Earthlight, Volume 1 (1)

Earthlight #1

by Stuart Moore, Chris Schons (Illustrator)

The Earthlight Lunar Colony is the first international moon colony, and so has its share of tensions, which only escalate for fifteen-year-old Damon, who becomes a student at the newly established Earthlight Academy--a school run by his mother.

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Comics

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2006

About the author

STUART MOORE is a writer, a book editor, and an award-winning comics editor.

Among his current writing projects are THE ZODIAC LEGACY, created and cowritten by Stan Lee and published by Disney, featuring an all-new team of teenaged super heroes in a series of illustrated prose novels and graphic novels; DOMINION: LAST SACRIFICE, a comic book series for Amazon/Jet City; and THANOS: DEATH SENTENCE, an original Marvel prose novel. Recent work includes EGOs, an original comic book series from Image Comics, and GARTER'S BIG SCORE, an original ebook novella for Kindle. He also contributed two series, TEACH and OUT WITH A BANG, to the launch of the online comics app Stela. Other comics work includes WOLVERINE NOIR and NAMOR: THE FIRST MUTANT (Marvel); FIRESTORM (DC Comics); assorted Star Trek and Transformers projects; and the science-fiction graphic novels EARTHLIGHT, PARA, SHADRACH STONE, and MANDALA. Prose writing includes the novel version of Marvel’s CIVIL WAR, and Disney Worldwide's JOHN CARTER: THE MOVIE NOVELIZATION.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reminded me of The 100. It's teenage brats being teenagers in space, doing really dangerous and stupid things. Then the book goes off the rails in the last issue. When I saw Stuart Moore was the writer, I expected a lot more than this.

Schons's art is very stereotypical manga looking. Even though this is an international colony on the moon, no one's ethnicity shows. The kid who was from China, I didn't realize he was even Asian until it's mentioned about sending him home to China.

[J-Lynn Van Pelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

While printed in Manga format by Tokyopop, the writer and illustrator are both American and have previously worked with Marvel, DC and Vertigo. Their American styles bring a fresh spin to Manga. They collectively create a story that captures the angst of being a teen, set against the unforgiving terrain of the world's first colony on the moon.

I loved this story! The book starts with the death of three adventure seeking teen colonists which grabs your attention and keeps you wondering how their deaths impact the following story. But, the best part is the surprise ending. This book has one of the best cliff-hanger endings that I have ever read. I turned the last page and couldn't believe it was over then immediately bought the sequel on Amazon.

I also liked the fact that the book literally has a multicultural cast of characters. The moon colony is a collective group of the world's smartest scientists from 54 countries and the teenage children who they have been neglecting due to the massive amount of work required to run the spacestation. As a result the teens have formed their own set of societal rules and run a bit wild. The fact that the story doesn't shy away from tough issues like physical abuse in teen relationships and depression makes it all the more realistic even though it is science fiction.

[A'ledyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reminded me very much so of Zenon the girl from the 21st century or whatever the tv show.
Brats in space being rebellious.

The end had an interesting enough twist though

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

disappointing.

[Jeff Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

a few dumb cliches, but an interesting concept, and pretty well-drawn.

I'll see if volume 2 is more, or less annoying.

[Misty Superhero · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHERE IS THIS HEADED

[Ange (Our Epic TBR List) Schmelzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometime in the future, Earth has pioneered a colony on the moon called Earthlight. The Earthlight colony was started to create a way to use the sunlight as a type of battery to help with the energy crisis on Earth. After 3 teenagers are killed in an accident, Damon's father has chosen to replace the current chief of the colony and his mother is put in charge of the school. Unfortunately, coming to the moon from Earth makes Damon a "weeder" and makes him an outsider. Will Damon be able to fit in? Will his father be able to convince Earth to keep the colony open? Will his mother be able to keep the students out of trouble and safe? Read it and see...
This was an interesting storyline. I liked it and can't wait to start the next volume!

[Lord · Rating 4 out of 5]

An example of good OEL-manga. The story takes place in a future on a moon colony but deals rather with "everyday" problems, like bullying. The art is good, although a little bit inconsistent. OEL-manga is generally very underrated, it brings a fresh look in manga and is not so uniformed as japanese or korean comics. Tokyopop is now in serious problems but I still hope they will continues to print books like this.

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sci-fi manga reminded me a bit of Deep Space Nine (which is a good thing) - although it deals with the trials of neglected teens on a hardworking lunar colony. At times it veers a little too close to a teen problem novel, but the cliffhanger ending blows the entire plot up in a surprising and totally believable way.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not exactly what I expected, much more 14A than PG, but I think that I liked it. It had some interesting themes and an original idea. Also I did not see several of the plot points coming. I will probably never finish the series but overall it was not bad.

[M'heeraw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not see that coming at the end. I'm defiantly going to read this series this year.