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Black Science
Black Science, Vol. 3: Padrão de Fuga
Grant McKay, líder da Liga Anarquista de Cientistas, finalmente realizou o impossível: ele decifrou a Ciência Sombria e abriu caminho através das barreiras da realidade com a sua criação, o Pilar. Mas algo deu errado, e agora Grant e a sua equipe se perderam na vastidão sem limites do Sempreverso.
Neste volume:
Preso em um mundo assolado por uma praga, Grant McKay percebe que todas as dimensões pelas quais passaram foram devastadas pela tecnologia do Pilar. Mesmo quando Grant tenta retomar o lema dimensionauta de “deixar cada mundo melhor do que encontramos”, sua equipe corre o risco de se destruir de dentro para fora. Com a contagem regressiva para o último salto do Pilar chegando ao fim, Grant pode perder tudo que lutou tanto para recuperar na tentativa de salvar um mundo que sequer é o dele.
Reúne Black Science #12-16
Neste volume:
Preso em um mundo assolado por uma praga, Grant McKay percebe que todas as dimensões pelas quais passaram foram devastadas pela tecnologia do Pilar. Mesmo quando Grant tenta retomar o lema dimensionauta de “deixar cada mundo melhor do que encontramos”, sua equipe corre o risco de se destruir de dentro para fora. Com a contagem regressiva para o último salto do Pilar chegando ao fim, Grant pode perder tudo que lutou tanto para recuperar na tentativa de salvar um mundo que sequer é o dele.
Reúne Black Science #12-16
136 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 2015
24 people are currently reading
564 people want to read
About the author
Rick Remender
1,244 books1,422 followersRick Remender is an American comic book writer and artist who resides in Los Angeles, California. He is the writer/co-creator of many independent comic books like Black Science, Deadly Class, LOW, Fear Agent and Seven to Eternity. Previously, he wrote The Punisher, Uncanny X-Force, Captain America and Uncanny Avengers for Marvel Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
June 15, 2024
A series with an interesting concept , but one that the artwork still had me struggling to interpret, until this volume, where each comic book issue began with a last issue summary that helped a lot, as did the changes to the storyline that happened in this volume. Landing in yet another devastated reality some of our travellers begin to realise that not only are the jumps not random, but that they could be the cause of all the devastation they've been seeing! An improved 7 out of 12, Three Star for this one. :)
2019 read
2019 read
August 13, 2015
Spoilers ahoy!
Grant McKay’s back from the dead and he’s more of a bumhole than ever! His Pillar – a trans-dimensional teleporting device – continues to prove to be a bad idea, sending the group to a futuristic Roman world where every shitty dimension traveller can turn on one another again. Bullshit middle and then Grant’s somehow a hero.
So after this poor third volume, I’m giving up on Black Science. The first volume was good, the second was a muddled affair, and the third is just crap. There are flashbacks to Grant’s home life drama – Grant and his wife arguing over the time he’s spending away from his family working on the Pillar, Grant deciding to have an affair with his crazy lab assistant – which are so corny, Rick Remender should be slapped for resorting to cliche.
A character suddenly reminds Grant that the whole point of this endeavour was to leave each dimension a better place after they’d gone. It’s arrogant idealistic crap but gives Grant something to do. The Shaman – who is the only one in the group who talks any sense, telling them that they need to destroy the Pillar – has a magic healing box that cures anything (which isn’t contrived at all). There’s also a mysterious plague killing off the futuristic Romans - this thing writes itself! Grant decides to grab a rocket pack, nick the Shaman’s magic box, fly up over the Romans’ city, and use the box to cure the plague. This guy’s supposed to be a genius too!
How does he know it’ll work on everyone? Isn’t there a limit on the box’s powers – is there enough of whatever's in it for everyone? How does flying above one city and dispersing whatever’s in the box cure the entire planet/dimension? It’s so rushed and simplistic.
