What do you think?
Rate this book
Letter 44 #1
La Carta 44 vol. 1: Velocidad de escape
¿QUÉ ES ESA EXTRAÑA CONSTRUCCIÓN ALIENÍGENA QUE NOS OBSERVA DESDE EL CINTURÓN DE ASTEROIDES?
Es el primer día de Stephen Blades como presidente de los Estados Unidos de América y hay mucho trabajo por hacer: crisis económica, guerras en marcha y un sistema sanitario a punto de desmoronarse. Pero todo eso tendrá que esperar. Una gran verdad le será desvelada en la carta que le ha dejado su predecesor: hace siete años la NASA descubrió presencia alienígena en el cinturón de asteroides, pero ha sido mantenida en secreto.
Una misión con nueve astronautas se encuentra en estos momentos de camino al extraño objeto. Su misión: descubrir de qué se trata. Su destino: incierto. Stephen Blades es ahora el hombre más poderoso de la Tierra. Pero solo de la Tierra.
Charles Soule (Hulka, La muerte de Lobezno) y el artista madrileño Alberto Jiménez Alburquerque presentan una intrigante historia que aúna interesantes elementos de grandes éxitos como Expediente X, Contact, Gravity o El marciano
Es el primer día de Stephen Blades como presidente de los Estados Unidos de América y hay mucho trabajo por hacer: crisis económica, guerras en marcha y un sistema sanitario a punto de desmoronarse. Pero todo eso tendrá que esperar. Una gran verdad le será desvelada en la carta que le ha dejado su predecesor: hace siete años la NASA descubrió presencia alienígena en el cinturón de asteroides, pero ha sido mantenida en secreto.
Una misión con nueve astronautas se encuentra en estos momentos de camino al extraño objeto. Su misión: descubrir de qué se trata. Su destino: incierto. Stephen Blades es ahora el hombre más poderoso de la Tierra. Pero solo de la Tierra.
Charles Soule (Hulka, La muerte de Lobezno) y el artista madrileño Alberto Jiménez Alburquerque presentan una intrigante historia que aúna interesantes elementos de grandes éxitos como Expediente X, Contact, Gravity o El marciano
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
162 people are currently reading
1462 people want to read
About the author
Charles Soule
1,526 books1,693 followersCharles Soule is a #1 New York Times-bestselling novelist, comics author, screenwriter, musician, and lapsed attorney. He has written some of the most prominent stories of the last decade for Marvel, DC and Lucasfilm in addition to his own work, such as his comics Curse Words, Letter 44 and Undiscovered Country, and his original novels Light of the Jedi, The Endless Vessel, The Oracle Year and Anyone. He lives in New York.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
January 15, 2023
Interesting, although I may have one or two obstetrics-related concerns about the whole situation here. But hey, childbirth in space is complicated.
It's a comic with two storylines: a political one with the thinly veiled Bush/Obama transition but with added catch of secret aliens in space, and a science-fictional one with a crew of nine scientists and military personnel on a super-secret mission to the asteroid belt to see what those abovementioned space aliens are up to.
Needless to say, I liked the space story better, but that's just because politics are a shady outhouse of life and it sucks being reminded of it anywhere.
And yeah, I suppose there is no reason why a suicide space mission would not turn into a hippie commune where not only do people fail at contraception but paternity also remains in doubt. A good case for reliable contraception prior to space voyages, I'd think. Since avoiding floating amniotic fluid drops in zero gravity may be a good idea.
I wasn't a huge fan of the art here - but the space story was fun enough for me to make up for it.
Curious to see where this story goes.
3.5 stars, rounding up.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
It's a comic with two storylines: a political one with the thinly veiled Bush/Obama transition but with added catch of secret aliens in space, and a science-fictional one with a crew of nine scientists and military personnel on a super-secret mission to the asteroid belt to see what those abovementioned space aliens are up to.
Needless to say, I liked the space story better, but that's just because politics are a shady outhouse of life and it sucks being reminded of it anywhere.
And yeah, I suppose there is no reason why a suicide space mission would not turn into a hippie commune where not only do people fail at contraception but paternity also remains in doubt. A good case for reliable contraception prior to space voyages, I'd think. Since avoiding floating amniotic fluid drops in zero gravity may be a good idea.
I wasn't a huge fan of the art here - but the space story was fun enough for me to make up for it.
Curious to see where this story goes.
3.5 stars, rounding up.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
February 7, 2017
A comic about alien invasion with political turns and twists! A great combo that always interests me!
Captivating Story
Blades is a newly elected president. The last president not only left the country into poor state of economy, health care and engaged in unnecessary wars with two countries. He also left Blades a letter telling him the reason behind all the mess he created. The reason he mentioned was hard to digest.
He didn't believe that their planet is under threat of an alien invasion until he was briefed by Chief of Staff. He learned that a crew of 9 people were sent to space to assess the threat.
The spacecraft named Clark hosting 9 people in total - a mix of Special Forces men and scientists. What they saw there was overwhelming. The aliens were building something into space. They don't know yet what is that thing exactly.
Now, on earth Blades found out there is something fishy going around right under his nose. The last president Mr. Collins disappear. And Blades is determined to dig deeper and keep everything under control.
Positives:
One thing that I love about comics is that you can see the chacters and their expressions. This novel is well executed and well drawn.
The plot is quite interesting and captivating with many twists and turns. Character development is great. The reader instantly connects with the characters. The world building is excellent. I love the coloring and detailing.
Negatives:
I couldn't find a single negative thing about this comic. Except that they should mention on their book that it is an adult-themed comic with some explicit images and is not appropriate for young readers.
An ARC of this comic book was provided by Oni Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Captivating Story
Blades is a newly elected president. The last president not only left the country into poor state of economy, health care and engaged in unnecessary wars with two countries. He also left Blades a letter telling him the reason behind all the mess he created. The reason he mentioned was hard to digest.
He didn't believe that their planet is under threat of an alien invasion until he was briefed by Chief of Staff. He learned that a crew of 9 people were sent to space to assess the threat.
The spacecraft named Clark hosting 9 people in total - a mix of Special Forces men and scientists. What they saw there was overwhelming. The aliens were building something into space. They don't know yet what is that thing exactly.
Now, on earth Blades found out there is something fishy going around right under his nose. The last president Mr. Collins disappear. And Blades is determined to dig deeper and keep everything under control.
Positives:
One thing that I love about comics is that you can see the chacters and their expressions. This novel is well executed and well drawn.
The plot is quite interesting and captivating with many twists and turns. Character development is great. The reader instantly connects with the characters. The world building is excellent. I love the coloring and detailing.
Negatives:
I couldn't find a single negative thing about this comic. Except that they should mention on their book that it is an adult-themed comic with some explicit images and is not appropriate for young readers.
