Outpost Zero, Vol. 2: Follow It Down

Outpost Zero #5-9

by Sean McKeever, Alexandre Tengfenki (Contributor), Jean-François Beaulieu (Contributor)

Welcome back to the smallest town in the universe! A devastating storm has trapped the Outpost under ice, threatening to crush them all. As Planning Team ventures out into the Frost to save them, teenagers Alea, Sam and Lyss find an unexpected opportunity to prove their worth�and uncover greater mysteries buried beneath the surface.

Collects OUTPOST ZERO #5-9.

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

104 pages, Paperback

First published May 14, 2019

About the author

After writing indie comics (such as the ensemble teen-drama The Waiting Place) for six years, Sean got his big break writing an issue of The Incredible Hulk for Marvel Comics in 2001. Since then, Sean has written hundreds of comics for Marvel, DC Comics and other publishers, including notable runs on Sentinel, Inhumans, Mystique, Marvel Adventures Spider-Man, Gravity, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Birds of Prey and Teen Titans.

Best known for delivering introspective, character-driven work, Sean also wrote several weeks of the Funky Winkerbean syndicated comic strip, much of which has been reprinted in the celebrated collection, Lisa's story: the other shoe.

In 2005, Sean won the Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition.

Sean continues to write comic books; he also writes for the videogame and animation industries.

Reviews

[Lukas Holmes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo slllllllllllllllllllllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[Zedsdead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, I have no big complaints about volume 2 but I also find little of interest. Lyss doesn't really have a point, the series could amputate her without missing a beat. In another apparently meaningless plot thread, Mitchell wins his first boxing match. Alea and Sam are floundering around looking into some ill-defined mystery. The adults bicker about how best to deal with the megatons of ice threatening to crush the dome.

Until a big teasey reveal in the last three pages of the volume: Sam and Alea find a helpful droid in the bowels of some building. It promises to show them its function, and then the volume ends. But even then, there's not enough clear context for this apparently exciting event to have meaning. (Huh, I guess I do have a big complaint after all.)

[Emmy Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has a lot of characters to balance, and I think its omnibus (whenever that happens) will go better than the individual volumes do, but it's REALLY great at raising stakes and dystopian worldbuilding.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad I decided to give this series another chance....this is starting to get interesting, but I foresee it being one of those slowly tease it out kinda storylines.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume didn't grab me like the first, and I was hoping for more to be revealed, but that ending has me intrigued.

[Mohan Vemulapalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note this is the second volume of a tightly integrated trilogy. Do not read this book unless you have already read the first book.

This is a deep, slightly brooding example of life on the edge. The inhabitants of outpost zero are alone and isolated. The descendants of the original crew of a crashed colony ship they survive, even thrive, with no knowledge of the outside universe and a slowly degrading hold on the technology and environment that keeps them alive. While most of the outpost dwellers have turned inward and ignore the outside universe preferring to focus on everyday life and its challenges a few dig deeper into the bowls of the station and others explore the frozen wasteland the station is embedded in.

This work reads like a classic Sci Fi coming of age tale and is reminiscent of works by Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke and Pohl Anderson among others.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

DEAR EDITORS,

PLEASE INCLUDE A PREVIOUSLY IN PAGE.

Anyway, Outpost Zero continues as precocious teens Sam, Aela, and Lyss are trying to get to the bottom of mysteries no one else even is contemplating. The book does a good job with the emotions especially since their friends passed but the book seemed slow for a short book. We finally get some movement in the very last chapter. I am interested in the next volume due to the new development. The art style fits the book well. Overall, a decent read that needed a recap page.

[Valéria. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can say only positive things about this; as for the previous one, this was great, heartful, interesting, mysterious,... It's easy to read, slow-paced story, but in every issue something little happened that somehow told you something bigger is going to happen in the last one. And it happened. ROBOT and cats! Wooho!
The only problem I have with this volume is the ending - now I have to wait 2 months for another issue..

[angelofmine1974 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoying the series so far! In this volume, the three kids do more digging to find out what Stephen meant before he died. The discovery team is still trying to figure out how to get the ice off the dome. Towards the end there is a big surprise and I'm sure more to come with the next volume. Love the characters and great illustrations.

[Mike Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great continuation of the story. Mitchell and Lyss were underserved in the first volume and this one opens with them. We see Sam transform into a new character was he continues to Scooby-Doo with Alea.

For detailed thoughts, listen to my podcast discussion of this book:
https://www.storiedarcs.com/outpost-z...

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with the first volume, I like the plot and the art, a lot, and I like the characters more as I get to know them better. This would be four stars if I understood basic info about the colony. Just a small amount of explanation in Volume 1 or here would have helped a lot.

[Shawn Ingle · Rating 4 out of 5]

While most everyone else focuses on the immediate threat of the ice on the biome, the group of young friends attempt to answer the question, can uncovering the past save the present and future? The pacing of the story slowed down a little, but some interesting layers were added.

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I have to start reading the individual issues! I’ve got to know what’s in the bottom of the ship. And what’s in the Frost!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

sucked in to this series - feel pulling by the warring needs to discover, to learn from history and to survive.

[Renato Espinosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story keeps going strong, the mystery deepens as we explore the depths of this world and its people.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its a slow story with very little reward, and its well written, decent art, interesting.

Solid 3✨

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Individual issue reviews: #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 | #9

Total review score: 2.75