Kadir does a 180 from the last book. First book = evil, second book = good for no reason, third book = back to evil again for no reason. His story here is to fight Some Guy. It's very inconsistent characterisation and a boring story to boot. Grrrrrrrreat… The group bicker some more, Grant proves again what a dickhead he is (he’s our “hero”!) and the book’s over, along with my interest in the series.
Matteo Scalera’s art is decent though his limited range of character types makes his pages seem repetitive. Also those ridiculously pointy male faces are just awful – the noses seem to be getting worse as the series progresses! Morena Dinisio’s colours though are very good, eye-catching and vivid, much like previous colourists’ Michael Spicer and Dean White’s has been.
Like the second volume, Black Science, Volume 3 is a dud. Well, at least Remender’s still got Deadly Class!
Grant McKay’s back from the dead and he’s more of a bumhole than ever! His Pillar – a trans-dimensional teleporting device – continues to prove to be a bad idea, sending the group to a futuristic Roman world where every shitty dimension traveller can turn on one another again. Bullshit middle and then Grant’s somehow a hero.
So after this poor third volume, I’m giving up on Black Science. The first volume was good, the second was a muddled affair, and the third is just crap. There are flashbacks to Grant’s home life drama – Grant and his wife arguing over the time he’s spending away from his family working on the Pillar, Grant deciding to have an affair with his crazy lab assistant – which are so corny, Rick Remender should be slapped for resorting to cliche.
A character suddenly reminds Grant that the whole point of this endeavour was to leave each dimension a better place after they’d gone. It’s arrogant idealistic crap but gives Grant something to do. The Shaman – who is the only one in the group who talks any sense, telling them that they need to destroy the Pillar – has a magic healing box that cures anything (which isn’t contrived at all). There’s also a mysterious plague killing off the futuristic Romans - this thing writes itself! Grant decides to grab a rocket pack, nick the Shaman’s magic box, fly up over the Romans’ city, and use the box to cure the plague. This guy’s supposed to be a genius too!
How does he know it’ll work on everyone? Isn’t there a limit on the box’s powers – is there enough of whatever's in it for everyone? How does flying above one city and dispersing whatever’s in the box cure the entire planet/dimension? It’s so rushed and simplistic.
Kadir does a 180 from the last book. First book = evil, second book = good for no reason, third book = back to evil again for no reason. His story here is to fight Some Guy. It's very inconsistent characterisation and a boring story to boot. Grrrrrrrreat… The group bicker some more, Grant proves again what a dickhead he is (he’s our “hero”!) and the book’s over, along with my interest in the series.
Matteo Scalera’s art is decent though his limited range of character types makes his pages seem repetitive. Also those ridiculously pointy male faces are just awful – the noses seem to be getting worse as the series progresses! Morena Dinisio’s colours though are very good, eye-catching and vivid, much like previous colourists’ Michael Spicer and Dean White’s has been.
Like the second volume, Black Science, Volume 3 is a dud. Well, at least Remender’s still got Deadly Class!
January 17, 2022
Probably my favorite work of Remender's. Even though his characters are flawed, they are still likable unlike some of his other work. I like the premise of the series, that the team exists in multiple dimensions and unintentionally leave a trail of destruction wherever they go. This volume mainly deals with trying to stop a virus that's spreading unchecked throughout the world the team is currently on. I enjoy Matteo Scalero's art even if it is a bit derivative of Sean Murphy's. I had a hard time trying to tell the brunette characters apart. Rebecca, Pia, and Pia's mom all look exactly the same to me.
August 21, 2015
(Received from Netgalley for review)
I'm afraid I have to throw in the towel on this series. The first volume was fantastic. It was sharp and fun, and while it wasn't always terribly creative and original, it was still done well. Volume two was a bit of a disappointment. It just felt so cliche, and the characters who fascinated me in volume one were dull by volume two. I read volume three hoping that it would be more like volume one. No such luck.
