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Space Boy #18
Stephen McCranie's Space Boy Volume 18
Welcome, seekers of the truth!
Maki and Zeph attend their first meeting of the Truth Seekers, but the conclusions the group comes to raise disturbing questions for Zeph, ones that cast doubt on the very friend he wants to save.
Despite being separated by thousands of miles, Oliver and Amy’s relationship grows even closer, and the boy from space reveals more about his mysterious past.
Back on earth, Qiana finds a new angle in the ongoing investigation into the secrets of the First Contact Project, one that will lead her and Amy into a whole new world of dangers…
Conspiracies abound, and excitement awaits in the latest volume of Stephen McCranie’s Space Boy!
Maki and Zeph attend their first meeting of the Truth Seekers, but the conclusions the group comes to raise disturbing questions for Zeph, ones that cast doubt on the very friend he wants to save.
Despite being separated by thousands of miles, Oliver and Amy’s relationship grows even closer, and the boy from space reveals more about his mysterious past.
Back on earth, Qiana finds a new angle in the ongoing investigation into the secrets of the First Contact Project, one that will lead her and Amy into a whole new world of dangers…
Conspiracies abound, and excitement awaits in the latest volume of Stephen McCranie’s Space Boy!
216 pages, Paperback
Published March 12, 2024
2 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Stephen McCranie
43 books340 followersStephen McCranie has been drawing comics since before he could read or write. He graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in Fine Arts and currently lives and works out of a small apartment in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 24, 2024
The longer and longer...and longer...this series gets with almost nothing happening in each volume, the more bored I become. Which, ugh. I loved this series for a long time, but it really is draaaagging so much lately.
June 6, 2024
Stiiiiiiiiiiill hoooooooooooked!
February 20, 2025
One of the better recent Space Boy's! We learn more about the Truth Seekers and see Zeph's angry reaction (shades of all the both-sides-ism we see in modern media). Then, Amy and Qiana finally get some information out the Netgear inventor (by finding her in her favorite MMORPG).
Both stories expand the world and give the plotlines new direction. Good stuff! Less wheel-spinning than usual.
Both stories expand the world and give the plotlines new direction. Good stuff! Less wheel-spinning than usual.
May 9, 2024
Another book of futzing about with the conspiracy theories and making slow progress toward something actually happening.
At least Qiana Jacobs really gets to shine when she and Amy enter a MMORPG fantasy world.
At least Qiana Jacobs really gets to shine when she and Amy enter a MMORPG fantasy world.
August 11, 2024
(Caution: this review contains vague spoilers. Content warning for suicidal imagery.)
Volume 18 of SPACE BOY opens with a very tense meeting of the Truth Seekers Anonymous. Zeph storms out of the live stream when host Nolan posits that everyone who was killed or went missing at the Homecoming Dance were essentially crisis actors - and robotic ones, at that. Still grieving Amy's death/rejection, the idea that she never existed at all is an affront to Zeph. A sympathetic Meisha decides to bring Zeph into the Scooby Gang fold, and he might just give the group the breakthrough they need.
Meanwhile, Amy and Qiana figure out a way to get in touch with Sophie Brix, wife of and heir to the founder of Net Gear, to discuss her connection to Aleksander Lesnik. Lucky for us, it's within an MMORPG game called Lords of Lore. Turns out that Qiana's logged enough hours to reach Level 60, and her avatar is a sexy, badass elf. Amy, on the other hand? This newb is a bunny rabbit whose head is immediately consumed by a glob of slime. (The very first page of Volume 18 features an adorably fluffy rabbit, and my first thought was, "Hey, that bunny looks an awful lot like Amy!")
Though they have to go through a hell of a lot of bodies to do it, they manage to track down Brix and learn the why behind Lesnik's murder - namely, the discovery of an artifact linking humanity's origins to the Aquarii Beta system.
Oliver doesn't get a lot of face time in Volume 18, but his panels are affecting nonetheless and detail the development of his first RFP. The image of a super-cute robot (think: the fictionalized JUNKYARD JOE) having an existential crisis at the bottom of the ocean floor is super haunting.
