Review: Caspian Porter
There are certain essential character qualities that a starship captain truly should possess if he is to "boldly go"... Sharp wits, courage, self-discipline and a discerning sense of judgement.
The titular hero of Caspian Porter by writer Drew D. Lenhart and artist Juan Fleites has precisely none of the above...
What with drinking way too much in the bar on SMCI Corporate Space Station 01, getting in way over his head in a card game with some very shady characters, to waking up next to a beautiful woman who turns out to have a very jealous, very dangerous husband, he does not exactly fit the shoes worn by space opera legends of yore.
Oh, and his starship is not actually a starship, more like a cargo transporter for ferrying goods to the outer solar system. Goods that he no longer has in his possession thanks to the outcome of last night's card game... "My boss is going to kill me!" he says, but his boss will have to get in line behind the aforementioned jealous husband who has sent station security after Caspain with orders to shoot to kill. He and his trusty robot pal CRB are soon on the run.
So begins our hero's far from heroic tale; a sordid and foolish series of escapades somewhat lacking in nobility and with no final fronteer in sight, just the prospect of being zapped by lasers before he gets any further than the Asteroid Belt. It's a cute subversion of the idealistic format in which the stars are explored by high-minded, larger-than-life paragons of all that is best in humanity. Caspian is young, dumb and full of all the realistic qualities of many a naive amateur. The reader will surely empathise with this example of a regular guy who falls far short of perfection, despite his unflinching confidence in his own abilities...
Nevertheless, it seems that Caspian's voyage will be not just lacking in glory but also in duration... Outmanned and outgunned, his prospects are bleak... Unless fate has something else in store for him?
Oh, and his starship is not actually a starship, more like a cargo transporter for ferrying goods to the outer solar system. Goods that he no longer has in his possession thanks to the outcome of last night's card game... "My boss is going to kill me!" he says, but his boss will have to get in line behind the aforementioned jealous husband who has sent station security after Caspain with orders to shoot to kill. He and his trusty robot pal CRB are soon on the run.
So begins our hero's far from heroic tale; a sordid and foolish series of escapades somewhat lacking in nobility and with no final fronteer in sight, just the prospect of being zapped by lasers before he gets any further than the Asteroid Belt. It's a cute subversion of the idealistic format in which the stars are explored by high-minded, larger-than-life paragons of all that is best in humanity. Caspian is young, dumb and full of all the realistic qualities of many a naive amateur. The reader will surely empathise with this example of a regular guy who falls far short of perfection, despite his unflinching confidence in his own abilities...
Nevertheless, it seems that Caspian's voyage will be not just lacking in glory but also in duration... Outmanned and outgunned, his prospects are bleak... Unless fate has something else in store for him?
It is a fun, light-hearted caper with bombastic artwork and some nice Dan Dare retro touches (Caspian's vehicle is sleek red 1950s rocket ship). The style is light but energetic, suiting the tone of madcap mayhem... Catapulting from one catastrophe to the next, there seems to be no hope for our hapless protagonist, and his tale may be over no sooner than it gets going but for an unexpected turn of events that opens a dazzling new chapter...
Zak Webber
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