Stable: Stable

by Matthew Medney, Morgan Rosenblum, Francesco Pisa (Illustrator)

A dystopian space opera that straddles the threads of compassion, perseverance and humanity.  Three arks. Two worlds. One chance at survival. 

On an Earth with a dying Sun, there are two kinds of people. The Chosen. And the left behind.

We thought it was over. We thought we had lost. A burnt out star left us without enough warmth to thrive, our days as a species were numbered.

But then, then a miracle happened. We received a transmission from an alien civilization that scanned our Sun and knew we needed help. So they threw us a life raft in the form of designs for Space Arks, we built 3. Interstellar capable, with pre-programmed coordinates to bring us to their home world, a place we were told could be called home. 100,000 humans per Ark, chosen to represent the best in us, a last ditch effort to save humanity.

Do I trust these aliens? hell no. but what choice do we have?

Paulson’s the name, Caleb Paulson, you can think of me as the architect of this mission. We’re heading to this alien system with no idea what lies ahead.

As for the billions who were not so fortunate? The ones who did not receive an invitation aboard the arks?  We left them to shephard a lawless and desperate earth, poor bastards. This stable of arks is humanity's last chance to endure.

Created by: Hero Projects

Written by Matthew Medney and Morgan Rosenblum

Story by: Matthew Medney, Morgan Rosenblum, Voodoo Bownz, Jonny Handler

Art by: Francesco Pisa

Letters by: Ismail Nihad

Editorial Design: Voodoo Bownz

Produced by: Hero Projects and Tomato Farm

Published By Heavy Metal 

Genres: Comics, Science Fiction

130 pages, Paperback

Published February 15, 2022

Reviews

[Liam Jaxon]

I'm a sucker for a grand, doomed Earth premise, and “Stable” delivers that in spades. The idea that humanity’s salvation comes from an alien blueprint we do not fully trust is such a rich source of tension. I loved the dual focus on the three Arks hurtling toward an unknown fate and the people left behind to fend for themselves on a dying planet. The world building hints at a much larger universe, and I found myself constantly wondering about the alien benefactors and their true motives. My only complaint is that I wanted more. The story moves quickly, and I hope future volumes slow down to let us live in this beautifully bleak world a little longer.

[Thomas Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me get this straight. An alien civilization we have never met sends us blueprints for spaceships, and we build them and load them with 300,000 people, blindly following the coordinates they gave us? And our narrator admits he does not trust them? The lack of political infighting, paranoia, and sheer human pettiness in this scenario is staggering. I kept waiting for a faction to sabotage the mission, or for a character to raise the obvious question of whether we are flying into a trap. The premise is intriguing, but the execution glosses over the messy, chaotic reality of what such a desperate exodus would actually look like. It felt too clean.

[François Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part of any sci fi story is the unknown, and this book is full of it. Who are these aliens? Why did they help us? Why only blueprints for Arks and not a more direct solution? The pre programmed coordinates make me deeply suspicious, and I love it. Caleb Paulson’s distrust is my distrust, and it colored every moment of the journey. I kept looking for clues in the art and the dialogue, trying to piece together what is waiting for them at the destination. The mystery is what will bring me back for the next volume. I need answers.

[Damien Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes I just want a story that gets to the point, and “Stable” did exactly that. No long winded explanations or drawn out world building. It dropped me into a desperate situation and kept the momentum going. The split narrative between the Arks and the survivors on Earth gave me a constant sense of tension. I appreciated that the story did not get bogged down. It felt like a sci fi thriller, always moving toward the next reveal or the next crisis. It was a quick, engaging read that left me excited for what comes next.

[Megan Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book feeling like I had just read a very detailed prologue. The premise is fantastic. The art is gorgeous. The characters have potential. But just as I started to get invested in a particular storyline or character, the narrative would cut away to a different perspective. I understand that this is the first in a series, but a good first volume should also feel like a complete chapter. This felt more like a table setting. I am intrigued enough to continue, but I hope the next book gives me more substance and less setup.

[Alexandre Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book feeling like I had just read a very detailed prologue. The premise is fantastic. The art is gorgeous. The characters have potential. But just as I started to get invested in a particular storyline or character, the narrative would cut away to a different perspective. I understand that this is the first in a series, but a good first volume should also feel like a complete chapter. This felt more like a table setting. I am intrigued enough to continue, but I hope the next book gives me more substance and less setup.

[S.S. Julian]

A space fantasy wrapped around a twilight zone premise. Earth's Sun is dying and aliens have offered to save a lucky few through FTL arks they instruct humanity to build. This book follows several groups of characters caught up in different situations - the captains of the arks, the crew and passengers, as well as those left behind in a wintry Mad Max world.