The actual story just bored me. Plague world, yawn. Magical cure, of course. And the characters have gone from dull to annoying. I swear, there was more nuance to each of them in the first volume, and here they read like third hand caricatures of their original appearances. I really don't understand how Remender could so completely fritter away such an incredible start so quickly. It's really incredibly disappointing, because I really did love volume one, and I badly wanted this book to get better. Not so much.
I'm afraid I have to throw in the towel on this series. The first volume was fantastic. It was sharp and fun, and while it wasn't always terribly creative and original, it was still done well. Volume two was a bit of a disappointment. It just felt so cliche, and the characters who fascinated me in volume one were dull by volume two. I read volume three hoping that it would be more like volume one. No such luck.
The actual story just bored me. Plague world, yawn. Magical cure, of course. And the characters have gone from dull to annoying. I swear, there was more nuance to each of them in the first volume, and here they read like third hand caricatures of their original appearances. I really don't understand how Remender could so completely fritter away such an incredible start so quickly. It's really incredibly disappointing, because I really did love volume one, and I badly wanted this book to get better. Not so much.
November 20, 2015
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This felt like a poorly written and expertly illustrated "Quantum Leap". Ultimately extremely confusing, even after reading volumes 1 and 2 immediately before starting this one.
Not recommended.
This felt like a poorly written and expertly illustrated "Quantum Leap". Ultimately extremely confusing, even after reading volumes 1 and 2 immediately before starting this one.
Not recommended.
November 25, 2015
Bullet Review:
Bskshofjahbakdnajgban.
What a load of pure horseshit. F$&@ ME! Not only are the only two decent characters dead (maybe?!??!?), not only do we endure HORRIBLE female characters, but THAT ENDING?!
BSNKABSHWBKALANIAB.
So done with this series. What a MASSIVE disappointment.
Bskshofjahbakdnajgban.
What a load of pure horseshit. F$&@ ME! Not only are the only two decent characters dead (maybe?!??!?), not only do we endure HORRIBLE female characters, but THAT ENDING?!
BSNKABSHWBKALANIAB.
So done with this series. What a MASSIVE disappointment.
September 9, 2016
3.5 stars
"Every step you take leads to more death. More destruction."
So basically, in the Eververse, you can't step on too many butterflies.
Makes perfect sense, right? Not exactly. BUT, the art is still compelling and the larger story that Remender seems to be building is still intriguing.
"Every step you take leads to more death. More destruction."
So basically, in the Eververse, you can't step on too many butterflies.
Makes perfect sense, right? Not exactly. BUT, the art is still compelling and the larger story that Remender seems to be building is still intriguing.
February 1, 2020
No sé qué me da más apuro, si el psicodrama familiar de garrafón que va y viene durante todo el tebeo o las estupideces que ocurren en el mundo donde se desarrolla este tomo y que son una afrenta continua a la suspensión de la incredulidad. Bye, bye, Ciencia Obscura.
May 31, 2019
More drama, more morally grey debate and more action!
World: The art is absolutely fantastic, the new places the new worlds and the creativity from the art is astounding. The world building is in the art but it's also in the story with the design of the New Roma and the new world we see, it's all pretty amazing and absolutely a joy to read.
Story: The story moves fast, it's breakneck once again and with the culmination of the Grant and Mom from the first book we have some great drama. The emotions are wonderful, they come fast and furious but it still lands. The story is narrated wonderfully via Shawn and also Grant this time and their moral point of view and debate is a fun one. This is just great fun popcorn SF. I won't say more, the stuff in the last issue is absolutely nuts!
Characters: Grant gets a large dose of development, he's still very morally grey and I love the debate of morality that this book puts during all the action. The different characters really brings into the idea of nothing is black and white and people are complex and deeper than their stereotypes. Kadir is great, Rebecca is great, Sara is great, Pia is great, Shaman is great, these are just great characters and with the pacing it's a testament to the art and the writing that we care so much.
Wow, what an ending to this arc!
Onward to the next book!
