I’ve said it before, but I really love this comic book series. It’s not like any sci-fi I’ve seen or read before. Many of the concepts are familiar, but what the story does with them is unique. And like any good story, the main focus is on the characters. Seeing those characters interact in this unique sci-fi world is what has kept me engaged and kept me coming back for more.
Amy’s adjustment to life on Earth is gradually improving. She has friends, she has regular hangouts and activities, and she has a growing collection of interests. There are still hurdles to overcome, though, such as the fact that, having been cryogenically frozen, not only is she in a completely unfamiliar world, she’s also 30 years behind on things like music, movies, and general culture.
Enamored with things like plants and animals, things that most people not raised on a mining colony tend to take for granted, Amy decides to join the agriculture club. In her very first meeting, she’s assigned the task of designing the club’s float for the homecoming parade—despite the fact that she has virtually no skills in drawing or manual artistry.
In the meantime, she’s also continuing to get to know Oliver, the strange boy with a nihilistic worldview, whom no one else seems to notice. He was suspended from school after their shenanigans in the previous volume but goes to great lengths to continue to see and talk to Amy—if only to reassure himself that she’s real.
Describing the plot of this comic and its progression over the past three volumes is a bit difficult, because the events tend to sound a bit mundane. Amy invites her friends out for pie. Amy’s friend, Zeph, tries to work up the courage to ask her to homecoming. Her other friends, David and Cassie, find a note that Oliver left for her, and the rumors start flying about Amy’s “secret boyfriend” and who he might be. Some of that may sound vaguely interesting, but is it enough to make you say, “This is a comic I want to check out!”? Probably not.
There’s so much more to this comic than just a series of events, though. As I said before, the main appeal is the characters. Amy has a mild form of synesthesia which causes her to experience people’s personalities as flavors. Each character has their own flavor, and part of the fun of the comic is seeing how those flavors interact with one another, to turn the story into a strange and delicious feast. The end result is something well worth sinking your teeth into.
Creative Team: Stephen McCranie (writer and illustrator)
Publisher: Dark Horse
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