*****
Here's a breakdown of the episodes contained in each TPB. Sometimes I borrow the books from the library, other times I receive early electronic review copies online - and to bridge the gaps in between, I read the strips on Webtoons. Forever and always do I tear my hair out trying to figure out which strips I missed in between the collected volumes.
Volume 01 - episodes 1-16
Volume 02 - episodes 17-32
Volume 03 - episodes 33-48
Volume 04 - episodes 49-60
Volume 05 - episodes 61-75 (I think)
Volume 06 - episodes 76-92
Volume 07 - episodes 95-110
Volume 08 - episodes 111-126
Volume 09 - episodes 127-143
Volume 10 - episodes 144-159
Volume 11 - episodes 160-175
Volume 12 - episodes 176-195
Volume 13 - episodes 196-210
Volume 14 - episodes 211–223 and 225–226
Volume 15 - episodes 227-240
Volume 16 - episodes 241-256
Volume 17 - episodes 257-272
Volume 18 - episodes 273-286
Volume 18 of SPACE BOY opens with a very tense meeting of the Truth Seekers Anonymous. Zeph storms out of the live stream when host Nolan posits that everyone who was killed or went missing at the Homecoming Dance were essentially crisis actors - and robotic ones, at that. Still grieving Amy's death/rejection, the idea that she never existed at all is an affront to Zeph. A sympathetic Meisha decides to bring Zeph into the Scooby Gang fold, and he might just give the group the breakthrough they need.
Meanwhile, Amy and Qiana figure out a way to get in touch with Sophie Brix, wife of and heir to the founder of Net Gear, to discuss her connection to Aleksander Lesnik. Lucky for us, it's within an MMORPG game called Lords of Lore. Turns out that Qiana's logged enough hours to reach Level 60, and her avatar is a sexy, badass elf. Amy, on the other hand? This newb is a bunny rabbit whose head is immediately consumed by a glob of slime. (The very first page of Volume 18 features an adorably fluffy rabbit, and my first thought was, "Hey, that bunny looks an awful lot like Amy!")
Though they have to go through a hell of a lot of bodies to do it, they manage to track down Brix and learn the why behind Lesnik's murder - namely, the discovery of an artifact linking humanity's origins to the Aquarii Beta system.
Oliver doesn't get a lot of face time in Volume 18, but his panels are affecting nonetheless and detail the development of his first RFP. The image of a super-cute robot (think: the fictionalized JUNKYARD JOE) having an existential crisis at the bottom of the ocean floor is super haunting.
*****
Here's a breakdown of the episodes contained in each TPB. Sometimes I borrow the books from the library, other times I receive early electronic review copies online - and to bridge the gaps in between, I read the strips on Webtoons. Forever and always do I tear my hair out trying to figure out which strips I missed in between the collected volumes.
Volume 01 - episodes 1-16
Volume 02 - episodes 17-32
Volume 03 - episodes 33-48
Volume 04 - episodes 49-60
Volume 05 - episodes 61-75 (I think)
Volume 06 - episodes 76-92
Volume 07 - episodes 95-110
Volume 08 - episodes 111-126
Volume 09 - episodes 127-143
Volume 10 - episodes 144-159
Volume 11 - episodes 160-175
Volume 12 - episodes 176-195
Volume 13 - episodes 196-210
Volume 14 - episodes 211–223 and 225–226
Volume 15 - episodes 227-240
Volume 16 - episodes 241-256
Volume 17 - episodes 257-272
Volume 18 - episodes 273-286
June 12, 2024
Zeph starts to become disenchanted with the Truth Seekers and gets drawn into the small group of Amy's true friends who are investigating the events of Homecoming night on their own. We get some background on Dr. Kim and the evolution of the remote interactive units he's built for Oliver. And Qiana has tracked down the wife of the archaeologist who died under mysterious circumstances to an online MPRPG and she thinks they can track her down on the map based on her social media postings. But will she even talk to them?
So glad Zeph is among Amy's friends now. It's been a few volumes before Qiana and Amy made headway in their case, so that was very interesting. And learning more about Dr. Kim's background was interesting too. Can't wait for the next volume!
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: Nothing really. But in the online game Qiana's character's outfit is a bikini/loin cloth thing.