World: The art is absolutely fantastic, the new places the new worlds and the creativity from the art is astounding. The world building is in the art but it's also in the story with the design of the New Roma and the new world we see, it's all pretty amazing and absolutely a joy to read.
Story: The story moves fast, it's breakneck once again and with the culmination of the Grant and Mom from the first book we have some great drama. The emotions are wonderful, they come fast and furious but it still lands. The story is narrated wonderfully via Shawn and also Grant this time and their moral point of view and debate is a fun one. This is just great fun popcorn SF. I won't say more, the stuff in the last issue is absolutely nuts!
Characters: Grant gets a large dose of development, he's still very morally grey and I love the debate of morality that this book puts during all the action. The different characters really brings into the idea of nothing is black and white and people are complex and deeper than their stereotypes. Kadir is great, Rebecca is great, Sara is great, Pia is great, Shaman is great, these are just great characters and with the pacing it's a testament to the art and the writing that we care so much.
Wow, what an ending to this arc!
Onward to the next book!
February 15, 2018
Im hooked on this. Just purely awesome. The story has now taken shape. Characters are becoming more fleshed out. Some for the better and some for the worse. We start to see people who develop an evil/selfish side, which I didnt see coming. The artwork is great as always, especially some of the action scenes.
December 14, 2015
I find some of it padding to get to the next area but man oh man the emotional feels and interactions with each other is great. Also the art is pretty stunning to look at it. Overall it's easy to see why it's one of my favorite ongoing comics atm.
February 28, 2018
I wanted to like this series, but as I kept going it go more tedious and repetitive feeling. I hate McKay and just want him to stop and the violence was getting on my nerves.
April 11, 2021
Black Science, Vol. 3: Vanishing Point, is the third volume in the Black Science graphic novel series. I continued reading this series after a rocky start with volume one, but am satisfied that this will be an enjoyable series to continue. I have some sticking points about this series, similar to the first; I am not a huge fan of the characters as a whole, and the fast paced movement of the story can be, at times, difficult to keep up with. These challenges have been blunted in this and the last volume, but still exist.
Even so! This is a fun dimension hopping science fiction adventure, and I have enjoyed the moments with it so far. Some interesting worlds and science fiction visuals await, as well as a rather average but still quite fun story to behold. Not my favourite series so far, but certainly not one to fully skip for science fiction graphic novel fans.
Even so! This is a fun dimension hopping science fiction adventure, and I have enjoyed the moments with it so far. Some interesting worlds and science fiction visuals await, as well as a rather average but still quite fun story to behold. Not my favourite series so far, but certainly not one to fully skip for science fiction graphic novel fans.
December 16, 2016
At this point, there's not even one likeable character in Black Science. Remender has to seriously make things slower, give everybody that much yearned breather. I can neither root for nor relate to any character. Their individual decisions felt rushed and done only to conveniently advance the story and give Black Science more action sequences.
The characters are inconsistent and have ever-changing personalities, shallow assholes IMO who deserve to be trapped in some reality of the onion.
Black Science is supposed to be rich and deep, considering the main premise is to explore new worlds and go deeper in the onion. Like the characters themselves, the worlds seem to be just alternate realities of our own, not offering something more deep and unique.
Fix it please.
The characters are inconsistent and have ever-changing personalities, shallow assholes IMO who deserve to be trapped in some reality of the onion.
Black Science is supposed to be rich and deep, considering the main premise is to explore new worlds and go deeper in the onion. Like the characters themselves, the worlds seem to be just alternate realities of our own, not offering something more deep and unique.
Fix it please.
September 27, 2015
I don't know. I have a feeling that I might like this series better if I were reading it straight through rather than pausing for long periods between volumes. Then again, the constant character torture might still drive me nuts. This is one of those series where everyone is conflicted and faced with impossible choices. They're constantly in peril or believed dead or whatever and it just seems so exhausting. They never get a chance to pause and reflect and plan their next move. It's all React, React, React. I get that it's written that way on purpose, but it all gets to be a bit much after a while.
