Invisible Kingdom: Edge of Everything

by G. Willow Wilson & Christian Ward
collects Invisible Kingdom #6-10
volume reviews one | two

Wilson and Ward’s interstellar space opera continues in volume two. Its first arc combined interesting world-building with progressive characters and Ward’s phenomenal, Eisner Award-nominated art, but it was also bogged down by on-the-nose metaphors of Big Business (Lux) and Religion (The Renunciation).

This second chapter largely deals with fallout from last volume, as banished nun Vess and space captian Grix deal with the consequences of their choices – leaving the Renunciation and exposing Lux’s corruption, respectively. While on the run, Grix and her Sundog crew encounter a space pirate named Captain Turo, who only adds to their problems.

Christian Ward’s art continues to be the highlight of the book. Even though some panels feel unfocused or unfinished, his bold colors and character designs really lend themselves to science fiction. He does the heavy lifting of world building, which is critical in a successful sci-fi story.

However, Wilson’s writing continues to weigh things down. While the metaphors have retreated into the background (for now), the story slows down to a snail’s pace once Turo takes over the Sundog. Not only are we stuck in space, but the Lux/Renunication plot doesn’t move forward until the very end.

It’s even more frustrating that, while it’s amazing to see queer women take the lead in a sci-fi book (even though Grix fits the personality of every space captain), there is barely any character development. I can’t describe Vess’ personality beyond her commitment to a religion that betrayed her, and the other crew members, while recognizable, are barely given any attention.

spoilers this paragraph. There’s also a romance element that has, for me at least, no emotional investment, which is tough when it involves the two protagonists. There’s no clear understanding what Grix sees in Vess and vice versa, especially when Vess’ character isn’t explored. While Invisible Kingdom is science fiction genre first, it’s frustrating to not have any reason to cheer for a romance that will clearly be a bigger part of the story moving forward.

I’ve heard this will be a three part trilogy, and frankly, the fact that there’s one more volume is probably the only reason I’ll read it at this point. (I’m kind of shocked if that’s the case, why this book spent so much time in one place, with both characters and story.) I’m more looking forward to seeing what Ward will create for a climactic ending more than anything else – and perhaps Wilson can turn things around. But the latter looks far more bleak going into the finale.

Black Bolt: Hard Time

by Saladin Ahmed & Christian Ward
volume one

I barely made it two issues through Black Bolt’s first volume and Saladin Ahmed’s writing debut. After reading bits and pieces of his writing in Wilson’s final arc of Ms. Marvel, I was tentatively optimistic about a creative partnership with him and fantastic artist Christian Ward (Invisible Kingdom), about a character whom I had seen before, but knew nothing about.

My biggest issue with this book was Ahmed’s overuse of exposition. Every question was explained almost as soon as it was presented, and it became boring almost instantly. In the opening pages, Black Bolt wakes up in a maximum prison, and almost immediately after remembering who he is, suddenly remembers who got him in the prison in the first place, and how. This could have been a mystery with some surprise and feelings on the reader’s end, rather than explaining it to us straightaway (and then reminding us to shoehorn in some sympathy).

The prison lets inmates be toyed with and killed, and the stronger ones are regenerated; it’s interesting, but right after Bolt dies the first time, the whole thing is explained to him. Then the exposition turns to wooden dialogue between new characters, their backstories, et cetera. It’s boring and removes any sense of urgency or mystery.

Especially for a character forced to live as a mute because of the destructive power of his voice (thanks Wikipedia), there should have been as little exposition as possible and let the story unfold naturally and visually.

Ahmed didn’t need to lean on any exposition with a fantastic creative partner like Ward. Ward excels in the weird and colorful, and he does a fantastic job with the disorienting nature of the prison, colorful aliens, and bright neons that really pop. I’m glad I flipped to the back of the book, because Ward’s completely carries the climactic moment, while the narrator completely undermines it, explaining what’s happening and even giving away some losses that would have been so much more powerful shown, not told. (And if any artist can handle the “show,” it’s Ward.)

