Since I greatly enjoyed both Sweet Tooth and Black Hammer, I have been quite interested in reading the other works of prolific comic writer Jeff Lemire. Lemire’s Descender is a science fiction series that was first published by Image in 2015 and ran until 2018. The story totals thirty-two issues and is written by Lemire but features artwork from Dustin Nguyen.

The story of Descender takes place in a futuristic galaxy inhabited by all manner of alien species and humans alike; with the major government, the United Galactic Council, being made up of various species. Our plot begins ten years after a mysterious group of planet-sized robots, known as Harvesters, appeared and wreaked havoc across the galaxy killing millions before disappearing. On a remote mining colony, an android named Tim-21 awakens who may hold the key to the true origins of the Harvesters. Now he must navigate a hostile environment, avoiding the bounty hunters and other threats who would seek to harm him for personal gain.

This is a great setup for a science fiction epic in the realm of Star Wars. However, Lemire quickly introduces many thought-provoking themes reminiscent of Dune or Star Trek. There’s political intrigue, racial tensions, and heavy commentary surrounding the human relationship with technology. All this is present within the first six issues and I’m sure these themes will continue to be fleshed out as the story expands.

The story also contains some extremely interesting plot twists that will certainly leave you itching to keep reading. Lemire crafts a complex galaxy littered with turmoil, which allows for many different factions and ideologies to coexist. Therefore the setting feels grounded in reality while simultaneously being alien.

On top of that, you have a great main cast that each have a range of personalities: Tim-21 represents the childish innocence that Lemire so often explores throughout his stories. Nevertheless, it’s a character archetype that works well for the sheer relatability. Everyone has experienced a moment growing up where the world batters you down and you have to decide how to proceed forward and that’s what Tim-21 must do within these initial issues.

There’s also the strangely endearing mining bot, Driller who constantly has a desire to kill things, as well as the cowardly Dr. Quon, father of modern robotics. Captain Telsa, the no-nonsense UGC agent rounds out the supporting cast, providing a voice of cool logic and determination which ensures the story moves along.

Dustin Nguyen’s artwork is unfortunately hit or miss for me. His watercolor style is certainly unique, and at times can be quite beautiful. However, the medium lacks clarity for me at points, particularly during action scenes. Sometimes characters can also blend into the backgrounds creating a mess of larger scenes and making you unsure of where to place your eyes. Dialogue certainly helps to rectify this and It’s here where Lemire shines as usual. He’s never afraid to distinguish people with unique speech patterns which helps to create a vivid portrait within your mind.

I’m very much looking forward to continuing this series of Descender. The setting, plot, and characters are especially engaging and complemented with strong worldbuilding, I’m positive I may find myself with another favorite science fiction piece. I would certainly recommend Descender to other fans of the genre, especially those who are searching for a work that capitalizes on the strengths of science fiction while offering the potential to deliver something new.

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Descender

$9.99

8

Score

8.0/10

Pros

• Great premise
• Plot twists and worldbuilding
• Engaging characters

Cons

• The art can lack clarity