Violence: Video game killings of avatars and bad guys. (One is a beheading, but it isn't bloody.) Amy gets very disturbed by all Qiana's violence (Amy can't do much as she's a level one bunny).
Ethnic diversity: Characters' last names indicate a blend of cultures, they sport a variety of skin tones.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: The "Truth Seekers" group spouts a lot of bogus conspiracy theories and seems bent on using Amy's disappearance for their own fame/own agendas. Dr. Kim is in a wheel chair but that certainly doesn't hinder him. Amy has synesthesia which heightens her ability to judge people's feelings and character's.
So glad Zeph is among Amy's friends now. It's been a few volumes before Qiana and Amy made headway in their case, so that was very interesting. And learning more about Dr. Kim's background was interesting too. Can't wait for the next volume!
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: Nothing really. But in the online game Qiana's character's outfit is a bikini/loin cloth thing.
Violence: Video game killings of avatars and bad guys. (One is a beheading, but it isn't bloody.) Amy gets very disturbed by all Qiana's violence (Amy can't do much as she's a level one bunny).
Ethnic diversity: Characters' last names indicate a blend of cultures, they sport a variety of skin tones.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: The "Truth Seekers" group spouts a lot of bogus conspiracy theories and seems bent on using Amy's disappearance for their own fame/own agendas. Dr. Kim is in a wheel chair but that certainly doesn't hinder him. Amy has synesthesia which heightens her ability to judge people's feelings and character's.
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April 4, 2025this story started off SUPER well but now it is SUPER boring and also weird (derogatory)
get yo act together man what is happening
also i totally support deleting the student safe app even if your reasoning for it is stupid lol
also zeph and his whole “be a man thing” is getting annoying. it was very annoying when it first came up, and it’s still annoying. and his “you’re more of a man than i am” to meisha? the frick was that supposed to mean? i liked him better when he was stupid (affectionate) instead of stupid (actual)
Qiana’s in-game outfit is rather skimpy. She’s 16, dress her better.
Speaking of being 16, what? I am assuming high school is working the same as it does now in the US, so why is Amy a sophomore? She’d probably be a junior, if it’s the beginning of the year and she’s 16. Ofc I don’t know when her birthday is. Also her friends are mostly freshmen. Which means most of them are likely 14 rn. And that just does not feel correct. If you told me Amy was a junior and her friends were sophomores I feel like that would make more sense. They just seem way too comfortable with being high schoolers for people who are fresh outta middle school, ya know?
get yo act together man what is happening
also i totally support deleting the student safe app even if your reasoning for it is stupid lol
also zeph and his whole “be a man thing” is getting annoying. it was very annoying when it first came up, and it’s still annoying. and his “you’re more of a man than i am” to meisha? the frick was that supposed to mean? i liked him better when he was stupid (affectionate) instead of stupid (actual)
Qiana’s in-game outfit is rather skimpy. She’s 16, dress her better.
Speaking of being 16, what? I am assuming high school is working the same as it does now in the US, so why is Amy a sophomore? She’d probably be a junior, if it’s the beginning of the year and she’s 16. Ofc I don’t know when her birthday is. Also her friends are mostly freshmen. Which means most of them are likely 14 rn. And that just does not feel correct. If you told me Amy was a junior and her friends were sophomores I feel like that would make more sense. They just seem way too comfortable with being high schoolers for people who are fresh outta middle school, ya know?
March 19, 2024
If you have been reading this series, this continues with her friends wondering if Amy is alive, and who Oliver is. There is also the conspiracy theory group, the Truth Seekers, who seem to think that Amy is a robot as well.
It advances the story, and opens up new ideas to think about. Such as the first time they made a body for Oliver, that didn't have feelings, or touch or anything, and he ended up walking into the water, and rusting, rather than continue that way.
On one hand I want this series to finish, but on the other I want to know the full story, and it looks as though there is so much more to know about.
It advances the story, and opens up new ideas to think about. Such as the first time they made a body for Oliver, that didn't have feelings, or touch or anything, and he ended up walking into the water, and rusting, rather than continue that way.
On one hand I want this series to finish, but on the other I want to know the full story, and it looks as though there is so much more to know about.
