cover image Darklight

Darklight

Chad Kultgen and Piotr Kowalski. Boom/Archaia, $24.99 (128p) ISBN 978-1-60886-294-8

Humanity in the distant, distant future has made a shocking discovery: the universe has stopped growing and will soon end. To avert this fate, humanity brokers a peace between the Luminids, an entirely mechanized society, and the Duron, a genetically engineered and severely caste-based society, and all three team up to save the universe. But just when it looks like things might work out, peace falls apart, and suddenly humanity is at war with both species. In this dramatically altered landscape, the Woden, a human ship, is the universe’s last hope, led by the bold and selfless Captain Rhodes and accompanied by his chief medical officer, Tomkins; the Duron officer Cora; and Andros, a Luminid. The writing by bestselling author Kultgen (The Average American Male) is often clunky but entertaining, echoing classic science fiction stories in a harmless way. The story is full of intrigue, romance (forbidden love between Tomkins and Cora), and loads of overwhelming science fiction physics and problem solving. The art by Kowalski (Sex) is uneven, sometimes excelling at creating strange and wonderful scenes like the breeding pits of the Duron, but sometimes feeling rushed. (Apr.)