The Hard Switch

by Owen D. Pomery

Ada, Haika, and Mallic are on a mission . . . one last mission, before everything, everywhere shuts down. They’re raiding old, abandoned spaceships and wrecks for the (sometimes-expensive) parts – and they make just enough money to get by. But living their nomadic, exploring life isn’t sustainable when they can’t afford fuel anymore.

The time is coming when the mineral that makes inter-system jumps possible runs out. When it does, the scattered inhabitants of the vast galaxy will be stuck where they are. Everything will be different . . . unless the discovery in the latest wreck Ada, Haika, and Mallic are scavenging can unlock a whole new kind of interstellar transit.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Science Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Space, Space Opera

100 pages, Hardcover

First published December 15, 2023

Reviews

[Mairi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I backed this book when it came up on Kickstarter, and since I recognised the author's name from the FANTASTIC Victory Point - one of the rare books on my 'favourites' shelf - I knew this one would be well worth the wait.

The Hard Switch is a sci-fi book set in the distant future when mankind has mastered interstellar travel. The only problem is, the material that enables that kind of travel is dwindling very, very low. In fact, so low that migrants from all corners of the galaxies are scrambling to get back to the 'centre' of the galaxy, and haulers make their living searching old shipwrecks for crumbs.

In just a short amount of pages, Pomery tells a heartbreaking story about human trafficking and desperation, against the backdrop of a very pretty deep-space universe. It's equal parts unfamiliar, and also deeply relatable.

If you like sci-fi graphic novels, this is a must-read.

[Sunny Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

space outlawism ! love

[Jess Esa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous artwork and a solid sci-fi romp with fantastic world building. It lacked some heart, I didn’t feel the bond between the rag-tag crew as strongly as I expected. It also could have been a tad longer, the end feels rushed. I’d love to see this world and these relationships developed more over a series.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully detailed and complex illustrations are a highlight of this rough-and-tumble space story. (Think an especially depressing "Star Wars" story.) Refreshingly, we have backstory and world-building that clues readers in to what's going on--an increasingly rare scenario in comics, especially in the fantasy genres.

[Nick Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and quick ride. Beautiful illustrations, an interesting premise and complex world-building. The only reason I can't give it 5 stars is that it's too short and leaves much to be explored in a potential sequel (hopefully).

[Drea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming little graphic novel!

The story had enough forward momentum that I am interested in what comes next, but (as someone that has no artistic talent whatsoever) I found the art style lacking dynamism.

I really liked the characters, but the small moments were usually either skipped or briefly mentioned which leaves the reader to fill in the holes for themselves.

But again… I really liked it.

TW: violence, human trafficking, death.

[Books Over People · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pomery does no wrong. #Facts. This is a love letter to Firefly and so I am here for that. The fact that he makes this both familiar and totally unique is the magic trick. Now I just have to wait three more years for whatever he does next.

[Luc Retour · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of discovering The Hard Switch in a small Oxford bookshop, and I’m very glad I did. This book resonates deeply with me. It is beautifully illustrated, and the meticulous attention to detail immerses the reader entirely in its world. The dialogue feels authentic and engaging, though at times it leans a little heavy-handed in its handling of diversity. A touch more subtlety in these moments could have elevated the narrative even further.

This was my first encounter with Owen Pomery’s work, but I suspect fans of Becky Chambers will find a similarly welcoming space here. A sci-fi adventure that wears its influences, Star Wars and Dune proudly, The Hard Switch never feels derivative; rather, it pays thoughtful homage to the genre’s greats with sincerity and a lot of heart.

It’s not a long read, but it is one I wholeheartedly recommend. A sequel would be most welcome, many thanks.

[Simon Pressinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good idea, but the pace is off. Too much speech, not enough punch. Drags its heels, then gets off the ground in the final 15 pages, to a slightly jarring effect. Beautiful artwork though. Definitely see the Moebius inspiration.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ⭐ but I'm not sure how to rate graphic novels.

The illustrations were beautiful and atmospheric, and I felt immersed in the world from the get go. The story wasted no time, setting up the situation amidst action and movement. The premise (the material that facilitates intergalactic space travel is running out) was simple and intriguing, although it didn't play as big of a part in the narrative as I was hoping for at the start, it was more of a silent backdrop really.
The characters were full-bodied and real feeling. The dialogue felt perfectly lifelike, not veering to any extreme but balancing exposition and feeling.
The whole thing played out like a movie in my head, with sound effects, pacing, the lot. I could really visualise this as a piece of film, which made for a great experience.

A great, neat lil graphic novel - and one that's inspired me to look out for more.

[Natasha den Dekker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this on my TBR for a looong time. Oddly enough it was cheaper in Waterstones that it was on Amazon!