March 7, 2021
La historia pasa por un planeta infectado de un virus mortal y sus habitantes son romanos clásicos modernos? como describirlo,, romanos futuristas? Siguen habiendo opiniones encontradas e intereses creados que colisionan fuerte. Los personajes mantienen su ambigüedad, sin altruismos, cada uno por la suya. Hay más flashbacks que complementan el panorama y dan mejor respaldo a los personajes. El colorista es excelente aunque por debajo del anterior.
February 17, 2022
Nemôžem si pomôcť, ale stále ma to baví a stále si to udržuje top kvalitu. Ohľadom kresby sa už opakovať nebudem, takže len stručne - je nenormálne dobrá. Príbeh je v tomto booku dosť ponurý a je nám jasne ukázané aké katastrofy môže cestovanie medzi dimenziami priniesť. Remender dokáže neustále prekvapovať a prácu s postavami zvláda na výbornú. Záverečný cliffhanger je fantastický a som rád, že sa môžem rovno pustiť do pokračovania.
January 13, 2019
How self centered can a dimensionaut be? It's fun to see everyone act out terribly in strange worlds except the boring dad character every white hetero writer eventually writes. We get it being a dad is hard When you still want to be cool. You're not. Move on.
August 30, 2018
I think I'm done again. I just dont care. Everything is far to convoluted to really buy into any part of the story.
September 7, 2015
'Black Science, Vol. 3: Vanishing Pattern' brings us more of the dimension hopping Anarchist League of Scientists. Rick Remender's script is anguishing and Matteo Scalera's art is as good as ever.
This time around our group is stuck on a world trying to find their way home, just like in previous issues. Also, like in previous issues, the solutions seem to compound the problems. There are alternate dimensions of characters. There is a rampant disease on the planet they are on probably caused by our wayward travelers. Should they keep bashing their way along and try to get home or should they fix things here and try to first do no harm from here on out?
I love the characters in this series. No one is altruistic and pure except maybe the poor hapless kids stuck on this journey. And there are honest tensions these people have with each other. Add to it this crazy adventure where they see versions of themselves dying, and you have a comic that seems to be full of endless guilt and remorse for some of the characters. It's great SF fun with flawed characters making the kinds of mistakes that real world people might in the same situation. I enjoy the heck out of reading this series.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
This time around our group is stuck on a world trying to find their way home, just like in previous issues. Also, like in previous issues, the solutions seem to compound the problems. There are alternate dimensions of characters. There is a rampant disease on the planet they are on probably caused by our wayward travelers. Should they keep bashing their way along and try to get home or should they fix things here and try to first do no harm from here on out?
I love the characters in this series. No one is altruistic and pure except maybe the poor hapless kids stuck on this journey. And there are honest tensions these people have with each other. Add to it this crazy adventure where they see versions of themselves dying, and you have a comic that seems to be full of endless guilt and remorse for some of the characters. It's great SF fun with flawed characters making the kinds of mistakes that real world people might in the same situation. I enjoy the heck out of reading this series.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
August 2, 2015
Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera continue to deliver a gorgeous-looking action-packed comic in volume three of Black Science. Like many TV series that have self-contained episodes, it has taken a while to get the backstory on the large cast of characters. This is made a little more confusing due to the fact that each character is present in every dimension, so there is exploration of the qualities or choices that are carried through/higher likelihood through dimensional versions of characters. I find Black Science immensely entertaining, but I'm still waiting to really develop attachment and sympathy for the characters. Many of the characters have done censurable things, and, although the influences that have shaped their personalities and decisions are slowly being revealed, it's not done so expertly that I find myself rooting for the characters, with the exceptions of the kids Pia and Nathan. Maybe this is as Remender intended, but I always prefer to root for even the "villains" whose sliver of humanity I always hope will be nourished. For better and for worse, many of the characters in Black Science are revealed to be run-of-the-mill flawed, greedy, fearful, lazy, selfish human beings who can be injured, maimed, or killed off (either the "originals" or dimensional copies) without me flinching.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy for review.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy for review.
