Review: Binary Star
OK, here's a new one for you: SPACE GOTHS
...cos, WHY NOT, yeah?
Goths in space...
Traditionally, the Goth vibe lends itself more to horror than to science fiction, but the final frontier - with its cold, dark, sterile voids, enigmatic cultures and mysterious monsters - is also fertile ground for the macabre.
Zaki is a bounty hunter from the planet Anaxis, part of the Intergovernmental Council of the Human Empire. Anaxis is part of the Castores binary star system. The companion star also has an inhabited planet, Hakden-Aio, home to the humanoid Hakden-zarift (or ' snowmen' as they are commonly known). The humans of Anaxis have a long, bitter history of conflict with the snowmen, with atrocities committed by both sides.
Anaxis soldiers ('Reapers') dress in long black coats with hoods and masks. Hakden-zarift are pale and ghostly with long, straight white hair and an androgynous appearance. They have the innate ability to freeze anything they touch, hence the 'snowmen' legend.
The galaxy contains many other intelligent species and cultures, some humanoid (the Naiyids, the Tausi, etc.), others not (the canine Drafk , the insectile Zin, the reptilian centaur Straka, etc.) ... Interstellar travel is achieved via a vast network (the Web) that spans all the major spiral arms of the galaxy but is spread thinly and still leaves many regions wild and off the beaten track. There is no galactic police force upholding the rule of law throughout the Web, only local authorities, and off the Web, nothing at all... so if you are eager to track down a fugitive who could be anywhere in space, bounty hunters are your go-to guys.
When a bounty is declared on a young Hakden-zarift, Zaki takes an interest, especially when she sees that the reward is ten billion credits. What terrible crime could this snowman possibly have committed to have such a high price on his head?
This is set against a backdrop of rising tensions in the Castores system and the actions of clandestine factions within the ruling and military powers. Questions soon start to arise as it seems that there is more to some characters than meets the eye...
Binary Star by writer/artist Jamie Primack is a monochrome masterpiece. The story is complex with the breadth and depth of some truly inspired worldbuilding, with a rich historical and cultural context that gives it a dimension of authenticity.
The central character is not the usual ninja vixen badass that we all know and love so well from most sci-fi comic adventures; she is a fighter, sure, but if you're hoping for a big-breasted Amazonian in spray-on lycra with a plasma rifle in each hand..... well, sorry. Zaki is a bit more average in physical terms, not quite the photogenic teenboy sex symbol, not with that big black panda-eyes makeup, acerbic disposition and borderline neurotic personality... She is much more like an angst-ridden, alienated, rebel-without-a-clue Goth teen hurtling towards reckless self-destruction. But that is just the surface, the real Zaki is a multilayered enigma waiting to be unpacked. And she is not the only one...
The art is crisp and sharp with clean linework and a skillful balance of tones. You won't miss the colours, the images are alive enough without them. Characters are rendered with a stark clarity and sensitive deftness. There is also a touch of classic Aubrey Beardsley in the more exotic characterisations, where beauty merges with horror. Today a lot of artists use special graphic effects to create stunning sci-fi vistas, but Primack does it all the old school way with pen and ink, and she does it with style.
Binary Star is free to read on Tapas, and currently runs to several hundred pages. What you have here is an epic in the making. The black and white style sits well with the underlying theme of metaphorical light versus darkness and a soul who has emerged from the shadows; blinded by war, blinded by hatred ... but learning to see again.
BINARY STAR on Tapas
Zak Webber
Zak Webber
Twitter - @sfcomicartist / Instagram - @sfcomicartist
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Thank you SO MUCH for reviewing my comic series! I am absolutely blown away by this write-up! At the risk of sounding a little mushy, I will say that I was truly touched by your kind words. It makes me so happy to see that someone has enjoyed BINARY STAR down to the tiniest detail because I really have put my whole heart and soul into the series for the past four years. Thank you so, so much! I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate this * *
ReplyDeleteHey, I meant every word, as a writer/artist myself I appreciate how much work went into this and I really enjoyed reading it.
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