An ARC of this comic book was provided by Oni Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2021
Charles Soule and Rafael Albuquerque, both of whom became mainstays at Marvel produced this series in their spare time earlier on in their careers - what is essentially a science fiction political mystery drama! The outgoing President hands over a letter to the incoming President to explain why he got America involved with two ongoing wars and massively increased military spending... it was because he had evidence of aliens building something in the Asteroid belt!!!
The book then goes on to portray how the new president, President Staples handles the situation as more and more secrets and details are revealed. A charmingly original piece of work especially with the space bound team. The political intrigue in Washington is pretty captivating too. Albuquerque's art takes awhile to get used to, but in time enhances the story line. A fair 8.5 out of 12.
The book then goes on to portray how the new president, President Staples handles the situation as more and more secrets and details are revealed. A charmingly original piece of work especially with the space bound team. The political intrigue in Washington is pretty captivating too. Albuquerque's art takes awhile to get used to, but in time enhances the story line. A fair 8.5 out of 12.
September 4, 2016
President Obama vs. the Gigantic Alien Gun
[Though the book does not officially feature Barack Obama and George W. Bush, there can be no doubt that two of its main characters are thinly veiled versions of the two, and in this review I will thus for simplicity's sake refer to them as Obama and Bush.]
On the eve of his inauguration, Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, receives from his predecessor, George W. Bush, the so-called Letter 44:
“Welcome to the job, son… I know you don’t like me... You think I steered the country wrong. Lied to the American people, didn't do enough to help at home while pushing us into wars we didn't need to be fighting... But here’s the thing – your perspective changes once you get behind that big old desk. You need to know that everything I did in my two terms leading this nation was in its best interest. It all boils down to one essential fact: Seven years ago, NASA detected some sort of mining or construction operation in the asteroid belt… You all thought I was some asshole, putting the country’s soldiers in harm’s way in the Middle East… But I wanted the U.S. to have as many combat-veteran soldiers as we could get. I wanted a reason to pump money into defense… We need to be ready when those things come down here. And they’re coming. You can bet on that. We kept it all pretty tight – we didn't want to panic people… Economy, social policy, all that crap doesn't mean a damn thing anymore. Not when something’s up there building a gun... History will support my choices, and God willing, yours as well. Good luck.”
Well, that explains a lot, doesn't it? Good old George W. had to sacrifice lives and resources in phony wars because his administration needed more combat-veteran soldiers; he was forced to push people into poverty because more money was needed for military production. Turns out he was just trying to protect us all from a gigantic alien gun located somewhere between Mars and Jupiter! It all makes perfect sense now! The government can't tell us about this gigantic alien gun, obviously, because it would blow our little minds. Phew, and here I thought there was something wrong with politics these days. I should never have doubted the government - more power to them, I say, then I'm sure we'll all be safe...
Fictional justification for government secrecy and corruption in general and war mongering in particular is not exactly what I am looking for in my sci-fi comics, so at least from an ideological perspective, Letter 44 Volume 1 did not work for me. The icing on the cake is the casting of President Obama as the buff and righteous quasi-superhero (with greying temples, to be sure) we all rely on to safe the world. He looks fit enough to take on those alien bastards all by himself, and in his opinion, any U.S. president should: “Teddy Roosevelt kept an actual bear in the White House. We need to get back to those days. All Presidents should have to prove their ability to defeat a bear in hand-to-hand combat before they’re allowed to take office.” Um... right.
The story's ideological subtext is not my cup of tea, but there is a bigger problem: Letter 44 feels empty and stagy. Both the political drama and the sci-fi plot are designed to win the reader over with a bunch of spectacular plot developments, yet none of these developments really resonated with me simply because I could not relate to the characters affected by them. One of the astronauts approaching the alien construction site is about to give birth on the spaceship, for example, but I couldn't care less because I am still waiting for her and her colleagues to come to life for me as characters. Not to mention the scene in which Obama has Bush kidnapped from his high-security ranch and brought to the White House just to ask him a few questions - that's not thrilling political intrigue, that's just silly.
So why still two stars? Well, it's mostly wishful thinking. I have not yet given up hope that things will eventually start to fall into place, and that I will then look back mercifully at all this as a necessary if wearisome opening chapter. At the moment, though, those hopes are pretty slim, as I can see the plot taking only two turns:
a) The aliens really represent a threat, and we all rely on President Obama to save the day. Now that the pressure is on, the President learns to appreciate his predecessor's unconventional yet effective methods.
b) The aliens do not represent a threat after all, and a righteous and peace-loving President Obama has to clean up the mess that his paranoid, tragically misguided predecessor left for him.
Neither path sounds very appealing to me. But who knows, maybe Charles Soule has a few surprises up his sleeve. I'm still on board for the second volume.
[Though the book does not officially feature Barack Obama and George W. Bush, there can be no doubt that two of its main characters are thinly veiled versions of the two, and in this review I will thus for simplicity's sake refer to them as Obama and Bush.]
On the eve of his inauguration, Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, receives from his predecessor, George W. Bush, the so-called Letter 44:
“Welcome to the job, son… I know you don’t like me... You think I steered the country wrong. Lied to the American people, didn't do enough to help at home while pushing us into wars we didn't need to be fighting... But here’s the thing – your perspective changes once you get behind that big old desk. You need to know that everything I did in my two terms leading this nation was in its best interest. It all boils down to one essential fact: Seven years ago, NASA detected some sort of mining or construction operation in the asteroid belt… You all thought I was some asshole, putting the country’s soldiers in harm’s way in the Middle East… But I wanted the U.S. to have as many combat-veteran soldiers as we could get. I wanted a reason to pump money into defense… We need to be ready when those things come down here. And they’re coming. You can bet on that. We kept it all pretty tight – we didn't want to panic people… Economy, social policy, all that crap doesn't mean a damn thing anymore. Not when something’s up there building a gun... History will support my choices, and God willing, yours as well. Good luck.”
Well, that explains a lot, doesn't it? Good old George W. had to sacrifice lives and resources in phony wars because his administration needed more combat-veteran soldiers; he was forced to push people into poverty because more money was needed for military production. Turns out he was just trying to protect us all from a gigantic alien gun located somewhere between Mars and Jupiter! It all makes perfect sense now! The government can't tell us about this gigantic alien gun, obviously, because it would blow our little minds. Phew, and here I thought there was something wrong with politics these days. I should never have doubted the government - more power to them, I say, then I'm sure we'll all be safe...