September 18, 2016
Mantiene el nivel de los anteriores volúmenes, aunque se echa de menos el color de Dean White, en este caso si parece que avanza más la trama hacia su punto culminante, cuando se desvelarán varias sorpresas .
Esta vez Grant intentará no sólo salvarse el y su familia, sino que intentará ayudar al mundo al que llegan, que está infectado por una epidemia que parece que han extendido unos dimensionautas que llegaron anteriormente (otras versiones de grant y su grupo se supone).
Esta vez Grant intentará no sólo salvarse el y su familia, sino que intentará ayudar al mundo al que llegan, que está infectado por una epidemia que parece que han extendido unos dimensionautas que llegaron anteriormente (otras versiones de grant y su grupo se supone).
July 30, 2020
Rebecca proste ide v tomto volume hlava-nehlava. A vlastne celkovo tu furt niečo kosí ľudí rad za radom. A stále neubúda na kvalite príbehu a postáv, všetko je super rozbehnuté, vysvetľujú sa niektoré veci z minulosti a záver je proste znova jeden z tých, ktorý vás núti pokračovať v čítaní.
February 22, 2016
OHHHH MAAAAN that ended on a crazy awesome cliffhanger!! Ahhhh I don't wanna wait for the next volume! But I will, cos it's great and all the little reveals are wonderfully shocking.
April 11, 2016
Still reading, still awesome.
November 13, 2018
Black Science, Volume 3
Vanishing Pattern
Author: Rick Remender, Matteo Scalera, Moreno Dinisio
Publisher: Image Comics
Date: 2015
Pgs:
Dewey: 741.5973 BLA
Disposition: Irving Public Library - South Campus - Irving, TX
_________________________________________________
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
An agenda other than Grant’s or Kadir’s makes itself felt with repercussions for the team. They see the damage they are causing as their Pillar tears its way through the Onion. The fabric of reality is cracking, straining, and in some places going dark.
_________________________________________________
Genre:
Manga
Comics
Graphic Novels
Science Fiction
_________________________________________________
Favorite Character:
No Grant. Shawn is the hero. He stood by and saw what Grant, and Kadir, and Chandra, and Rebecca, and Pia, and all of them were willing to do to keep going to try and get home until his conscience boiled over and shamed them all into doing the right thing.
Well damn. I guess Ward is the only one who stays dead after all.
The Feel:
Why is everything science fiction made better with jetpacks?
Favorite Scene / Quote:
Over and over again, I’d been deposited back into the same scenario. Mr Block sought control. Kadir sought Sara. Grant and Sara only wanted to find their very likely dead children. The same patterns playing out, repeating through the Onion.
The Shaman’s nihilism standing face to face with Nate’s childish optimism and faith in his father is wrenching. Especially when we’ve seen beneath Grant’s mask a time or three through the course of these stories.
You’re right about me. I see past adolescent concepts like nobility. I deal in cold facts. Pragmatism doesn’t have time for how thigns should be. You make the best play with what’s in front of you. That’s why I’m still here.
Pacing:
There is a pattern. Each main character gets a personal cliffhanger alongside the TPB climax.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
So...pinching the bridge of my nose HARD, it wasn’t Nate or Pia who killed parental kidnapper alt Grant, it was Rebecca. Seems just a touch more work could’ve gone into differentiating the looks of the characters.
Hmm Moments:
So...this Grant may be O.G., original Grant. Maybe. Multiverses, bygones.
Seeing themselves as futuristic Romans who faced a rightful Inquisition to end their blood soaked rule. How many innocents did they slaughter? Too many. Of course, the Inquisition being an Inquisition did its share of slaughter too. And the reason...damn...the reason. A smallpox to the Indians type situation, but with cross dimensional travellers as the instead of the colonials and conquistadors.
