Spaceman is story of Orson, a genetically modified human intended for Martian exploration. But instead of the red planet he and his brothers were built for, he got stuck on Earth with rampaging flooding from melting polar caps, huge class divides, and awful reality television. Spending his days salvaging wrecks and other junk from a bygone age from the vast growing ocean.
Last issue introduced us to Orson's world, and one of the key plot threads was the kidnapping of foster child, and popular star of a reality show (of which being part of the reality show is a prerequisite to being taken care of by her foster parents). Orson, while out salvaging, runs into the kidnapper, and gets a bullet for the trouble. Thing is, whatever Orson is is built tough. But while he's not physically hurt, it shakes something loose in his head. Since last issue we've been treated to flashes of Orson and his brothers on their Mars mission that never happened. What exactly these flashes are is a bit of a mystery, but wherever they're coming from they seem to correlate with whatever Orson is feeling at the time. I'm looking forward to seeing what those are all about.
What this book does well, and what I appreciate as a ravenous science fiction fan, is its world building. It presents a world that has become seriously damaged by the exploitation of mankind, but its still a world where society survives. There is still law and commerce, even in the face of ever increasing class stratification in a shrinking world striped of resources. A lot of thought has gone into this world and the people that inhabit it. The most obvious aspect of this world building is in the language characters use. Where most writers would just replace few curse words and call it 'future speak', Azzarello has taken English and crafted a complex and believable future slag out of it. It takes some getting use to, but context is everything. Some people are going to find it obtuse and confusing, but I personally find it charming and really adds to the world. And individual characters have their own unique usage of the slang, so it gives different people from different backgrounds unique voices.
Good science fiction comics are often few and far between, especially ones as high profile as this comic (that $1 first issue was a brilliant marketing strategy, I hope it pays off). As a 9 issue mini-series, its going to be a very contained, manageable, series to invest your time in. I recommend checking it out. FANTASTIC.
Next: ACTION COMICS.
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