I'd seen this graphic novel recommended somewhere, flipped through it, and decided to buy it yesterday. I finished it this morning. It has all the elements of a sci-fi X-files-ish adventure story you'd expect: mad scientist trying to take over the world, government conspiracies, a brilliant scientist stuck in a backwoods town, and (of course) the girl. But there are other, more unexpected things as well: giant space eels, the Shroud of Turin, a kung-fu-fighting symbiotic alien, the scientist's pastor dad, and some soul-searching about faith in the face of scientific reason (or vice versa). There's even a bit about an otherworldly Messiah reminiscent of some of Ray Bradbury's stories.
TenNapel (who also did the obscure Earthworm Jim) has a bold style which makes great use of silhouettes and negative space. The drawings are more cartoony than your typical superhero comics, but also more realistically proportioned. And did I mention monster cats? Yeah, there's some of those, too. A fantastic book, which I'll enjoy reading again.
Fed to jonathan's brain | July 15, 2003
