action scenes, this is a comic that might be destined for good things. A must read for any fan of the post-apocalyptic genre or just sci-fi comics in general.