I believe when Antarctica first came out, it was announced as a 5-issue story arc. Then, somewhere around the third or fourth issue, the news came in that it would continue as an ongoing series. After finally finishing the first five issues collected in this volume, I can safely say that continuing it was the right decision. There’s an enormous world to be explored here, and it’s clear we’ve only just scratched the surface.
After her father disappears on a mission to Antarctica, Hannah makes it her own mission to uncover the truth about what happened to him. She secures a job at an Antarctic research station in the hope of finding answers, but, in doing so, finds a whole lot more questions instead.
It seems there’s another Antarctic research station in a parallel universe. When Hannah and her coworkers encounter parallel versions of themselves, it quickly becomes clear that their doubles are on a mission of their own. What they’re after and why is unclear at first, but whatever it is, they’re willing to kill to get it. Are all of the doppelgangers evil? Are any of them? Are there any vestiges in their personalities of the people they look like? These are the questions Hannah and the crew from her universe need to face as they fight for their survival.
That’s just a barebones recounting of the plot of this first volume. There’s a lot more going on, and each chapter brings new twists and turns. Because of that, I think you’ll enjoy it more if you go on the journey yourself, rather than having me lay it all out here. And it’s a hell of a ride.
Writer Simon Birks is great at worldbuilding, and the more we learn about these two parallel Antarcticas and their larger implications, the more compelling the story becomes. I love the characters, too. The differences and similarities between multiple versions of the same group of people are what ultimately drive the story.
If, like me, you’re into sci-fi/fantasy thrillers and parallel universes, or if, like me, you just think Antarctica is a fascinating backdrop for almost any story, you’ll definitely want to check out this first volume of Antarctica. I can’t wait to see how the story continues to grow and expand from here.
Creative Team: Simon Birks (writer), Willi Roberts (artist), Lyndon White (letterer), Elena Salcedo (editor), Phil Smith (production)
Publisher: Image Comics / Top Cow Productions
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