Review: The Saturn Effect / Ajax
"When you meet someone, you never think of the last time you'll see them... The last time you'll hear their voice... All the guilt and regret when they're gone."
2120: Saturn's largest moon Titan is the site of Earth colonisation, orbited by several space stations. The only moon in the solar system with an atmosphere, it is viewed as a good candidate for terraforming.
But all is not rosy in the garden... Ajax and Helena are on a mission to sabotage one of the stations. Ajax distracts the defence fighters while Helena's shuttle lays charges. But for what reason?
They grew up on New New York, a floating city and the hub of the solar system. Ajax's father was a veteran of the war between Earth and Mars, a war that ended with independence for Mars and ownership of the Titan colonies for Earth. The war is over, thanks to Martian leader Dane Jericho, a sinister figure who has now found microbial life on Jupiter's moon Europa. Something about the newly discoveted life form has powerful repercussions for humanity... is Jericho a man to be trusted with that power?
Following in his father's footsteps, Ajax joins the space marines and soon begins training. He turns out to be a natural, progressing well, and meets another promising cadet, the intense but resourceful Helena. They quickly become close friends and continue to excel, gaining the attention of their tutors. Their training is far from over but it seems that they are already destined for greater things. Whether or not they are ready is another matter...
The Saturn Effect: Ajax by writer Chris Moses and artist Iacopo Calisti is a three-part teaser for Moses' Kickstarter comic The Saturn Effect: Alpha set many years later into the events that begin here. This sets up the main themes and establishes the impressive worldbuilding that sets the stage for the subsequent drama.
Iacopo's manga-style art is loose and punchy, focusing on the emotional elements of the story. Ajax is presented as the typical alpha-male teen hero, Helena is the somewhat mysterious wildcard, Jericho the traditionally shadowy, sinister villain... There are hints here that much lies below the surface, secrets waiting to be revealed... unleashing great danger in the process.
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Zak Webber
Zak Webber
Twitter - @sfcomicartist / Instagram - @sfcomicartist
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