Even those with a very slight knowledge of the comics industry will know that it is dominated by two names; DC Comics and Marvel. However, we at Big Red Barrel are committed to helping our readers discover that there is so much more available. Crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter have allowed indie comics to (with the help of their fans) produce professional quality comics without anybody having to lose their shirts. This is exactly what Blue Fox Comics are trying to do with their science fiction mystery comic Gone.
• Writer(s): Simon Birks
• Art: Tom Eddy
• Cover Art: Lyndon White
• Publisher: Blue Fox Comics
• Release Date: October 2016
Gone is the strange tale of AssistA a robot on board a spaceship that, we are told, should have 80000 people on board. “Should have” of course because, as we and AssistA discover, there is nobody on board ship. Very soon we start to suspect that something is very wrong. It does not take us very long before we are heavily invested in the charming AssistA, who is doing its best to do its duty in these unsettling times. Mysterious and charming throughout, Gone is far from an action-packed blockbuster but rather a melancholy meditation on dedication and worry.
[kickstarter id=”simonbirks/gone-sci-fi-mystery-comic-book-issues-1-and-2″ align=”center” maxwidth=”530″]
Tom Eddy’s art style is somewhat basic but functional with some panels so simple that they look like they may have been drawn in MS Paint. Despite this simplicity, Gone‘s art works well with the storytelling with background details starting to hint as to what is going on.
I can not say I completely fell in love with Gone, but its gentle storytelling and tantalising mystery quickly drew me in and had me eagerly turning the page to find out more. When the reveals start to come, we learn just enough about what may be going on to make me want to read further editions.
Gone is, at the time of writing, only a few pounds short of it’s Kickstarter goal so anyone who did back it would be pretty confident of getting their rewards. For those willing to support Blue Fox with a little more money there are prints and t-shirts to be had as well as issues of other upcoming Blue Fox publications.
Tags: Blue Fox Comics, comics, Gone, Indie comics, mystery, Sci-fi
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