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Golgotha
In the near future, a group of scientists and military operatives are sent on an interplanetary mission to develop Earth's first off-world colony. While the crew of the GOLGOTHA hibernates for travel, technology on Earth continues to advance, and when they land on the planet, the crew finds it already inhabited...by another team from Earth that arrived years before they have. Now the crew of the GOLGOTHA find themselves relics of their own time, unwanted by the colony that's been expecting them for a genera-tion...and this planet holds its own secrets, secrets that could change the nature of mankind itself.
131 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2017
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42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 28, 2017
Hawkins and Hill take a bunch of Sci-Fi tropes throw them in a blender and regurgitate to us what comes out. We have the generation ship long ago passed up by a technologically superior ship a few years later, the pre-human artifact that threatens religious beliefs and that there is life out there superior to mankind, the leader with the Ayn Rand complex, the grizzled hero who does whatever it takes to complete the mission. If you think you've seen these stories before, you probably have in an episode of the Twilight Zone. The characters are flat and without nuance. The art and coloring nothing special, trying to hide the bland art behind computerized colors.
Received an advance copy from Image and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advance copy from Image and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2017
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
The big problem I have been experiencing with science fiction graphic novels is that they tend to ultimately be alienating (pun intended). It's hard to get into the characters and characterization is often jettisoned at the expense of inane philosophizing. Science fiction novelists often get it right: 2001: Space Odyssey or Contact is what Golgotha attempts. But where novels can build characters whose crisis of identity are convincing, I rarely find a graphic novel that can do it in pictures. Ultimately, the books feel barren of identity and oddly disenfranchising. Big questions of humanity are fascinating in print or movies but hackneyed in a graphic novel. Here, Golgotha feels like it is treading familiar sci fi cliches of first contact problems, evil greedy corporations, and the nature of religion and humans. But it does so with a cast of fully white Christian characters all with biblical names such as David, Julie, Michael, etc. Apparently, the future has been white washed into being young, handsome/beautiful, American, Christian, and Conservative Republican.Story: Michael Lawton is a highly efficient military operative who, while on a mission overseas, accidentally kills nearly a hundred innocent hostages at a mining village. He can take the court martial and disgrace or he can volunteer for a one-way 80 year mission to create a mining colony on a far planet with a small crew. But once they arrive at the planet, they find that Earth had discovered a faster means of interstellar travel and is already there and well established - and he's a dinosaur. A warrior without a war. Together with a biologist, they become embroiled in a mystery: the head of the colony is his own grandson and a terrorist has just murdered a bunch of people. Lawton is enlisted to help track down is grandson's former wife - the person they are sure has gone insane after what appears to be a first contact.
The plot sounds really interesting but it somehow is very inert. There is a LOT of sermonizing and moralizing about Christianity, God, and what humans do or don't want. The answer is that humans have to believe they are the ultimate in evolution and if they find out they aren't, they will implode into anarchy. Depending on whether you find these kinds of rather shallow generalizations interesting or not is likely how enjoyable you will find the read. Because there are a LOT of monologues on philosophy that derail the characterizations. From all of us needing to embrace Ayn Rand's somewhat nutty fallacies (a recurring theme starting at the beginning when Lawton saves himself at the expense of the hostages with the retort that at the moment he released the bombs that killed them, he chose to live) to whether a more advanced alien species means there is no God (not sure on that logic, but ok). The messages here aren't subtle - they hit you over the head repeatedly while also firing off klaxons to make sure you didn't miss them. It's not IF you will stumble over them but how many times you will trip over them.
If you are thinking at this point that, 'wow, that sounds like a story with depth if it gets into philosophy and ethics like those," then I have to disabuse you. The characters are as flat as cardboard. From the world's leading biologist looking like a 17 year old Seattle hacker to our intrepid "ergo sum" very white square jawed hero being the All American GI Joe type. The only non traditional character is the elder grandson (juxtaposing grandfatherly looks with the appellation of grandson) - and of course he is a failure because he is doing the VERY un Ayn Rand thing of trying to save the people instead of just himself.
The pretentiousness combined with the silly made me roll my eyes a few times. The only bad guys are non-white or aliens enslaving whites to their bidding - it almost felt racist at times. The art is servicable but nothing to write home about, either. Same with the coloring - neither good nor bad and not really enabling or hindering what there is of the storytelling. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
September 26, 2018
Note-embarrassed to admit I forgot I read this while cleaning up my Kickstarter TBR folder. The review below still stands.
I have a significant bias towards those who try to do science fiction in the comic/graphic novel format. Part of that bias goes towards what I personally viewed as an over abundance of abandoning science, even bad science, as a possible explanation for supers and an over reliance on magic and fantasy. Plus, my early comics reading including characters such as The Challengers of the Unknown, Rip Hunter, Time Master, and Adam Strange (thank you for hand me down comics).