Fictional justification for government secrecy and corruption in general and war mongering in particular is not exactly what I am looking for in my sci-fi comics, so at least from an ideological perspective, Letter 44 Volume 1 did not work for me. The icing on the cake is the casting of President Obama as the buff and righteous quasi-superhero (with greying temples, to be sure) we all rely on to safe the world. He looks fit enough to take on those alien bastards all by himself, and in his opinion, any U.S. president should: “Teddy Roosevelt kept an actual bear in the White House. We need to get back to those days. All Presidents should have to prove their ability to defeat a bear in hand-to-hand combat before they’re allowed to take office.” Um... right.
The story's ideological subtext is not my cup of tea, but there is a bigger problem: Letter 44 feels empty and stagy. Both the political drama and the sci-fi plot are designed to win the reader over with a bunch of spectacular plot developments, yet none of these developments really resonated with me simply because I could not relate to the characters affected by them. One of the astronauts approaching the alien construction site is about to give birth on the spaceship, for example, but I couldn't care less because I am still waiting for her and her colleagues to come to life for me as characters. Not to mention the scene in which Obama has Bush kidnapped from his high-security ranch and brought to the White House just to ask him a few questions - that's not thrilling political intrigue, that's just silly.
So why still two stars? Well, it's mostly wishful thinking. I have not yet given up hope that things will eventually start to fall into place, and that I will then look back mercifully at all this as a necessary if wearisome opening chapter. At the moment, though, those hopes are pretty slim, as I can see the plot taking only two turns:
a) The aliens really represent a threat, and we all rely on President Obama to save the day. Now that the pressure is on, the President learns to appreciate his predecessor's unconventional yet effective methods.
b) The aliens do not represent a threat after all, and a righteous and peace-loving President Obama has to clean up the mess that his paranoid, tragically misguided predecessor left for him.
Neither path sounds very appealing to me. But who knows, maybe Charles Soule has a few surprises up his sleeve. I'm still on board for the second volume.
April 21, 2015
Three and a half stars.
WARNING! BIG TIME SPOILERS ABOUND!
How scary can an alien be if you can figure out the cubic space he takes up with a math formula?
Take the formula for figuring out the volume of a cone – then take the formula for figuring out a sphere – take half the volume for the sphere and add it to your solution for the cone and you have your big scary alien. Oooh, Geometry gone wild, run for your lives. It's a polygon! Hah!
Then: Laser beams! Ouch! Exploding stuff! Ouch! Death ray! Ouch, ouch!!
I welcome our new geometric overlords!
Oh the letter! Well, it seems that the outgoing president left a letter for the incoming president, which says: There are aliens in the asteroid belt. We sent a ship years ago. They’re just reaching them now. It’s a secret. P.S. - The toilet in the Oval Office backs up.
The outer space orgy aspects aside, I found the political intrigue to me more satisfying than the sci-fi elements of the story.
The cover is sparkly and pretty.
January 29, 2023
This is basically the opposite of the comic I previously read, insomuch as I really don’t enjoy looking at it. But the story has me intrigued.
When the new president enters office, he learns that his predecessor has left behind a letter for him. The contents are surprising, to say the least. Turns out that aliens are in fact real, we’ve discovered years ago that they are building something in the asteroid belt and we sent a ship to find out what it is. We just didn’t tell anybody.
There are two storylines unfolding in parallel. On the one side we have the political struggle on Earth, as the new president is trying to decide what to do with this new information. The other storyline is the mission to the asteroid belt itself and the weird relationships that have developed amongst the group of scientists and astronauts – well, and the matter of making contact. I’m interested to see where this goes.
The artwork really isn’t very nice though. The characters are so unbelievably ugly that when one of the astronauts remarked how handsome the new president was, I actually had to laugh out loud. It seems like recently I just can’t have it all with comics. Okay, frankly, the artwork of the last one wasn’t good either. But it somehow worked and I actually enjoyed looking at it. On the plus side, this here is a much better book. We’ll see how long I can stand looking at it.
3.75 stars
Buddy read with Nataliya.
When the new president enters office, he learns that his predecessor has left behind a letter for him. The contents are surprising, to say the least. Turns out that aliens are in fact real, we’ve discovered years ago that they are building something in the asteroid belt and we sent a ship to find out what it is. We just didn’t tell anybody.
There are two storylines unfolding in parallel. On the one side we have the political struggle on Earth, as the new president is trying to decide what to do with this new information. The other storyline is the mission to the asteroid belt itself and the weird relationships that have developed amongst the group of scientists and astronauts – well, and the matter of making contact. I’m interested to see where this goes.
The artwork really isn’t very nice though. The characters are so unbelievably ugly that when one of the astronauts remarked how handsome the new president was, I actually had to laugh out loud. It seems like recently I just can’t have it all with comics. Okay, frankly, the artwork of the last one wasn’t good either. But it somehow worked and I actually enjoyed looking at it. On the plus side, this here is a much better book. We’ll see how long I can stand looking at it.
3.75 stars
Buddy read with Nataliya.
May 23, 2018
This is the first work of Charles Soule's where I went, "Now I get why Marvel hired this guy." This is fantastic stuff. I can't wait to read the next volume.
What if Barack Obama showed up on his first day in the Oval Office and George Bush had left him a note that aliens are real and building something in our solar system? Our story is two-fold. On one side we have the President trying to prepare America for a potential invasion from aliens and on the other a team of astronauts who've been sent into deep space to determine what the aliens are building. The series has an epic scope. I'd love to see this turned into a TV show.
Received an advance copy from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What if Barack Obama showed up on his first day in the Oval Office and George Bush had left him a note that aliens are real and building something in our solar system? Our story is two-fold. On one side we have the President trying to prepare America for a potential invasion from aliens and on the other a team of astronauts who've been sent into deep space to determine what the aliens are building. The series has an epic scope. I'd love to see this turned into a TV show.
Received an advance copy from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2014
What if…
Aliens are real and are much closer to us than we thought. NASA have discovered what looks like a massive alien mining operation in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter but we don’t know whether the aliens are hostile or friendly - or even whether they’re mining or preparing to invade! A team of nine volunteers made up of scientists and special forces left Earth three years ago on a one-way mission to make first contact. No-one but the highest ranking officials in the US government know about any of this - the public are not to know to avoid panic and hysteria.
And what if the real reason why George W. Bush started so many wars, was not to fight some abstract “war on terror” but in preparation for a potential alien invasion? And what if Obama found all of this out on the eve of his inauguration in a letter from the 43rd President of the United States to the 44th?
Welcome to Letter 44.
Obviously writer Charles Soule hasn’t used Bush or Obama’s names but those characters are basically facsimiles of their real life counterparts. Francis T Carroll is an unpopular rich old white Republican president leaving behind a damning legacy that incoming youngish/handsome and Latin Democrat president Stephen Blades must reverse.