November 24, 2024
I just finished volumes 17 through 19 and am almost officially caught up—just waiting for volume 20, which was recently released. I read these three volumes in one sitting and continue to thoroughly enjoy the depth of the characters, the real-life applicability, and the intriguing mystery. It reminds me of some of my favorite Star Trek episodes where the focus wasn’t on the science fiction itself but on building the story toward something significant. I can definitely sense something big on the horizon as many threads are now weaving together. The writing is truly creative and engaging!
September 27, 2024
Volume 18 is a perfect pair to Volume 17. Maki and Zeph have it out (a bit) over Amy & conspiracy theories. Amy and Qiana try to find/connect with Sophi (and while I don't really remember why they are looking for her --it's been a while & a few volumes,-- I do know it's re: Aleksander Lesnik and the First Contact Project), and Oliver tells Amy about his first RFP and his depression at that time, which is so sad. <3
Can't wait to keep going!
Can't wait to keep going!
April 22, 2025
This volume doubles down on not trusting adults and being kept in the dark. There was a lot of plot development in this volume, but it ends with a lot of loose ends. Zeph thinks he can break into Amy's glasses and Amy and Qiana found Sophi and have more information on Lesnik and Oliver got cut off when trying to tell Amy he loves her again. There are so many things on the verge of happening. I would still recommend this for upper teens at the earliest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2024
I love, love, love these books!
Fav quotes:
1. "You strike me as too young to be investigating a murder."
"Well, you strike me as too smart to be underestimating what young people are capable of."
2. "Death is a tragic thing ... but even more tragic to me is a life where you are loved but didn't know it."
Fav quotes:
1. "You strike me as too young to be investigating a murder."
"Well, you strike me as too smart to be underestimating what young people are capable of."
2. "Death is a tragic thing ... but even more tragic to me is a life where you are loved but didn't know it."
March 30, 2024
Ummm... did Spacy Boy just jump the shark?
The scene with Maki and Zeph is way too long and tried my patience. To follow it up with a sequence where Amy is turned into a bunny for a role playing game... it felt out of character for the series and felt more like gathering wool than moving the overall story forward.
Am I... disappointed... by Space Boy?
The scene with Maki and Zeph is way too long and tried my patience. To follow it up with a sequence where Amy is turned into a bunny for a role playing game... it felt out of character for the series and felt more like gathering wool than moving the overall story forward.
Am I... disappointed... by Space Boy?
April 27, 2024
Each new installment is better than the last. I've been reading this series for a few years now and didn't realize until this volume that only FOUR WEEKS have gone by in book-time since volume 1. WILD.
November 8, 2023
Amy's friends are still trying to prove that she's not dead. Oliver tells a story of his first RFP. Amy and Qiana find Sophi in a virtual reality game. #Edelweiss+
March 18, 2024
In which we learn more about Sophi. And Zeph becomes disenchanted with the Truth Seekers.
April 17, 2024
I love this series and can’t wait to see what happens next.
May 4, 2024
3.3 I thought the plot was getting better, other wise not much has changed.
June 6, 2024
On the edge of my seat! Huge breakthroughs in the Big Mystery.
July 16, 2024
I just want to know if Olivier will ever get back to earth. And why? Is Amy still in the FCP - so many questions and no progress.
September 1, 2024
Love this series! The art is perfection and story So intriguing.
November 26, 2024
I do not like Zeph and not much happened in this book. Amy and Qiana talk to Sophie about Lesnik's discovery, but that's the only plot movement.
January 28, 2025
Honestly I forget the details from 17 cuz it’s been so long and I really wish this was getting wrapped up. I just wanna know what the alien is.
March 4, 2025
Actual rating: 3.5. I appreciate that instead of a sexy version of her, Amy's avatar in the game was just a straight up bunny. Very on brand
March 5, 2025
Fabulous as usual. I laughed out loud at one point. Couldn't adore this series more!!
March 19, 2025
THIS SERIE IS SO GOOD
March 20, 2025
Another good volume in the series.
I am currently working on binge reading through volumes, so next proper update will be with volume 20.
I am currently working on binge reading through volumes, so next proper update will be with volume 20.
April 5, 2025
Big reveal!!!!!
May 30, 2025
more weird gendered language - a boy who is feeling down on himself says to a confident girl "you're more of a man than I am!"
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews