Broken Frontier

Before you read my review of Science Dog #1, you should know a few things.  First, Invincible is one of my favorite comic book titles out today, and I consider Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker one of the best teams in comics.  Second, the first time I saw the Science Dog character in Invincible (years ago) I spent a week googling him to see if it was a real comic.  This is both good and bad, because although I was very ready to like the book, I also had high expectations.  With that said, I am pleased to say that Science Dog definitely lives up to the hype from Invincible.   

Although this issue is only a collected edition of a few back stories from the recent issues of Invincible, it functions as its own standalone story.  It creates an origin, a team, a world and a villain for Science Dog in a very succinct and entertaining way. For some reason Kirkman is able to use expository writing to further his plot and quickly acclimate the reader to the new and fascinating world.  Though it’s by no means subtle, it still manages to captivate the reader’s attention and sparks further interest. This is largely due to the strength of Kirkman’s characters.

Each character has a very distinct way of speaking, so reading doesn’t feel as if you’re reading an essay.  At the same time, the speeches are broken up nicely with witty remarks from the various characters.  It harkens back to a time when super-villains could give long diabolical speeches explaining their plans, and readers wouldn’t question it or roll their eyes.  Invincible has been described as a super-hero comic that’s not ashamed to be a super-hero comic.  Kirkman brings that same idea to Science Dog, and it works.  

Walker’s art is spot on.  Every panel has a dynamic quality to it, and the action scenes are amazingly grandiose.  There’s so much detail and life in his lines.  Though Science Dog doesn’t have a fancy custom costume—he wears a t-shirt, boots, and a jetpack, which isn’t commonplace but it’s hardly unique for the genre—his look is iconic.  No one who looks at Science Dog would mistake him for another character, except perhaps a canine version of Tom Strong.  Even though the actual Science Dog’s story wasn’t told until two years after his first appearance, his character is exactly as you’d expect him to be.  So much of his personality is captured in his image.  

Science Dog #1 is essential for any Invincible fan.  If you’re like me, and you only follow the series through the trades, then this is a must for your collection.  It’s a standalone issue, so readers won’t feel the fear of having to continue with the series for fear of cliffhangers, and it doesn’t really refer to anything outside of the issue itself. The only thing keeping it from being perfectly self-contained is that it continues in Invincible, so new readers beware of that.