Letter 44 is basically two stories - the one on Earth where we follow Blades’ first days in office, being told the incredible truth behind his predecessors’ actions while also trying to kickstart his policies; and the other is set on the spaceship Clarke as they get ever closer to the colossal alien spacecraft that may or may not be their doom - and what will they find?
You’d think the space storyline would be more enthralling but Soule writes both stories so well that they’re equally fascinating. This could really be two separate comics and I’d be reading them both - with one you’ve got the West Wing crossed with Breaking Bad (and how awesome does that sound!), and with the other you’ve got the space story that’s part Danny Boyle’s Sunshine crossed with Kubrick’s 2001 with some ‘60s counter culture beliefs mixed in. You’ve got to read this to believe it.
Blades realises that the old administration and possibly some of his own agencies are working against him in a conspiracy that looks to usurp his presidency, while, in space, Soule teases out bits and pieces of the aliens - not by revealing what they look like - but hinting at what they could be, by sending some of the Clarke on an away mission to a nearby asteroid commandeered by the aliens.
Soule masterfully tells his amazing story so that you’re never bored while reading it, and are always stimulated - the plot races ahead without tripping itself up while also ensuring readers know the characters and their lives. It’s a helluva juggling act!
Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque’s art is fabulous! I enjoyed his artwork in space the best - the alien spacecraft and technology, the less-flashy tech of the Clarke itself, and the way he frames space so that you’re always aware of where the Clarke is in relation to the alien vessel. Really, all of his art is outstanding - he’s as comfortable drawing a scene in a fast food restaurant on Earth as he is drawing… well, I won’t give that away, but it’s pretty outlandish stuff! Soule’s visionary story is perfected matched with his partner’s soaring imagination and tremendous skill. Together they make a formidable creative team.
Not only is Letter 44 an original and totally inspired story but Soule and Alburquerque have crafted it into a rich, compelling narrative with enormous potential. It’s too early to start throwing around the word “masterpiece” but based on the high quality of the first volume, there’s every chance this series will become just that. Don’t miss this remarkable comic!
Aliens are real and are much closer to us than we thought. NASA have discovered what looks like a massive alien mining operation in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter but we don’t know whether the aliens are hostile or friendly - or even whether they’re mining or preparing to invade! A team of nine volunteers made up of scientists and special forces left Earth three years ago on a one-way mission to make first contact. No-one but the highest ranking officials in the US government know about any of this - the public are not to know to avoid panic and hysteria.
And what if the real reason why George W. Bush started so many wars, was not to fight some abstract “war on terror” but in preparation for a potential alien invasion? And what if Obama found all of this out on the eve of his inauguration in a letter from the 43rd President of the United States to the 44th?
Welcome to Letter 44.
Obviously writer Charles Soule hasn’t used Bush or Obama’s names but those characters are basically facsimiles of their real life counterparts. Francis T Carroll is an unpopular rich old white Republican president leaving behind a damning legacy that incoming youngish/handsome and Latin Democrat president Stephen Blades must reverse.
Letter 44 is basically two stories - the one on Earth where we follow Blades’ first days in office, being told the incredible truth behind his predecessors’ actions while also trying to kickstart his policies; and the other is set on the spaceship Clarke as they get ever closer to the colossal alien spacecraft that may or may not be their doom - and what will they find?
You’d think the space storyline would be more enthralling but Soule writes both stories so well that they’re equally fascinating. This could really be two separate comics and I’d be reading them both - with one you’ve got the West Wing crossed with Breaking Bad (and how awesome does that sound!), and with the other you’ve got the space story that’s part Danny Boyle’s Sunshine crossed with Kubrick’s 2001 with some ‘60s counter culture beliefs mixed in. You’ve got to read this to believe it.
Blades realises that the old administration and possibly some of his own agencies are working against him in a conspiracy that looks to usurp his presidency, while, in space, Soule teases out bits and pieces of the aliens - not by revealing what they look like - but hinting at what they could be, by sending some of the Clarke on an away mission to a nearby asteroid commandeered by the aliens.
Soule masterfully tells his amazing story so that you’re never bored while reading it, and are always stimulated - the plot races ahead without tripping itself up while also ensuring readers know the characters and their lives. It’s a helluva juggling act!
Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque’s art is fabulous! I enjoyed his artwork in space the best - the alien spacecraft and technology, the less-flashy tech of the Clarke itself, and the way he frames space so that you’re always aware of where the Clarke is in relation to the alien vessel. Really, all of his art is outstanding - he’s as comfortable drawing a scene in a fast food restaurant on Earth as he is drawing… well, I won’t give that away, but it’s pretty outlandish stuff! Soule’s visionary story is perfected matched with his partner’s soaring imagination and tremendous skill. Together they make a formidable creative team.
Not only is Letter 44 an original and totally inspired story but Soule and Alburquerque have crafted it into a rich, compelling narrative with enormous potential. It’s too early to start throwing around the word “masterpiece” but based on the high quality of the first volume, there’s every chance this series will become just that. Don’t miss this remarkable comic!
June 30, 2018
YO THIS IS SO FREAKING GOOD!
August 7, 2018
3.5 Stars
This comic has been on my tbr for a while so when Netgalley had it available as part of a re-release I grabbed the chance to read it.
The plot revolves around the inauguration and new term of Pres. Blake (44th US pres.) and a group of astronauts who’ve been sent to see what they can find about an alien structure. It pulls heavily from 2008 US politics but puts a spin on it. I really enjoyed this one and am excited to see where it leads.
This comic has been on my tbr for a while so when Netgalley had it available as part of a re-release I grabbed the chance to read it.
The plot revolves around the inauguration and new term of Pres. Blake (44th US pres.) and a group of astronauts who’ve been sent to see what they can find about an alien structure. It pulls heavily from 2008 US politics but puts a spin on it. I really enjoyed this one and am excited to see where it leads.
December 7, 2014
Letter 44 is equal parts space adventure and politics, an odd mix that somehow works perfectly. Roughly half of the story is with the intrepid crew of the Clarke, on a mission to discover what mysterious thing a mysterious intelligence is building, pointed at Earth. The other half of the story is with new president Stephen Blades, stepping into office after a very Bush-like president. And believe it or not, the political part is just as interesting and just as much fun to read as the space adventure. And yes, parts of it do borrow from various SF and political thrillers that have gone before, but it's brought together in a way that may not exactly be entirely original, but is entertaining, smart, and even exciting at times. And hey, there's a heart there, too, and a beautifully diverse cast of very interesting characters. My favorite so far might just be the incredibly cool First Lady, but it's a close race. I wasn't sure what I was going to get out of this book before I read it, but I'm very glad that I did.
October 4, 2014
Short review: great book. Don't let this linger on your shelf like I did, you'll regret it.
