Broken Frontier

In comics, the power to fly is almost a given. In the very real world of Paul, his sudden ability to slip the bonds of gravity is something special…isn’t it?

In the first issue of Bizarre New World, Martin & Provencher brought readers into the real world - a place where a single dad by the name of Paul works the graveyard shift and struggles to make ends meet. One night, with no explanation, Paul lifts out of his chair, suddenly imbued with the ability to fly.

More than 6 decades ago when Superman first demonstrated the ability to fly, the world was a place where mechanically assisted flight was in its infancy. Today, when people regularly make commutes by plane and flight is almost a given for any new superhero character, the magic and wonderment of a flying man has disappeared. Martin and Provencher once again let readers believe that a man can fly.

As in the first two parts of Bizarre New World, the magic of this comic is Martin’s ability to put readers in Paul’s shoes. In the first chapter, we shared in his cautious experiments with flight – learning some of the risks and pitfalls along the way. As he grew more comfortable with the idea in part two, we also joined him on his journey of discovery, seeking answers as to how the seemingly impossible could have happened. Issue three, picking up from a suspenseful cliffhanger, promptly turns the issue #2 climax on its head, setting the final arc in an entirely new direction. Without giving away the events of part two, this story focuses not only on what the ability to fly means to Paul, but also on how it affects the world as a whole. As each panel brings this reality to life, readers find themselves looking through Paul’s eyes – feeling what he feels and realizing that they would likely react the same way.

As strong as issue #3 is (perhaps only a step behind the truly magical debut issue), it is the conclusion that will leave comicdom buzzing. As one might expect from a series that has already found simple, yet powerful, ways to redefine comic conventions, Bizarre New World ends with an awe-inspiring twist. Some readers may not like how the story ends (with the caption "to be continued?"), but everyone who picks up this book will appreciate how unique it is.

This issue is also the strongest by artist Christopher Provencher. Having already presented extremely engaging flying sequences in the first two parts, Provencher grounds himself for the first ¾ of the issue, playing with ways for the readers to look through Paul’s eyes. For the climax, Provencher hits the stratosphere, offering a series of three splash pages that you will not easily forget.

Already what I would consider the early runner for best series of 2007, Bizarre New World provides a prime example of what happens when a comic book is done right. Built from a unique vision of an age-old convention, Bizarre New World belongs in every comic book fan’s collection.