This story is very similar to the plot of Star Trek Discovery (The Burn - IYKYK) but oddly with a Star Wars ramshackle vibe which I really enjoyed. The art style took a bit of getting used to, seen some people compare it to TinTin, not as sharp as anything by Image but not as stressful as anything by Neil Gaiman or Frank Miller.

It's really really good. The characters are somwhere between Outlaw Star and Firefly but there's a lot of heart and found family (I am a sucker for this) and they're a bit snarky with each other but a lot of love. The themes of class/money and poverty played out against a fuel shortage is a little on the nose for 2025 but it works.

Come for a unique art style, stay for the great story and wonderful characters.

[Rory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takes ligne-claire to a bit of an extreme, in that it’s bursting with gorgeous environments (Pomery’s always great with architecture and nature, plus here he gets to do spaceships) and then the human characters all look like : |

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the artwork. Very quick read. Expected this to be a one-off graphic novel, but the ending is very open-ended so I may be on the lookout for another volume.

[Johan Haneveld · Rating 4 out of 5]

7,5 I like science fiction graphic novels. I have a visual imagination and find I'm inspired as much or more by imagery than by prose. One of the reasons I love science fiction is because of the fantastic worlds presented in the stories, with their own rules and their own inhabitants, full of details. These, to me, can lead to a sense of wonder, of awe. And graphic storytelling lends itself well to showing worlds, without the need for page on page of tedious descriptions, letting you as the reader inhabit the world instantaneously (if done well). But, on the other hand, graphic storytelling tends to be a bit superficial - it's hard to explain backgrounds of situations and characters, or delve deep into the philosophical underpinnings of the situation. Visual storytelling can be very exciting, but it is nog often very 'deep'. So, to get to the depth of a 100 page novella one would need a 200 page graphic novel or so. If the author wants to convey depth that is (which is not needed per se, I like a great adventure on its own).
This graphic novel could have done with another fifty or a hundred extra pages to give more background to the world, and provide the characters with more depth as to why they work together and why they look at the world a certain way. Then the situation at the end could also have been built up more, with the antagonist fleshed out more, instead of being a cypher. Especially as this graphic novel tries to be a commentary on our own times of dwindling resourses and rising oceans, with people in threat of being left to their own devices while others try to enrich themselves by dubious means and the rest of the world looks the other way, happy to be relatively safe (for a while). Here it's a galaxy threatened by the loss of interstellar travel, but the point is clear. It just feels like it's just touched without working out the complexities in more detail.
On the other hand: I really liked the visual story telling. The art has the old fashioned feel of ligne claire with a Moebius-influence thrown in. The backgrounds are detailed with lots of life. The design of technology and space suits feels 'lived in' and innovative at the same time, while the relatively simple faces of the characters convey lots of emotion. The action is well done, as well. There could have been more consequences, but still, I liked the palpable sense of threat. I soaked in the art of every page and will read the comic again, if only for the imagination on display. There's even an intelligent octopus who serves as an engineer. Need I say more?
I think the review at Slings & Arrows says it all: 'This is low key, yet with a full set of adventure priorities wrapped into a warning.'

[Tracy]

I liked this compact interstellar tale. Of the artwork, I especially liked the colors, and also appreciated that it was easy to follow all the action. The crew feels like they have a history together, although there's a lot of tension between the two humans. The premise was intriguing and the world felt lived-in. At some points, it felt a close critique of our current system. I'd have liked a little more on the villain, and their motives, in the first half of the book. While I found this satisfying on its own, it seems open to a sequel -- I'd read it.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

There better be more of this! I need to know what happens! I loved the art style of this too. It was a really interesting story that I will for sure be reading more of.

[Louis Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but insightful graphic novel. How it crammed so much commentary about the real world in go barely 100 pages is mad to me, all wrapped in a lovely sci fi feel.

[Ian Norri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9

[Sai · Rating 4 out of 5]

rlly good

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a little dialog heavy at times but what a beautiful, tidy little sci-fi adventure.

A world I would love to see more of please and thank you.

[kaitlphere · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dialogue could use a little editing, and the periods in the lettering font were almost invisible. Other than those details I really enjoyed this book. For having such a short page count there was a lot of world and character building. The story builds on itself very naturally, and there is a whole lot of potential for a sequel.

[abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

fantastic world building and such a cool original concept. I loved it!

[Thomas Land · Rating 4 out of 5]

23.11.2025---
88%

A really wonderful short to go and revisit. It sat with me different this time, the ending felt fuller the longer I sat with it, the shocking moments more pointy, and the ending more hopeful. While, again, ending a little too fast, this is one I love to both return to and to recommend.