Exposition combined with Bolt thinking like an extreme narc give me little reason to care about him and his situation. He reminds us that he is a king and one of the most powerful beings in the universe over and over, with a pretentious tone that was a real turn off. He even says that as king, he has a “pure bloodline,” which just shouldn’t be a thing anymore (particularly if you’re king of the Inhumans). And finally, anyone who seriously calls themselves “Blackagar Boltagon” should not be taken seriously.

Finally, the group Bolt eventually surrounds himself with are a mix of new characters and some D-list villains, from what I gathered on Goodreads. Rava, the Skrull warrior and only woman in the book, was still hyper-masculine and I hated how her sexuality was treated like one of the snu-snu Amazon women in Futurama. It felt gross, compared to male characters Creel and Bolt’s romantic and redemptive partners who are just waiting for them on the outside! That’s what real feminine women do! Wait! On the outside! UGH.

No, I did not like Blackabolt, and it doesn’t give me a lot of hope for the next Ms Marvel trade. If we were going to get the adventures of a forced mute in a prison intended to torture and regenerate its inmates, PLEASE GIVE ME A TRADE ABOUT JASON MENDOZA INSTEAD.

Invisible Kingdom: Walking the Path

by G. Willow Wilson & Christian Ward
collects Invisible Kingdom #1=5
volume reviews one | two

Invisible Kingdom is an imaginative and vibrant science fiction series by G Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel) and Christian Ward (OY-C). This debut book is very pretty to look at and introduces a few interesting characters, but it’s bogged down by its commentary of our own corruption and consumerism.

Our main protagonists are two women, Grix and Vess, who are on opposing sides of two major powers in their star system. Grix is your standard charismatic and stubborn starship captain, whose ragtag crew helps deliver packages for corporation Lux. Grix accidentally finds an error in Lux’s cargo manifest that’s more than just a typo. Vess is a “none,” a new initiate in the Renunciation, a cult like religion with an all powerful leader with a particular interest in Vess. Vess similarly finds that her calling isn’t all what it seems to be, and the two eventually find each other.

It’s refreshing to see Wilson writing a completely different kind of story than Ms Marvel, and Vess and Grix are interesting characters. I’ll never complain about two women leading a sci-fi story, even if they aren’t particularly against type in science fiction – Grix is basically Mal Reynolds from Firefly. Unfortunately there isn’t enough time spent to feel invested in the rest of the crew. I don’t remember any of their names, and Grix’s love interest among them was a reveal I wish I had cared about more.

A strong commentary or satire is a hallmark of good scifi stories, but here it’s distracting and too on the nose to be fully swept up in the story – or any message Wilson might be building to. Lux is clearly Amazon in space, and the Renunciation is Corporatized Big Religion. There’s no mystery or powerful message behind it either, and yet another commentary about the news and information consumerism swoops in at the end making it even more hollow. Between that and some standard sci-fi exposition, the story often feels bogged down by trying to do too much.

If everything covered in this volume had spanned two, Wilson could have focused more on character and let the commentary breathe and build more delicately, rather than hitting us over the head with it.

Christian Ward’s art, colors and lettering pulls everything together when the story is lacking. Even with all its bright colors – including, as one would expect with aliens, a rainbow of skin colors and body shapes – the world still feels grounded in its own reality. It never feels too outlandish, though sometimes the characters seem a bit out of focus. His lettering is also delightful, with the sounds of beeps, distress signals, and swooping ships in motion along with the art. The way Ward structures panels is also creative and dynamic, particularly during the final issue’s space battle.

After Ms Marvel, Wilson became an author whom I would follow without question to her next book. But surprisingly, it’s because of Ward’s art that I’m willing to check out volume two. I hope Wilson gives the next story arc more time to more fully realize her characters and dig deeper into the commentary. It’s an intriguing start.