Hawkins sticks pretty much to this genre, and that is not a complaint. I think he does a good job. This new title from him and his creative team (in the interests of full disclosure I contributed to the project's Kickstarter) is well above average.
Hawkins, early on, after introducing us to the crew of Earth's first generation ship, cut the initial cast by more than 50%. This works, because by concentrating on Carpenter and Lawton the reader has an opportunity to concentrate,and in my case, invest in two of the characters (well there are more than two in the story). Keeping the entire crew around, I think, would have worked against the story telling.
In addition, I like science fiction that brings up moral and ethical questions. This installment does.
I say installment, because Hawkins is planning more stories.
I have a significant bias towards those who try to do science fiction in the comic/graphic novel format. Part of that bias goes towards what I personally viewed as an over abundance of abandoning science, even bad science, as a possible explanation for supers and an over reliance on magic and fantasy. Plus, my early comics reading including characters such as The Challengers of the Unknown, Rip Hunter, Time Master, and Adam Strange (thank you for hand me down comics).
Hawkins sticks pretty much to this genre, and that is not a complaint. I think he does a good job. This new title from him and his creative team (in the interests of full disclosure I contributed to the project's Kickstarter) is well above average.
Hawkins, early on, after introducing us to the crew of Earth's first generation ship, cut the initial cast by more than 50%. This works, because by concentrating on Carpenter and Lawton the reader has an opportunity to concentrate,and in my case, invest in two of the characters (well there are more than two in the story). Keeping the entire crew around, I think, would have worked against the story telling.
In addition, I like science fiction that brings up moral and ethical questions. This installment does.
I say installment, because Hawkins is planning more stories.
November 23, 2017
GOLGOTHA's Kickstarter came out right about the time I started playing Mass Effect Andromeda. Both stories follow a group of scientist and military types sent off to colonize another galaxy. In Mass Effect, the group arrive to find their promised land in ruins and a deadly alien species wanting to shoot first and shoot again. GOLGOTHA's folks arrive to find that humanity is already there. As in, while the passengers puttered along in cryosleep for almost a century, technology on earth surpassed the Golgotha's technology and humans had already successfully colonized the planet. That doesn't leave much for soldier Michael Lawton to do -- until the rebellion kicks up a stink with explosions and all that. Turns out, the utopia isn't, unsurprisingly, all it seems to be, and now Lawton has to go find out why.
As far as concept and science goes, I liked this story in theory, but in execution, it leaves a bit to be desired. The cast of characters makes a big effort to win diversity points, only to drop back down to the standard mostly white folks cast just a few pages later. The biblical analogies and imagery are a bit too glaring, and by the time the Big Secret is revealed, I found myself uninterested in Lawton's rationale to invest further in the story.
As far as concept and science goes, I liked this story in theory, but in execution, it leaves a bit to be desired. The cast of characters makes a big effort to win diversity points, only to drop back down to the standard mostly white folks cast just a few pages later. The biblical analogies and imagery are a bit too glaring, and by the time the Big Secret is revealed, I found myself uninterested in Lawton's rationale to invest further in the story.
January 10, 2018
A typical space plot of a crew leaving earth in cryogenic sleep and arriving on a new planet to set up as a mining colony eighty years later. Things don't go the way they should though and when they arrive they find a later, more advanced, ship has arrived before them making themselves ancient curiosities. The problem with this volume is that it is very much an opening story to a much different idea and it feels as if it is hurrying to get this origin story over with. The story goes way too fast and there are major plot holes as events are quickly skimmed over. The book ends with the revelation of the big secret and the beginning of what feels to be the story proper. While I found this volume weak I would like to go on with it and see how it plays out.
July 9, 2022
Michael Lawton is the sole survivor of a botched job against a guerilla army where innocent miners end up dead. When the job goes public Mike is offered a spot on the galactic mining expedition Golgotha, the attempt at building the first mining colony beyond Earth. He hopes for support from his pregnant wife, but he now sees him as a killer. He agrees to handle security on Golgotha, even though this means faking his death and leaving his life behind.
The Golgotha's mission starts with an 81-year travel to the target location, the planet Achilles, where they get shot down. Michael and xenobiologist Jennifer Carpenter are the only survivors recovered by another mission that was sent after Golgotha and arrived first. The mining colony is already established with David Grymes at the head. David is Michael's grandson. As soon as David says that Michael's services aren't needed, a bombing changes his mind. It was carried out by a movement led by Laura Conrad, David's first wife, who has gone insane after investigating an artifact.
The Golgotha's mission starts with an 81-year travel to the target location, the planet Achilles, where they get shot down. Michael and xenobiologist Jennifer Carpenter are the only survivors recovered by another mission that was sent after Golgotha and arrived first. The mining colony is already established with David Grymes at the head. David is Michael's grandson. As soon as David says that Michael's services aren't needed, a bombing changes his mind. It was carried out by a movement led by Laura Conrad, David's first wife, who has gone insane after investigating an artifact.
