The Descender series, Issues 1 - 16 Jeff Lemire, illustrations by Dustin Nguyen Image Comics Fiction, Graphic Novel/Sci-Fi Themes: Aliens, Epics, Girl Power, Robots, Space Stories *****
Description
The United Galactic Council used to bring order - or a reasonable cross-species facsimile thereof - to the Megacosm of inhabited worlds... until the day the
Harvesters arrived. The massive robots appeared above the nine core UGC worlds mysteriously, and brought untold destruction. Afterwards, most sentients turned
on the robots in their midst, giving rise to scrapper bounty hunters and anti-robot cults. Even the most benign of machines found themselves hunted, sent into
death arenas or hurled, still active, into melting pits. Meanwhile, the UGC still reels and crumbles, while the violently luddite Gnishian empire grows
bolder.
Tim-21 was built as a companion for the boy Andy on a remote mining world. When the Harvesters struck, he was "asleep" - powered down - and left behind. He
"wakes" a decade later, alone among corpses... save for Bandit, a robot "dog", and Driller, a relic mining machine with no love for the living. His attempts to
find out what happened to Andy alert scrappers to his existence - and alert the UGC to his survival. They've become very interested in the Tim line of robots,
ever since their mechanical "fingerprints" were matched to the Harvesters. Did they bring the death machines to the Megacosm... and will a Tim unit bring them
back to finish the devastation they started?
This deluxe edition includes issues 1 - 16 of the Descender series, plus bonus cover art.
Review
The exploration of artificial life has been fertile soil for storytellers since before Mary Shelly unleashed Frankenstein's creature on the literary world. These
explorations vary in depth and success. Descender counts as a strong success.
Tim-21 straddles a line between machine and human; he is aware of his own artificial nature and programming, aware that much of what he does and says is the result
of his inventor, yet his adaptations and exposure to people (good and bad) make him something more, if not quite human then no longer quite machine. Other machines
attempt to cope with their nature in their own ways, all disrupted by the Harvesters and subsequent hunting and reacting in different ways. None of them truly aspire
to humanity, yet they view their own lives as worthy of preservation, even if they disagree on the worth and best use of that life.
On the living side of the cast are Doctor Guon, once hailed a genius for his work on robotics (particularly the breakthrough Tim line) before being reviled by
association, and Telsa, the half-human daughter of the human head of the UGC who has her own reasons for wanting to track down Tim-21, among a host of others. Living
or mechanical (or somewhere between), all have deeper characterizations and motivations driving their actions, all scarred to certain degrees... often long before the
Harvesters turned the whole galaxy upside down.
With excellent artwork and a fast-paced plot, Descender starts what looks to be an excellent, gritty space opera in a galaxy closer to Mos Eisley than the
United Federation of Planets (if I may mix my sci-fi universes.) I look forward to seeing where the tale goes from here... especially if other volumes are also
available via Hoopla.
The Descender series, Issues 17 - 21 Jeff Lemire, illustrations by Dustin Nguyen Image Comics Fiction, Graphic Novel/Sci-Fi Themes: Aliens, Epics, Girl Power, Robots, Space Stories ****+
Description
After being captured by the terrorist robot group Hardwire, Tim-21, his inventor Guon, and UGC operative Telsa manage to escape - or so they believe. Psius, the
Hardwire leader, and his "son" Tim-22 have a nasty surprise in store for them as they track down the origins of Guon's inventions, the ancient robot race whose tech
he stole.
Meanwhile, ruthless scrapper Andy and his former lover, the half-cyborg Effie, use the robot dog Bandit to track Tim-21 down... only to find themselves in more
trouble than they anticipated, complicated when Driller makes a confession about his past and sets out on his own journey of redemption.
Review
The series maintains a fast pace, though I admit I was a little spoiled by the previous deluxe volume; this one seems short by comparison, ending on another
cliffhanger with even higher stakes. I'm still enjoying the characters, who are growing in their own directions and all have extra dimensions.
The Descender series, Issues 22 - 26 Jeff Lemire, illustrations by Dustin Nguyen Image Comics Fiction, Graphic Novel/Sci-Fi Themes: Aliens, Epics, Girl Power, Robots, Space Stories *****
Description
The ocean planet Mata has long been disregarded, a world without significant land mass or intelligent life - yet it is here that every path seems to lead. It
is here where the last surviving ancient robot and Guon's former teacher have found sanctuary... and here where the mystery of the Harvesters might be
solved. It is also here that the forces of Hardwire, the UGC battle fleet, and Andy's ragtag crew will confront each other, even as Hardwire unleashes their
fleet of battle robots and wakens sleeper agents across the Megacosm.
At the heart of the conflict remains the childlike companion robot Tim-21, who may be the key to galactic salvation - or destruction.