14.12.2023---

4 Stars/
88%

A really stunning stand alone science fiction graphic novel with a really gorgeous art-style reminiscent of Herge; simplisitic yet filled with emotion. A great cast of characters, and a thriving world that did remind me a little of The Interdependency trilogy by John Scalzi.

The last act felt a little rushed, and could have done with a few more pages, just to let the story a settle and breathe a little. But it hit, and maintained, its stride early on, and well worth a read.

A slightly violent, spacefaring fairytale, about family, hope, following your moral compass into the tempest...and a talking octopus. To be fair, any sort of cephalopod in a story makes my ears perk up.

[Liv · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this but it was too confusing and there wasn’t enough connection to the characters. The whole book was basically set up for a series—which is fine, but it was too cloaked in scifi nonsense to be enjoyable. And the stakes were incredibly low. Given the shooting scene, I thought it might be more high stakes but it was all fine so it didn’t really matter after all? Very deus ex machina ending. Likely this book would benefit from another 50-100 pages. It would’ve allowed more time to parse out the action, characters, and concepts introduced. As it was, the story was rushed and I couldn’t get a sense of identity from any individual or place.

Also I couldn’t figure out how or why this trio was a crew. How did they meet? Why did they work together? What made the octopus intelligent enough to be the engineer?

[Jack Greenwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art work was gorgeous and contemplative. Really nailed the indie graphic novel aesthetic that I tend to go for.

Narratively, The Hard Switch was a blend of new wave SF ideas and golden age sci fi storytelling conventions in a not-so-compelling way. The art did a lot to dazzle away the shortcomings, but I wasn't fully fooled.

5 stars for the art, 3 stars for the writing. Solid four star effort.

[Sonic · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully original story! Great sci-fi!

[jq · Rating 3 out of 5]

Need more from this universe!

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two human women, an octopus engineer, and a marginally-sentient fish named Jones eke a living aboard a light freighter across various interplanetary shipping lanes. Crate transport. Scavenger assignments. Curious quests to stay alive amid shifting sociopolitical loyalties. Times are tough.

In THE HARD SWITCH, banal and expressionless characters push their way through a benevolently clever narrative premise whose promise loses its luster sooner than it should. The graphic novel's visual design, page composition, and coloring style are highly attractive and engender a relaxed, curious, and comfortable atmosphere. But the graphic novel's poor pacing, unremarkable character designs, and heavy reliance on dialogue nudges a tale of conflict concerning intergalactic immigration toward a meandering and unexceptional story about luckless freighters who regularly escape with their lives (for reasons left unexplained).

Ada and Hiaka guide their small-craft freighter here and there, scoring what they can to keep their meager lives going. Both have a good deal of experience under their belts; however, hauling junk for years on end will leave one with a few blind spots. Neither are immune to the temptation of a rare find, a newly discovered relic, or in Hiaka's case, traditional clothing sold by locals that looks too cool to pass up. The two are accompanied, primarily, by a pragmatic octopus, Mallic, the ship's engineer.

Such is the crew. Readers of THE HARD SWITCH will find little when it comes to discerning the attitudes and ambitions of the book's primary characters, but not for lack of trying. Ada and Hiaka aren't very distinguishable, in terms of personality, and the way they engage the primary plot point is debatable: Alcanite, a dwindling resource that powers interplanetary travel, is a good source of income for scavengers. But whether this group can actually scavenge up some alcanite is typically up to luck.

Much of the graphic novel teeters on plodding. Splinter plots concerning Ada's obsession with ancient markings on a random hunk of metal, an accidental scrap with interplanetary bureaucracy, and an unexpected visitor to the ship lend color and shape to Ada and Hiaka's adventures . . . but they don't necessarily bend the narrative in a way that's principally and confidently helpful. Alas, if the story hook is that all interplanetary travel is doomed when a certain finite resource goes dry, then why are readers wasting time on ship repair, negotiating bad-faith deals with fellow freighters, and more?

The crew faces lazy law enforcement officers, corrupt locals, and maleficent business operators, but at best, only a fraction of these events are remotely tangential to the primary story. THE HARD SWITCH isn't really about the upcoming "hard switch" from alcanite at all; the comic is about a handful of random encounters, of a small crew of freight pilots, who survive a few nuisance betrayals despite their own tediousness.

One loses energy hunting for the reasons. The dialogue is good, but the author clearly fell in love with their characters and couldn't figure out how to shut them up. The book's production design exhibits incredible detail and originality (e.g., off-world street markets, cockpit systems), but some panels are simply overloaded with dialogue. The book's lettering, on a related note, lacks grace. The font-size is painfully small, and since the author eschewed all font stylings of all kind (e.g., no bold, no italics, no changes in size or color), dinner arguments, explosive action scenes, and contemplative morning greetings all read the same: bland.