WTF Moments:
Said in confused voice, “So...is Rebecca some kind of sciencedigger who seduced Grant to keep him working on the Pillar when he was ready to fold up and go home. She’s the least defined of the core characters at this point. Wondering what more there is to her. Her conflict with Chandra and the way she acts toward the kids suggest one thing. But the apparent manipulation of Grant to stay the course, complete the Pillar, and stay with her suggests another. Also makes Pia’s accusations about her stealing away her Dad ring true.
Wait...NFW!?! Rebecca’s brother died. And she’s from an alternate universe to begin with. No. Put in context with Pia’s reaction to her. And the way she acts against type to the children. No way. If what I’m thinking is right that’s pretty messed up...not my first choice of word.
Meh / PFFT Moments:
Well crap. I just identified with Kadir’s take on pragmatism.
Wisdom:
But, if an alt lived functionally the same life in a mirror that was so close as to be almost undifferentiated would those observing from outside his psyche ever know if he was real Grant, first Grant, prime Grant/ Or would it truly matter...other than the real, first, prime was still out there somewhere.
The Unexpected:
While I wouldn’t characterize this as Manga, that is one of the pips that Amazon used to describe it. So, I included it in the genre list above.
Wow! After the pathos and the reconnection between Not-Sara and Pia, they burn Not-Sara down.
The Shaman was right. So, of course, he falls victim to the theme of the series. He didn’t make it.
_________________________________________________
Last Page Sound:
Good enough to drag me along TPB to TPB. Don’t think this would have hooked me if I was reading it monthly.
Author Assessment:
Well done.
Editorial Assessment:
Wish editors has pushed for a bit more differentiation in dimensioneer uniforms.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
glad I read it
_________________________________________________
Vanishing Pattern
Author: Rick Remender, Matteo Scalera, Moreno Dinisio
Publisher: Image Comics
Date: 2015
Pgs:
Dewey: 741.5973 BLA
Disposition: Irving Public Library - South Campus - Irving, TX
_________________________________________________
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
An agenda other than Grant’s or Kadir’s makes itself felt with repercussions for the team. They see the damage they are causing as their Pillar tears its way through the Onion. The fabric of reality is cracking, straining, and in some places going dark.
_________________________________________________
Genre:
Manga
Comics
Graphic Novels
Science Fiction
_________________________________________________
Favorite Character:
No Grant. Shawn is the hero. He stood by and saw what Grant, and Kadir, and Chandra, and Rebecca, and Pia, and all of them were willing to do to keep going to try and get home until his conscience boiled over and shamed them all into doing the right thing.
Well damn. I guess Ward is the only one who stays dead after all.
The Feel:
Why is everything science fiction made better with jetpacks?
Favorite Scene / Quote:
Over and over again, I’d been deposited back into the same scenario. Mr Block sought control. Kadir sought Sara. Grant and Sara only wanted to find their very likely dead children. The same patterns playing out, repeating through the Onion.
The Shaman’s nihilism standing face to face with Nate’s childish optimism and faith in his father is wrenching. Especially when we’ve seen beneath Grant’s mask a time or three through the course of these stories.
You’re right about me. I see past adolescent concepts like nobility. I deal in cold facts. Pragmatism doesn’t have time for how thigns should be. You make the best play with what’s in front of you. That’s why I’m still here.
Pacing:
There is a pattern. Each main character gets a personal cliffhanger alongside the TPB climax.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
So...pinching the bridge of my nose HARD, it wasn’t Nate or Pia who killed parental kidnapper alt Grant, it was Rebecca. Seems just a touch more work could’ve gone into differentiating the looks of the characters.
Hmm Moments:
So...this Grant may be O.G., original Grant. Maybe. Multiverses, bygones.
Seeing themselves as futuristic Romans who faced a rightful Inquisition to end their blood soaked rule. How many innocents did they slaughter? Too many. Of course, the Inquisition being an Inquisition did its share of slaughter too. And the reason...damn...the reason. A smallpox to the Indians type situation, but with cross dimensional travellers as the instead of the colonials and conquistadors.