Review
I get a feeling that the next volume will probably be the last. Appropriately, this one raises the stakes to galaxy-shaking levels, moving all the pieces into
place for the upcoming climax and (presumed) grand finale. Many questions remain, but I'm confident that answers will be forthcoming... and can hardly wait for
Volume 6 to arrive on Hoopla.
The Descender series, Issues 27 - 32 Jeff Lemire, illustrations by Dustin Nguyen Image Comics Fiction, Graphic Novel/Sci-Fi Themes: Aliens, Epics, Girl Power, Robots, Space Stories ****
Description
The United Galactic Council, the rogue robot faction Hardwire, and the fanatically anti-machine Gnishian fleet bear down on the ocean world Mata, where
time to prevent a galaxy-wide catastrophe is fast running out. As the childlike robot Tim-21 discovers the secret of his origins, he might hold the only key
to peace... if anyone will listen to him.
Review
This is a bit of a dip in the ratings, though it is still a pretty good story. A lengthy flashback reveals the original Descenders, the artificial species
behind the massive Harvester robots and the root inspiration for all modern robotics in the UGC... but they are not necessarily the benevolent race they present
themselves as. Meanwhile, the grown boy Andy must come to terms with his own conflicted feelings, whether he sees Tim-21 as the brother he used to be or as a
lifeless hunk of metal, as he's treated so many scrapped robots over the years. Telsa must also reconcile doing what is right with following orders (and
pleasing her remote father), even as the inventor Guon must face what he inadvertently set in motion by stealing Tim-21's template from his mentor in the first
place. Driller even makes a brief appearance, captive of the Gnishians. The story maintained much of the same pace and tone as the previous Descender
volumes, but I found parts of it stretched. When I reached the ending and realized it was largely a setup for the next series, Ascender, I couldn't help
feeling a little miffed, having been deprived of a truly satisfying wrap-up; some storylines were cut off abruptly to facilitate this. Still, I expect I'll read
on when the new series appears next year, if it comes to Hoopla. For the minor things that I feel went wrong with this one, there's still a lot more
Descender does right.
Ten years ago, the ancient and powerful Harvesters shattered the galaxy. In the wake of the cataclysm, the remnants of civilization have rebuilt across the
worlds, embracing magic and forbidding technology under the absolute regime of the sorceress Mother and her minions. But rebellion still lurks as a new power
rises.
Young Mila lives in the woods with her heartbroken father, but longs to have adventures and see more of the galaxy - which is not possible so long as he forbids
her to join the ranks of the Saved under Mother's command, keeping them outcasts and borderline outlaws. She doesn't understand why... not until a falling star
brings an unusual visitor: Bandit, the robotic dog from her father's childhood. It wants them to travel to a strange star system - possibly to meet the boy
robot Tim-21, her father's old friend, who might well be the key to overthrowing Mother and restoring both technology and the robots to the galaxy. Getting
there will mean not only evading Mother's soldiers and their technology-seeking enchantments, but finding an illegal starship and a pilot to fly it. Mila is
about to get all the adventure she could possibly want... but will it be worth the cost?
Review
This series is a sequel to Descender, which chronicled the war against robots and the coming of the force that devastated the United Galactic
Council. Whereas the previous series started with a technological civilization falling into disarray as anti-robot fear sweeps the stars, this installment opens
with a magical civilization rising from the ashes... one that incorporates some of the worst elements of the old galaxy to oppress and control. Andy - once a
robot bounty hunter, then a hero - nurses a broken heart while trying to raise a headstrong daughter out of Mother's reach, refusing to kneel to the woman
responsible for the murder of his lover. The return of Bandit gives Andy the first hope he's felt in too long... but also brings trouble to the family's
doorstep, plunging him back into the heart of galactic conflict and Mila into a journey she's ill-equipped for after a largely isolated childhood. They reunite
with Telsa, another holdover from the previous series, but the decade has been even less kind to her, and she may not be the woman they need her to be anymore.
Meanwhile, Mother tracks rumors of a rival sorcerer providing power and protection to the remaining UGC rebels; she's already a formidable and interesting enemy,
and looks to become moreso as the series progresses.
Like the previous series, Ascender features imaginative artwork and concepts: mechanical spaceships have been replaced with living dragonlike beings
that soar through the stars, and the world where Andy and Mila live has great flying turtle creatures in the skies. Though I had some misgivings about how the
end of Descender was largely a setup for Ascender (which left me feeling just slightly cheated, as I'd expected a conclusive conclusion), I'm
looking forward to where this series is going.