The longer this story unfolds, the more tense and dramatic it becomes. I'm finding myself genuinely surprised at this - I've read a couple of other Soule joints and this level of control, of depth of research, wasn't hinted at in his previous works. While interesting stories, the only surprises I felt during Strongman were at his adherence to old school Latin self-sacrificing hero dialogue. Whereas here I was surprised by the intrigues, the unexpected plot developments, and the layers to the characters.
I enjoyed the characters - they weren't just drawn with good acting and emotions, but spoke with the varying degrees of familiarity that real people have. Not once did I sit back, palm my forehead and ask why the spirit of Geoff Johns had taken over the duties from Charles Soule?
The story's pacing picks up slowly, and then when it gets really good and tense they start interleaving parallel plot thread in every few pages, just to make me itch even harder to keep reading faster, faster.
Holy fuck though, what a climax. Just when I thought I could see the glimpses of tedious cliches shining through, the creators give us a few more reasons to like where they're headed. I want to read the shit out of this series now. What a setup, what a bunch of cool characters, and what a wonderful canvas on which to pull on these tasty threads.
I generally don't think of Oni Press when I think great comics - for dog's sake, they're operated out of a creepy looking building in Northeast Portland. (I checked it on Google Street View - it actually doesn't even have their name on it, which makes it seem like either an FBI front or some cult. Portland cultural shit is supposed to be cool, not sketchy.)
But if they keep this up - this shot would be a well-regarded title at Image, even these days.
And let me come back to the art for a second - this is the kind of linework I generally think of as sloppy, second-rate. But take another look - it's got shades of Johm Layman from Chew, and it's got colourists who really get the nuances of light and shadow. The overall effect is a dynamic, emotionally rich and energetic pace - I can almost see the characters leaping from panel to panel (especially the sex scene, which was tasteful).
In fact, let's end this off with an examination of the women, shall we? Here's a book with a space crew commanded by a woman, a president with a forceful and compelling First Lady, and sexual politics that I'd never thought I'd see done so egalitarian in any American-born cultural artifact. For a political thriller, this book isn't ignoring the women; for a science fiction book, we're right there in the best territory where it's no biggie when women have as much to say about big events - and their own self-determination - as any of the men. It's still a bit sausage-heavy, and there's room for improvement, but this is a helluvan example of stepping in line with the modern era, not like half the shit coming out of DC that feels like Tea Party propaganda (though not as well thought out).
The longer this story unfolds, the more tense and dramatic it becomes. I'm finding myself genuinely surprised at this - I've read a couple of other Soule joints and this level of control, of depth of research, wasn't hinted at in his previous works. While interesting stories, the only surprises I felt during Strongman were at his adherence to old school Latin self-sacrificing hero dialogue. Whereas here I was surprised by the intrigues, the unexpected plot developments, and the layers to the characters.
I enjoyed the characters - they weren't just drawn with good acting and emotions, but spoke with the varying degrees of familiarity that real people have. Not once did I sit back, palm my forehead and ask why the spirit of Geoff Johns had taken over the duties from Charles Soule?
The story's pacing picks up slowly, and then when it gets really good and tense they start interleaving parallel plot thread in every few pages, just to make me itch even harder to keep reading faster, faster.
Holy fuck though, what a climax. Just when I thought I could see the glimpses of tedious cliches shining through, the creators give us a few more reasons to like where they're headed. I want to read the shit out of this series now. What a setup, what a bunch of cool characters, and what a wonderful canvas on which to pull on these tasty threads.
I generally don't think of Oni Press when I think great comics - for dog's sake, they're operated out of a creepy looking building in Northeast Portland. (I checked it on Google Street View - it actually doesn't even have their name on it, which makes it seem like either an FBI front or some cult. Portland cultural shit is supposed to be cool, not sketchy.)
But if they keep this up - this shot would be a well-regarded title at Image, even these days.
And let me come back to the art for a second - this is the kind of linework I generally think of as sloppy, second-rate. But take another look - it's got shades of Johm Layman from Chew, and it's got colourists who really get the nuances of light and shadow. The overall effect is a dynamic, emotionally rich and energetic pace - I can almost see the characters leaping from panel to panel (especially the sex scene, which was tasteful).
In fact, let's end this off with an examination of the women, shall we? Here's a book with a space crew commanded by a woman, a president with a forceful and compelling First Lady, and sexual politics that I'd never thought I'd see done so egalitarian in any American-born cultural artifact. For a political thriller, this book isn't ignoring the women; for a science fiction book, we're right there in the best territory where it's no biggie when women have as much to say about big events - and their own self-determination - as any of the men. It's still a bit sausage-heavy, and there's room for improvement, but this is a helluvan example of stepping in line with the modern era, not like half the shit coming out of DC that feels like Tea Party propaganda (though not as well thought out).
February 7, 2017
Space! Aliens! Government conspiracy! Political allegory!
Letter 44 is a legitimately expert written, multi-level political thriller and space adventure. Charles Soule is on point here with his fantastic dialog, plotting, characterization, and visual details. Even the way the story literally unfolds as you turn the page is precisely written, with that Chief of Staff shocker! I've read a good number of space/sci-fi/mindfuck books and this is among the best.
Newly inaugurated black President Stephen Blades and his cabinet navigate the politics of the complex and mysterious alien threat. Meanwhile the nine person crew aboard the Clarke spacecraft is about to make contact 150 million miles away. And it's damn exciting!
Soule writes a clear if brief political allegory of George W. Bush, post-9/11 fearmongering, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, as well how Obama governs moderately by comparison. As an American, in this carnivalesque political climate, I enjoyed this very much not only in its clear hindsight of our recent past but how fucking simpler it used to be.
I won't say anything about the Clarke except that I like how the crew and their social order is atypical and unexpected, the twist early on, and what they encounter out there is totally fascinating. Not your typical aliens, that's for sure.
Now, there's a lot of criticism that this book is simple, and in concept I think that's true. I mean, it's basically a mix of various sci-fi movies. Alien threat, politics, space crew of military and scientists, predictably things go wrong. But it's not written in a pulp fashion for the illiterate but rather intelligently, the story is original in its details and improvements on genre tropes, the characterization is off the charts, and it just has me hooked with drama and intrigue unlike most stories of similar subject.
Okay, so it's superbly written. But what about the pictures? It's damn finely illustrated, colored, lettered, and designed. Designed, you say? Yes, designed. As in graphic design, something that seems to be lacking innovation these days. The shiny foil on black cover with integrated solar system map which carries over to the spine and back cover are beautiful. I mean this is a beautiful trade paperback. I've never seen such brilliant design in a comic. So I hope to hell they make a deluxe hardcover because I'd buy it for looks alone.