WTF Moments:
Said in confused voice, “So...is Rebecca some kind of sciencedigger who seduced Grant to keep him working on the Pillar when he was ready to fold up and go home. She’s the least defined of the core characters at this point. Wondering what more there is to her. Her conflict with Chandra and the way she acts toward the kids suggest one thing. But the apparent manipulation of Grant to stay the course, complete the Pillar, and stay with her suggests another. Also makes Pia’s accusations about her stealing away her Dad ring true.
Wait...NFW!?! Rebecca’s brother died. And she’s from an alternate universe to begin with. No. Put in context with Pia’s reaction to her. And the way she acts against type to the children. No way. If what I’m thinking is right that’s pretty messed up...not my first choice of word.
Meh / PFFT Moments:
Well crap. I just identified with Kadir’s take on pragmatism.
Wisdom:
But, if an alt lived functionally the same life in a mirror that was so close as to be almost undifferentiated would those observing from outside his psyche ever know if he was real Grant, first Grant, prime Grant/ Or would it truly matter...other than the real, first, prime was still out there somewhere.
The Unexpected:
While I wouldn’t characterize this as Manga, that is one of the pips that Amazon used to describe it. So, I included it in the genre list above.
Wow! After the pathos and the reconnection between Not-Sara and Pia, they burn Not-Sara down.
The Shaman was right. So, of course, he falls victim to the theme of the series. He didn’t make it.
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Last Page Sound:
Good enough to drag me along TPB to TPB. Don’t think this would have hooked me if I was reading it monthly.
Author Assessment:
Well done.
Editorial Assessment:
Wish editors has pushed for a bit more differentiation in dimensioneer uniforms.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
glad I read it
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August 9, 2020
I'm fascinated by the poor reviews for this volume.
They all seem to agree that volume one was excellent and two was crap, and after this theyre done, and while I agree that volume two dipped a little, this third offering is potentially the best yet!
Things finally slow down a little as the story settles in one world for a change. We get a more fleshed out setting because of that, and the chaotic action beats make way for more character and relationship moments.
Almost every character is deliciously flawed so as to be human, nuanced, and multi faceted, and at all times Remender trusts his audience enough to avoid just spelling everything out.
I will admit that character motivations seems to change pretty quickly and some may find that jarring, but no one seemed to act out of character, and given the high stress nature of the story, I can understand some rapid changes of mind.
By the end of this one I was on the edge of my seat, and dead keen for the next volume.
They all seem to agree that volume one was excellent and two was crap, and after this theyre done, and while I agree that volume two dipped a little, this third offering is potentially the best yet!
Things finally slow down a little as the story settles in one world for a change. We get a more fleshed out setting because of that, and the chaotic action beats make way for more character and relationship moments.
Almost every character is deliciously flawed so as to be human, nuanced, and multi faceted, and at all times Remender trusts his audience enough to avoid just spelling everything out.
I will admit that character motivations seems to change pretty quickly and some may find that jarring, but no one seemed to act out of character, and given the high stress nature of the story, I can understand some rapid changes of mind.
By the end of this one I was on the edge of my seat, and dead keen for the next volume.
October 25, 2020
This is a huge bounce back from v.2.
The world building and character work in the volume is amazing! I loved the Future Romans and the complete annihilation of the status quo by the creative team.
Talk about a book that keeps you on your toes!
The world building and character work in the volume is amazing! I loved the Future Romans and the complete annihilation of the status quo by the creative team.
Talk about a book that keeps you on your toes!
December 30, 2017
Another great volume, simultaneously focusing in on the characters while expanding the concept ever outward into new directions.
June 17, 2018
Alright...the second one was just not good. BUT this one? I’m ready to see this through.
Gut punches right in the feels. Yelling at Grant for eternity. Punching Rebecca in the face. Emotional roller coaster and a winning story.
Gut punches right in the feels. Yelling at Grant for eternity. Punching Rebecca in the face. Emotional roller coaster and a winning story.
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