The lack of variability might also be crudely consigned to the comic's character design, but that's not fully the case. Stylistically, the book is clever and attractive. But upon further scrutiny, the lack distinguishing facial features means button-eyed characters look the same when they're angry as when they're happy. How excited is Ada to learn more about a potential alternative to alcanite that she heard of in old stories? Hard to say. How angry is Hiaka when their octopus engineer pal proffers a reasonable argument against bringing a stranger on board (e.g., fearing possible contamination)? Also hard to say. Lacking a dimensional nose, readable eyes, and functional eyebrows makes a huge difference.

THE HARD SWITCH takes place in an interesting universe, but the story readers encounter isn't itself all that interesting. The comic's First Act is slow, while the comic's Third Act is rushed and condensed; one feels put off, albeit not entirely surprised, when one encounters a regrettably familiar sci-fi scene in which one might ask the perilously eternal question: "Why do they have a switch for that on their ship?" THE HARD SWITCH is interesting, but only just so.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book was trying to do two things at once: for one, it was building a science fiction setting with a sort of lived-in, work-a-day aesthetic that is most familiar from Firefly or the beginning of The Expanse (or, arguably, Alien, sans horror). The other is a parable of sorts about how people cope with a known technological horizon, echoing but not closely parallel to modern concerns about energy and the limits of production and/or its consequences (I suspect the idea of "peak oil" was an inspiration, though it has felt less relevant of late as other related concerns have taken precedence). Though there's also an aspect of the characters seeming like fairly normal workers only to reveal absurd action skill potential in a way that reminds me of The Grande Odalisque.

It is a fairly enjoyable book, but I was irked a bit by the author not seeming to take the science of his fictional setting seriously; though on the other hand, some of those errors are all too common for most sci-fi authors. The first and smallest problem (quibbling maybe, but I feel it is indicative) is the reference to a nitrogen wind: gaseous nitrogen is nothing special, it makes up over three quarters of the Earth's atmosphere. At the time the one character who is outside is in what appear to be an environmental suit, so maybe it is a dramatically different atmosphere; but other people she encounters do not weir masks and later the characters walk around maskless on what seems to be the same planet, any major differences in atmosphere are likely local to the first location. To be clear, my complaint is that the term is technobabble-ish; it seems to exist to suggest an exotic, otherworldly setting but is meaningless when given cursory consideration.

The other problem is one of scale, which manifests in numerous ways. For one thing, space is vast. Almost inconceivably so. It takes literal hours for light (moving at the fastest possible speed) to travel from the sun to the outer reaches of our solar system; it takes much longer for objects with any appreciable mass (like a spaceship) to do the same, and orders of magnitude more to travel between systems. The story is light on details, but the characters definitely take trips between planets and possibly between systems in reasonable--though undefined-- periods of time, only making a jump at the very end when they want to get away very fast, and very far. This isn't unusual since many other sci-fi settings are kind of hazy on when and how made-up tech needs to be invoked for transit (Star Wars and Star Trek are good examples), but it is a bit disappointing to not give a bit more consideration to this aspect at the heart of the conflict. Likewise, while traveling at non-jump speed they encounter a wrecked ship and postulate that it collided with another during a jump because it lacked the mcguffin mineral needed to jump safely. If jumps are really only for intersystem travel, how could ships ever collide given how much space there is?

The book also just ignores the sheer size of planets, and the number of planets and other objects in a system. Since the technological limit is mostly for intersystem travel, and in-system travel is shown to be fairly fast and efficient, there's an argument that not much would change after the hard switch, except it is implied that there is zero development of industry, government or culture at a local level.

[John R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the recent HBO series Scavengers Reign, this is a drop into a strange universe where peril and grace are top of the menu. The art style and creativity involved really compare nicely as well between the two, making them interesting companion pieces.

At 100 pages, and from the small (?) publisher Avery Press, the book feels like a primer for a much bigger story. And that, for the costliness of this pamphlet-sized book, to me, seems its biggest drawback. (I'm woefully behind on regularly buying comics/graphic novels, though, and I know prices are a real roadblock.) That said, my only other critique of the book is its flatness. Not just the art, but even with its graphic coloring and unique angles, it still never really "popped" out from the page -- not that every comic needs that. But beyond the art, the lettering was small and uniform in a way that even with my reading glasses on, I still felt like I needed a microscope to see the periods at the end of sentences. Sometimes making me wonder why the lettering had a gap or why they sentences suddenly didn't make sense. This does also come down to the flatness of the character's voices. I don't really feel like I could take any line of dialogue and point to a character and say, "that was __." And one of the characters is an octopus!

All that said, the "mystery" and the world is one that I'd be very interested to see more of. The cover and the blurb are catchy, and it felt indie-sci-fi enough that the sort of glossing over of fine details in the world worked.