Albuquerque is a fantastic illustrator with his realistic yet cartoony characters. His set illustrations are incredibly detailed. His action is fluid and visceral, like you can feel it jumping off the page. Add Dan Jackson's warm, perfectly in sync colors and you've got yourself a wonderfully illustrated comic book.
This rates high for me, higher than Divinity and most other space/political/mindfuck books because it pushes the boundaries of a crowded genre, takes on political allegory, and even cleverly fashions a fictional cause for the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars that works for the narrative. That's just ballsy and it works. The characters and dialog are solid. The design and artwork are flawless. And all this from teeny tiny Oni Press, out of my very own Portland, OR? Five stars all around.
July 27, 2017
Letter 44 was a breath of fresh air. It is a solid sci-fi opera. I'd call it a space opera, but there are a lot of events on Earth as well.
The 44th President has just been elected. As he sits down in the Oval Office he finds, as per tradition, the previous President's letter to him. Inside is a bombshell- the Earth has been dealing with an alien object that has appeared in our solar system. The previous administration had been using foreign wars as a cover to develop new technology under the cover of a program called Project Monolith.
Meanwhile a group of scientists and military astronauts are moving towards the object to figure out what is going on. More than this I will not say, as the story is fun and worth your time to read. I, personally, despised nearly every person in this story. A bigger group of terrible people could rarely have been imagined. I rather hope the aliens win.
Still a well done sci-fi story about first contact and how the world would respond. I was pleasantly surprised. Why 3 stars? Well some of the underlying premises (why the stock market crashed in 2008; why we fight wars in the ME, etc) are based on infantile liberal thinking. But I don't want to sit here and explain something most people should know- liberals understand finance and economics about as well as a devout Muslim understands how to make a good pork tenderloin. But that's ok- Charles Soule realizes that the vast majority of readers honestly have no clue about how the perfect confluence of mortgages given to anyone willy-nilly (we use debt-capital ratios to figure out if you could buy but they were scrapped for being "racist" and it was "opened" up) thus causing an artificial bubble, then financial firms that traded on debt bought up the mortgage debt since historically it had been a good investment..you know what? This isn't an economics lesson. Never mind. To be fair an true liberal will not listen to what I have to say about economics-it would hurt their "world view". So screw that....but still I dislike tropes. I especially dislike tropes when the author assumes ignorance or mental issues on the part of the reader to provide him a pass on his silly ideas. Fine..but I'm still going to deduct points for lazy writing and using tropes instead of actually thinking about what you write.
Still looking for a good sci-fi story with some interesting premises? Then I think you will like this series.
The 44th President has just been elected. As he sits down in the Oval Office he finds, as per tradition, the previous President's letter to him. Inside is a bombshell- the Earth has been dealing with an alien object that has appeared in our solar system. The previous administration had been using foreign wars as a cover to develop new technology under the cover of a program called Project Monolith.
Meanwhile a group of scientists and military astronauts are moving towards the object to figure out what is going on. More than this I will not say, as the story is fun and worth your time to read. I, personally, despised nearly every person in this story. A bigger group of terrible people could rarely have been imagined. I rather hope the aliens win.
Still a well done sci-fi story about first contact and how the world would respond. I was pleasantly surprised. Why 3 stars? Well some of the underlying premises (why the stock market crashed in 2008; why we fight wars in the ME, etc) are based on infantile liberal thinking. But I don't want to sit here and explain something most people should know- liberals understand finance and economics about as well as a devout Muslim understands how to make a good pork tenderloin. But that's ok- Charles Soule realizes that the vast majority of readers honestly have no clue about how the perfect confluence of mortgages given to anyone willy-nilly (we use debt-capital ratios to figure out if you could buy but they were scrapped for being "racist" and it was "opened" up) thus causing an artificial bubble, then financial firms that traded on debt bought up the mortgage debt since historically it had been a good investment..you know what? This isn't an economics lesson. Never mind. To be fair an true liberal will not listen to what I have to say about economics-it would hurt their "world view". So screw that....but still I dislike tropes. I especially dislike tropes when the author assumes ignorance or mental issues on the part of the reader to provide him a pass on his silly ideas. Fine..but I'm still going to deduct points for lazy writing and using tropes instead of actually thinking about what you write.
Still looking for a good sci-fi story with some interesting premises? Then I think you will like this series.
April 19, 2015
Maybe this will get better. I was hopeful because it is clearly a commentary on the Bush years from the perspective of the Obama administration, with some new information, that Bush had a secret, that there was this little alien problem they encountered in outer space… I don't (yet) like it much, it feels sort of canned and not particularly well written but sometimes when I keep reading things they get better. We'll see. Other reviewers I admire seem to like it a lot, so I'll keep on...
February 12, 2017
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
When newly elected President Blades entered office, he didn't think life would be easy. He didn't expect to learn about aliens, possibly/probably planning some kind of invasion, and a secret space mission to study the aliens.
This was surprisingly good. I was a bit skeptical, because lately I wasn't having to much luck with my comics, but this story really good capture my attention. It's part political intrigue and part space mission, and the latter was the most interesting one for me. The crew has been in space for several years and new problems have arisen. Not to mention the pregnancy of one of the crewmembers.
Maybe not the most original work out there, but I enjoyed myself a lot while reading it and I'm curious as to how this will continue.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
When newly elected President Blades entered office, he didn't think life would be easy. He didn't expect to learn about aliens, possibly/probably planning some kind of invasion, and a secret space mission to study the aliens.
This was surprisingly good. I was a bit skeptical, because lately I wasn't having to much luck with my comics, but this story really good capture my attention. It's part political intrigue and part space mission, and the latter was the most interesting one for me. The crew has been in space for several years and new problems have arisen. Not to mention the pregnancy of one of the crewmembers.
Maybe not the most original work out there, but I enjoyed myself a lot while reading it and I'm curious as to how this will continue.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
September 1, 2018
Please allow me to rave about Letter 44!
Sometimes comics have an awesome premise- in this case, what if after winning a presidential campaign on the platform that he will undo the previous president's mistakes, President Obama (I mean President Stephen Blades) must continue two unnecessary wars, unchecked military spending and policies that will destroy the American economy. There is nothing he can do, because secretly there are aliens near Jupiter, watching Earth.
And there you have me. That is an awesome premise. What Letter 44 does though is something I rarely see in a comic. Everyone- President Blades, the crew of the spaceship Clarke, even obvious fake Dubya Bush, President Carroll- are smart. Characters don't need to regress to idiocy to move the story and drama along. Everyone here is doing the best they can with the supplies and information they have. Mistakes are made sure, but I never wanted to throw the book down in disgust. For such an out there premise, Letter 44 remains solidly grounded.
