Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: André Lima Araújo
Publisher: Abrams ComicArts
Price: $24.99
Graphic novel
“Everyone tells you . . . you’re going to see something you’ve never seen before. That’s what everyone said. Who doesn’t want to see something they’ve never seen?”
Phenomena is the story of a young boy named Boldon and his warrior friend Spike—survivors of a phenomena that took over Earth years ago. Not an apocalypse . . . something far more interesting. We follow Boldon and Spike as they are forced to team up with another lost orphan of the world, Matilde. The trio of heroes go on a globetrotting adventure that takes them to a magical, mysterious place called the Golden City of Eyes.
As they quest across this epically crazy new world looking for answers and purpose, they face off against dark forces big and small, changing the world better along the way. In each book in the series, our heroes travel to different parts of the magical world of Phenomena by various modes of transportation, each more and more fantastical than the mode that preceded it. Each journey is personal, and every chapter takes the trio toward a different, visually iconic destination, and each location, character, and chapter reveals clues to the shape of the world and how they got there—and, ultimately, their purpose.
Score:
★★★★1/2 (4.5/5)
Brian Michael Bendis (Powers, Ultimate Spider-Man) is a prolific and revered writer who knows how to weave an impressive adventure. Without the constraints of canon from the Big Two characters, his independent work like this one sees his imagination set loose in an energetic entertaining read. In conjunction with artist André Lima Araújo's amazing intricate world-building prowess, 'Phenomena' takes the reader away in a charming and exciting sci-fi/fantasy tale.
This globe-trotting quest of a young explorer named Boldon and his reluctant big brother figure in the warrior Spike zooms from one adventure to the next in search of the Golden City of Eyes. Eventually coming across the jet-packed thief Matilde, the three encounter obstacles big and small along the way. The energy Bendis packs in the story is contagious as readers follow the three chasing or being chased through the exquisitely detailed black and white cityscapes of Araujo. You'll eagerly flip from one page to the next to see what happens to these wisecracking and clever adventurers.
The fantastical designs of the cities and creatures bridge fantasy and science fiction together as evidenced by enormous flying whales and tentacled monsters. There's an undeniable sense of wonder and curiosity as the three fly into trouble chapter after chapter. There is no shortage of charm from the playful banter between characters that keep the energy fun and light. It's an other-worldly joyride that will keep readers of all ages demanding more and luckily, this is only Book One so there are more great stories ahead.
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