Space Riders Volume Uno: Vengeful Universe by Fabian RangelMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Mind=Blown.
Balls-out, retina-melting, soul-nuking pulp scifantasy in brilliant - and I mean BRILLIANT - color! This is a love song to Jack Kirby and an (hopefully ironic) ode to EE Doc Smith's Triplanetary (except this is really, really good, whereas Smith's book was "Not Scottish,", as I like to say).
Capitan Peligro, the one-eyed commander of the skull-ship Santa Muerte, along with his compatriots, the robot Yara, whose breasts are lethal laser-weapons and First-mate Mono, the mutant mandrill (who I am hoping is named after one of my newest favorite bands, Monolord, though I doubt it); this motley trio is assigned to carry out missions as Space Riders of the Earth Interplanetary Space Force (sort of like the Scout service arm in the Traveller tabletop RPG).
Now, pile onto this gonzo-eyefull of goodness a dose of meaningful plotting, with (very short) stories of love, family, and revenge, and you've got one helluva great ride! My only regret? The plot arcs are outlined here (and one played out in full), but there's so much more to learn, love, and enjoy!
If you have any liking for Jack Kirby's comics from the '60s or '70s, this is for you. Think Doctor Strange visuals meet Sgt. Rock attitude, set a-tremble by acid-laced stoner metal and solid storytelling, and you'll see the tip of the iceberg. Well, maybe the top crystal. But why settle for that? Jump in and explore!
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