Author Charles Soule is some kind of genius. Besides writing this and at least half a dozen other excellent comics, he is a full time practicing attorney. How he balances these responsibilities is clearly a superhuman power. But his day job informs the book. The legal and political drama is top notch. Anyone who misses Brian K. Vaughan's Ex Machina can get their political comics fix right here.
The second trade is even better than the first. As the conflict escalates, on Earth and in space, we really get to see who these characters are. The crew of the Clarke battles for their survival and for each other. President and First Lady Blades have to compromise everything they thought they stood for. Not to mention the soldiers deployed in Afghanistan and the political machinations brewing in Germany! By giving his characters intelligence and high stakes, Letter 44 is one of the best new comics of the last few years.
Sometimes comics have an awesome premise- in this case, what if after winning a presidential campaign on the platform that he will undo the previous president's mistakes, President Obama (I mean President Stephen Blades) must continue two unnecessary wars, unchecked military spending and policies that will destroy the American economy. There is nothing he can do, because secretly there are aliens near Jupiter, watching Earth.
And there you have me. That is an awesome premise. What Letter 44 does though is something I rarely see in a comic. Everyone- President Blades, the crew of the spaceship Clarke, even obvious fake Dubya Bush, President Carroll- are smart. Characters don't need to regress to idiocy to move the story and drama along. Everyone here is doing the best they can with the supplies and information they have. Mistakes are made sure, but I never wanted to throw the book down in disgust. For such an out there premise, Letter 44 remains solidly grounded.
Author Charles Soule is some kind of genius. Besides writing this and at least half a dozen other excellent comics, he is a full time practicing attorney. How he balances these responsibilities is clearly a superhuman power. But his day job informs the book. The legal and political drama is top notch. Anyone who misses Brian K. Vaughan's Ex Machina can get their political comics fix right here.
The second trade is even better than the first. As the conflict escalates, on Earth and in space, we really get to see who these characters are. The crew of the Clarke battles for their survival and for each other. President and First Lady Blades have to compromise everything they thought they stood for. Not to mention the soldiers deployed in Afghanistan and the political machinations brewing in Germany! By giving his characters intelligence and high stakes, Letter 44 is one of the best new comics of the last few years.
December 22, 2014
Summary: On his first day of his new job, president Stephen Blades finds a letter of his predecessor. In this letter, he learns about an alien construction hidden in space, and about the space mission on its way to discover what the construction is, and why it's there.
What I liked:
- I've been binging on science-fiction reads lately, and I liked this take on the "intelligent beings in space" theme. More mystery, and less big-headed green guys
- President Blades is put in a difficult position - will he tell the public about the proof of intelligent being in the universe, or won't he?
- I liked how the spaceship team was made up of a combination of military and scientific personnel, and how they interacted with each other
What I didn't like:
- Jezus Christ, there is way too much text in this comic. Isn't the idea that both the pictures and the words tell the story. If you need so much text, you know you're not doing it right
- The political intrigue didn't live up to my expectations. All the different factions could have been awesome, but there just wasn't enough conflict. It was all fairly standard and predictable
- The art. It was just a bit meh
- By the end of the book, we've barely progressed in the story. Too much time is spent on unimportant subplots, and the main attraction doesn't go beyond basic development
Verdict: A mediocre politics and space mash-up. Mainly consists of heavy-handed dialogue and useless action scenes, without any real meat to the story.
What I liked:
- I've been binging on science-fiction reads lately, and I liked this take on the "intelligent beings in space" theme. More mystery, and less big-headed green guys
- President Blades is put in a difficult position - will he tell the public about the proof of intelligent being in the universe, or won't he?
- I liked how the spaceship team was made up of a combination of military and scientific personnel, and how they interacted with each other
What I didn't like:
- Jezus Christ, there is way too much text in this comic. Isn't the idea that both the pictures and the words tell the story. If you need so much text, you know you're not doing it right
- The political intrigue didn't live up to my expectations. All the different factions could have been awesome, but there just wasn't enough conflict. It was all fairly standard and predictable
- The art. It was just a bit meh
- By the end of the book, we've barely progressed in the story. Too much time is spent on unimportant subplots, and the main attraction doesn't go beyond basic development
Verdict: A mediocre politics and space mash-up. Mainly consists of heavy-handed dialogue and useless action scenes, without any real meat to the story.
March 29, 2021
Після інвагурації новоявлений президент Стівен Блейдз отримує листа, де дізнається про невелику групу добровольців, що полетіли досліджувати темні глибини космосу. Виявляється, що вони виявили там ознаки позаземного життя, зокрема загадковий куполоподібний зонд за сотні тисяч кілометрів від Землі. Блейдз намагається тримати ситуацію під контролем, але чи зможе він це зробити, будучи за Землі, далеко від команди відчайдушних науковців? Чи зможе впоратись із власними тарганами? Ситуація ускладнюється ще й тим, що деякі люди явно не зацікавлені у співпраці президента й експедиції в космосі. Так чи так, Блейдзу не пощистило, бо йому вочевидь доведеться готуватись до інопланетного вторгнення. Рано чи пізно.
Історія Чарлза Соула, відомого як автора "Смерті Росомахи" (абсолютно посереднього, хоча й нахваленого коміксу), не вирізняється оригінальним задумом, але має чудову реалізацію. Чудовий збалансований ритм історії, гострі й влучні діалоги, а також переконливі й живі персонажі тримають в напрузі чи не з першої сторінки. Перші шість випусків читаються без жодного запину, а це високий рівень майстерності. А ще твісти, які Соул лишає чи не після кожної глави. Декого може збентежити малюнок Альберто Хіменеса Альбукерке, дещо маньєристичний і екзальтований, але він добре пасує історії, сповненої загадок і непередбачуваних поворотів. Чудова серія, яка вже може бути культовою в жанрі наукової фантастики, політичного трилеру. Єдине засторога в тім, що це тільки початок, тому чи вистачить Соулу запалу й на інші номери -- буде видно згодом.
Історія Чарлза Соула, відомого як автора "Смерті Росомахи" (абсолютно посереднього, хоча й нахваленого коміксу), не вирізняється оригінальним задумом, але має чудову реалізацію. Чудовий збалансований ритм історії, гострі й влучні діалоги, а також переконливі й живі персонажі тримають в напрузі чи не з першої сторінки. Перші шість випусків читаються без жодного запину, а це високий рівень майстерності. А ще твісти, які Соул лишає чи не після кожної глави. Декого може збентежити малюнок Альберто Хіменеса Альбукерке, дещо маньєристичний і екзальтований, але він добре пасує історії, сповненої загадок і непередбачуваних поворотів. Чудова серія, яка вже може бути культовою в жанрі наукової фантастики, політичного трилеру. Єдине засторога в тім, що це тільки початок, тому чи вистачить Соулу запалу й на інші номери -- буде видно згодом.