When the robot dog Bandit returned after ten years away - ten years in which Mother's dark sorcery rose to fill the gap left when the great Descender
robots effectively destroyed most technology in the galaxy - it triggered a chain of events that could lead to liberation... or the last destruction of
hope against Mother's totalitarian rule. Young Mila and Bandit have escaped Mother's minions (for now) with the reluctant help of ex-captain Telsa, but
her father Andy has been captured, destined for the vampire feeding pits. Meanwhile, a problem with the mystic Coven draws Mother away... and into the
jaws of a trap sprung by the one person in the galaxy more dangerous and depraved than herself
Review
As I've come to expect from this series, the second volume of Ascender starts fast and keeps the momentum going, even through flashbacks that
fill in histories of key characters. Despite herself, Telsa becomes drawn into the heart of galactic problems again, while young Mila tries to cope with
the loss of her father by throwing all her effort into moving ahead and none into processing or mourning. Meanwhile, Andy refuses to give up - even when
he sees what Mother's magic has done to someone he once loved. Mother gets some backstory as she must confront her past and the truth about her rise to
power... just as that power is threatened. Some familiar faces return, not always in welcome roles, and the rebels prove they've still got fight in them
no matter the odds. More of the new magic-dominated galaxy is explored, with some cracks in Mother's seemingly-all-powerful grip revealed. The artwork
and storyline remain imaginative, drawing me forward in eager anticipation of the next installment.
On the run from Mother's minions, young Mila and the illegal robot dog Bandit, along with her reluctant guardian Telsa and her companion, run into
another old friend of Mila's father Andy: the robot Driller, protected by the mage Mizard the wizard after the great Descender robots removed mechanical
beings from the galaxy and opened the way for magic's return (and Mother's rise.) Together, they find their way to a hidden fortress where the map in
Bandit's scrambled brain might be unlocked... but what will they find?
Meanwhile, Andy - lost and presumed dead by his daughter Mila - has managed to not only survive, but rescue his former lover and Mila's mom, the
half-robotic woman Effie. Freed of Mother's vampiric influences, she joins forces with Andy to find their way back to Mila and Bandit... but can they
escape Mother's ever-watchful eyes?
Mother has suffered a cruel turn of fate: her prodigal sister, from whom Mother stole her powers and position, has returned, forcing the woman to act as
a puppet running the galactic empire of magic and terror she built with her stolen abilities. But Mother didn't claw her way up from humiliation and
drudgery just to end up, once again, on her knees before an arrogant witch...
Review
This maintains the pacing and style of the previous two Ascender volumes (which are themselves continuations of Lemire's Descender
series, chronicling the end of the robot era.) Separated from her father, Mila finds herself torn, both excited to finally fly into space and scared of a
future without her family, a situation that becomes all the stranger when Mizard informs her that she is herself a fledgling mage. Her journey with Telsa
brings them into contact not only with Driller, but another character from the original Descender series, who has undergone a radical transformation.
Meanwhile, Mother's fortunes have taken a bad turn, but the new secret ruler of the galaxy is even crueler than she was. All paths seem to be converging
toward the twin (possibly entwined) secrets of where the robots were taken and the hidden source of the galaxy's magic. The trajectory almost feels like it
could wrap up in the next volume or two, unless some dramatic new plot twist draws it out as long as the original Descender series (six volumes.) In any
event, I'm still enjoying this story, an interesting and action-filled blend of magic and rockets, and will happily read on.
Mila and Captain Telsa have finally located the boy robot Tim-21, and had an unexpected reunion with Mila's father and mother... just in time for
Mother's forces to arrive. As Tim-21 reveals the truth of where he has been and why he has returned, they face a moment that could reshape the entire
galaxy for all life forms, living and robotic - or Mother's cruel regime of dark sorcery could ascend to an unstoppable superpower.
Review
The final volume of the Descender/Ascender cycle wraps the story up in a cataclysmic conclusion that can't help but feel a little bit rushed.
There's a slight hint of pulled punches and last-minute revelations, but overall things come to a satisfactory conclusion for Tim-21 and Mila's family
and friends... and, yes, even the robot dog Bandit. Though the Descender part felt a little less full and complete than the Ascender arc,
I still enjoyed this space opera melding of magic and machinery.
The ship U.S.S. Montgomery was en route to a colony world when disaster struck: a rogue separatist murdered every adult on board. Now the
shipboard AI, Val, must raise the children and continue on its own... a task beyond its current programming, especially when they encounter a threat
to both the survivors and the Montgomery itself.
Review
Though there are strong hints of sequel potential, Sentient works as a largely self-contained story. The children and the computer both
have to push themselves to acts they never thought themselves capable of in pursuit of survival, plagued by inner doubts and old rules that no longer
apply in the wilds of space. Friction between Lilly, the oldest (and therefore captain-presumptive of the survivors) and Isaac, whose mother was the
murderous separatist (and who is therefore blamed by association by the grief-stricken survivors), threatens to tear them apart, a fault line that
could be a fatal weakness when an outside danger arrives. Though the stars are mostly children, there's a horror undertone to the tale, not to mention
several gory deaths, that makes this more of an adult (or older teen) story. The ending feels a little open-ended, but resolves the immediate issues.
I honestly can't tell if Lemire intends to continue this or not; as I mentioned, it's a mostly decent wrap-up if this is a standalone, but there is
series potential in the larger themes.