November 7, 2017
*Galley received from Image*
"Golgotha" is a comic with great potential and some interesting characters which nevertheless doesn't manage to achieve anything truly unique or meaningful. The creative team - artists and writer alike - have clear talent. However, it feels like three volumes of this length might have been more effective for the content contained here - rather than just one.
For example - there are a couple pages of the story devoted to identifying and describing crew members on the ship. However, a couple pages later, the ship crashes and many of those characters are killed without ever making an on-page appearance. Throughout, the underlying character dynamics and subject matter are rushed through - telling a coherent story, but one that lacks any significant depth.
Instead, "Golgotha" delivers an episodic sci-fi story composed of religious fanatics, alien secrets, and a hardened military protagonist who is unwillingly made the hero of the story. These are all familiar elements and "Golgotha" does not deliver anything particularly new.
Altogether, it's not badly done. The story remains interesting and what is present is well put together. There are certainly moments throughout that display the talents of this creative team. Unfortunately, the end result simply feels lacking when comparing what it is to what it could have been had more time been taken to develop the possibilities of the story.
"Golgotha" is a comic with great potential and some interesting characters which nevertheless doesn't manage to achieve anything truly unique or meaningful. The creative team - artists and writer alike - have clear talent. However, it feels like three volumes of this length might have been more effective for the content contained here - rather than just one.
For example - there are a couple pages of the story devoted to identifying and describing crew members on the ship. However, a couple pages later, the ship crashes and many of those characters are killed without ever making an on-page appearance. Throughout, the underlying character dynamics and subject matter are rushed through - telling a coherent story, but one that lacks any significant depth.
Instead, "Golgotha" delivers an episodic sci-fi story composed of religious fanatics, alien secrets, and a hardened military protagonist who is unwillingly made the hero of the story. These are all familiar elements and "Golgotha" does not deliver anything particularly new.
Altogether, it's not badly done. The story remains interesting and what is present is well put together. There are certainly moments throughout that display the talents of this creative team. Unfortunately, the end result simply feels lacking when comparing what it is to what it could have been had more time been taken to develop the possibilities of the story.
July 8, 2022
The artwork is good, the story is great.
In the book a second volume is mentioned to be published in 2018, but apparently that never happened. However, this book has an open ending, so it feels like at least this part of the story has been told.
The story contains elements from several other science-fiction stories including 2001, A Space Odyssey. What if you sacrifice everything to spend 80 years in hibernation to start the first human colony on a distant planet? What if shortly after you have left new technology allows for much faster travel so that when you finally arrive there is already a thriving colony? Instead of a pioneer, you are now an unwanted relic from the past. What if a religious community stumbles upon evidence of alien life? What if that evidence points to a much more advanced civilization which might even be our real makers?
Got this via the Top Cow 30th Anniversary Humble Bundle.
In the book a second volume is mentioned to be published in 2018, but apparently that never happened. However, this book has an open ending, so it feels like at least this part of the story has been told.
The story contains elements from several other science-fiction stories including 2001, A Space Odyssey. What if you sacrifice everything to spend 80 years in hibernation to start the first human colony on a distant planet? What if shortly after you have left new technology allows for much faster travel so that when you finally arrive there is already a thriving colony? Instead of a pioneer, you are now an unwanted relic from the past. What if a religious community stumbles upon evidence of alien life? What if that evidence points to a much more advanced civilization which might even be our real makers?
Got this via the Top Cow 30th Anniversary Humble Bundle.
March 7, 2018
Science fiction comic series about founding a mining colony - interesting concept but not totally original.
Michael, the main character, accepts a one-way mission to be the military expert in a bid to found a mining colony on another planet. Events overtake him and he ends up in some unexpected situations.
Clearly illustrated, this first volume has an interesting plot which, although not totally original, is still interesting and engaging enough to warrant reading this comic collection. I recommend it to all lovers of sci-fi comics. A second volume will follow.
January 11, 2020
Could be much better
Read
October 18, 2017In theory, you can get a perfectly sound SF story by simple accumulation of tropes, on the grounds they should start interacting in new ways. But this takes the slow colony ship overtaken by a later flight, the pre-human anomaly found on another world, the governor with an Ayn Rand issue...and never adds up to anything more than one of the stories one skims in 2000AD.
(Edelweiss ARC)
(Edelweiss ARC)
April 23, 2018
It was an okay book, more of an interesting concept then it played out to be, but I'll put that to the story moving too quickly and not allowing main characters and ideas to evolve into a place with they hold more significance.
I felt nothing when a character died or something big happened because the time line was all too sped up.
3 stars
I felt nothing when a character died or something big happened because the time line was all too sped up.
3 stars
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews