Brian Wood’s The Massive has been consistently amongst my favorite new series of 2012, with the right mix of interesting characters, exciting action, sweeping scope, and a frighteningly plausible world after a global ecological disaster.  This seventh issue kicks off the book’s third arc, “Subcontinental,” with the Kapital arriving at a rig nation called Moksha Station, an “experiment in post-Crash human social utopia.”

To Callum Israel, leader of Ninth Wave, Moksha Station is too good to be true after the tribulations of recent months.  There are tensions rising amongst his crew, and, at first, it seems Moksha Station might just be a reminder of what Ninth Wave is supposed to be – what it is not.  But, this is not going to be a peaceful layover.

The Massive has a lot going for it in any given issue, and though this is probably not the strongest chapter in the series, the strengths of it are still evident here.  The issue feels like setup for the next, and, sometimes, I suppose that’s a necessary evil.  Wood’s contemplations on post-civilization and ethics are, as always, well complemented by moody art and clean, precise layouts that flow easily and showcase the strange and incredible sights of this new world.

I cannot recommend The Massive enough as a series, and with this being the start of a new arc, it’s as good an issue as any to begin reading.  This is an exciting and thoughtful series, and we just don’t get enough of those.