February 4, 2017
Decent story with somewhat cartoonist art. 3 stars.
January 4, 2018
2 stars
You know, this comic would probably have got a much better rating for me if it hadn't been for the casual misogyny peppered throughout it.
Women are treated like trash in this comic. They're all massively oversexualised, I mean, the two women on the space ship basically end up f*cking every dude on the ship, but not in like an empowered 'I sleep with who I choose' kind of way, kind of in a 'whoops, this dude needs a lay, ASAP, better be me who does it' kind of way...
Just, no...
And the only female protagonist gets pregnant in space, because I guess condoms aren't a thing in space?? But she decides she doesn't want to know who the dad is, which is her decision, cool...but then the comic authors decide to go 'whoops haha, the baby is black, guess we know who the dad is now because we only stuck one black dude on this ship...'
😩
It's a shame because the art and the story is cool but, damn, this is an uncomfortable read for a woman. I probably won't be picking up volume two.
You know, this comic would probably have got a much better rating for me if it hadn't been for the casual misogyny peppered throughout it.
Women are treated like trash in this comic. They're all massively oversexualised, I mean, the two women on the space ship basically end up f*cking every dude on the ship, but not in like an empowered 'I sleep with who I choose' kind of way, kind of in a 'whoops, this dude needs a lay, ASAP, better be me who does it' kind of way...
Just, no...
And the only female protagonist gets pregnant in space, because I guess condoms aren't a thing in space?? But she decides she doesn't want to know who the dad is, which is her decision, cool...but then the comic authors decide to go 'whoops haha, the baby is black, guess we know who the dad is now because we only stuck one black dude on this ship...'
😩
It's a shame because the art and the story is cool but, damn, this is an uncomfortable read for a woman. I probably won't be picking up volume two.
September 1, 2017
Parte intriga política, parte relato de primer contacto con alienigenas, la carta 44 nos muestra las dificultades que sufre el presidente número 44 de estados unidos cuando el primer día de su mandato se encuentra con la sorpresa de que un artefacto alienigena está siendo construido dentro del sistema solar. Además tenemos otra trama paralela que nos cuenta los progresos de la misión espacial enviada para investigar el artefacto.
Muy buen cómic, interesante y entretenido
Muy buen cómic, interesante y entretenido
December 24, 2019
Lots of interesting elements in this story, therefore very curious to the rest
2nd read:
Still like it and very curious which direction this series is gonna take. I hope not a full-out war between aliens and humans because not in the mood for war.
2nd read:
Still like it and very curious which direction this series is gonna take. I hope not a full-out war between aliens and humans because not in the mood for war.
August 3, 2018
No está mal la presentación de este tebeo entre el thriller político y el relato del primer contacto. Sin embargo, cualquier evolución futura queda muy condicionada por la capacidad de sus autores de superar sus limitaciones. Soule maneja bien los lugares comunes de su argumento pero cae en un par de cagadas de esas de primero de guión que te hacen plantearte hasta qué punto está capacitado para conducir la narración (esa concatenación de escenas que es imposible que esté sucediendo al mismo tiempo). Albuquerque es un dibujante tosco, extremadamente limitado para representar lo alienígena. A ver cómo continúa.
October 4, 2014
Liked the first comic book collection (6 issues) more than I expected (story not complete yet). Kind of science fiction and politics combined. Brian K. Vaughan's Ex Machina would be a good comparison. Or even Arthur C. Clarke, who is referenced in the book. The art didn't immediately wow me, but it grew on me. Lawyer Charles Soule is becoming a comic book author for me to look for. I also liked his Strange Attractors (my review). You can still read the whole first issue of Letter 44 for free on io9: http://io9.com/read-the-first-issue-o...
December 23, 2016
El primer volumen de La Carta 44 es poco menos que una presentación en situación. Poco menos que un piloto para la serie de televisión de SyFy la que ya han encargado piloto. Una premisa intrigante, presentación de personajes y situaciones y ganchos suficientes para mantenerte interesado. Tanto que parece demasiado pensado. Un producto diseñado para cumplir con los estándares. Y en 2016 se hace quizá demasiado corto.
En cualquier caso tiene potencial, y tanto el guión de Soule como el dibujo de Alburquerque (que no me ha llamado demasiado, la verdad) van evolucionando en solo 6 números. Suficiente para darle otra oportunidad, supongo.
En cualquier caso tiene potencial, y tanto el guión de Soule como el dibujo de Alburquerque (que no me ha llamado demasiado, la verdad) van evolucionando en solo 6 números. Suficiente para darle otra oportunidad, supongo.
July 10, 2018
A stupid storyline, horrendous artwork and most importantly the title itself "Escape Velocity" makes no sense, since it has no relevance to the plot. Oh, and if you think these are the only problems, then think about these:
A crew of 9 has just 2 women and they make a unanimous decision of having a baby in space, why?
Aliens are detected in outer space and the US president decides not to tell anyone, why?
Futuristic robocop weapons are developed in a matter of 5 years, how?
A giant spaceship is launched and no one noticed, how?
A laser space weapon exists, how/why?
Laser weaponry exists in a portable format, how?
and the list goes on & on.
My Rating - 0/5
A crew of 9 has just 2 women and they make a unanimous decision of having a baby in space, why?
Aliens are detected in outer space and the US president decides not to tell anyone, why?
Futuristic robocop weapons are developed in a matter of 5 years, how?
A giant spaceship is launched and no one noticed, how?
A laser space weapon exists, how/why?
Laser weaponry exists in a portable format, how?
and the list goes on & on.
My Rating - 0/5
April 13, 2015
How does Charles Soule do it?
As if writing Superman/Wonder Woman, She-Hulk, the Death of Wolverine, and others for major publishers wasn't enough I guess he found time away from his law practice to pen this outrageously awesome series that combines the best elements of "House of Cards", the Danny Boyle film "Sunshine", and I don't know what else.
Highly recommended.
As if writing Superman/Wonder Woman, She-Hulk, the Death of Wolverine, and others for major publishers wasn't enough I guess he found time away from his law practice to pen this outrageously awesome series that combines the best elements of "House of Cards", the Danny Boyle film "Sunshine", and I don't know what else.
Highly recommended.
February 12, 2016
Vier Sterne bisher nur, weil mir die Story gefällt. Der Zeichenstil von Alberto ist allerdings so unterirdisch, dass ich nicht glaube die Reihe über längere Zeit ertragen zu können.
April 8, 2017
Not perfect, but surprisingly entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews