Reviews of graphic novels and comic book collections every Tuesday and Thursday.


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Ocean by Warren Ellis
You could do worse to pass the time on a short flight than to read Warren Ellis's Ocean (2005, Wildstorm/DC Comics, Amazon listing). Well-known for his use of imaginative ideas that have a basis in science, Ellis weaves a tale about the discovery of strange sarcophagi underneath the ocean of Europa, a moon of Jupiter.

Weapons inspector Nathan Kane is called in to investigate this discovery and the implications. Also investigating are the residents of a space station run by the conglomerate DOORS (get it?). The workers for DOORS are humans turned into drones for the life of their work contract. The story is packed with big ideas and showcases Ellis's imagination, ear for dialog, and wicked sense of humor.

Chris Sprouse's clean art is nothing outstanding, but does a good job of storytelling without detracting from the story. I enjoyed the way that this collection is put together in such a way that you can't tell where the issue breaks were in the original miniseries. This is a good, fun escapist comic.

Ocean 3.5 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:00 AM