Whenever we do head into space at scale, we’ll still have mysteries that need solving. Thompson Heller may not be the best or cleanest detective, but he’s the one we’ve got when there’s a case no one else will tackle. He’ll travel the stars, finding clues and putting the pieces together to bring the justice needed.
This is certainly a great premise. Writer Milton Lawson drops us right into this world…or rather universe, giving us an idea of what we can expect. We don’t get, nor do we need, a long, complicated explanation about the rules of rival factions or space colonies. You just kind of go with the flow, with Heller as your guide.
While he certainly fit the mold of the hard-nosed, down-on-his-luck private eye, Heller doesn’t encounter much in the way of conflict. He goes where he needs to, gets his information, and solves the mystery. Any obstacle he comes across doesn’t slow him down in the slightest. This takes some of the impact away from the story as it doesn’t appear to have any real stakes.
Artist Dave Chisholm already made a mark this year with the fantastic Canopus so I was pretty excited to see more from him with Thompson Heller: Detective Interstellar. His style is a great fit for sci-fi as we’ve seen previously and it’s no different here. The aliens come in all shapes and sizes. Heller looks and feels like your typical private eye, which makes his appearance in these far off worlds all the more intriguing. He looks like a fish out of water, but he carries himself with the cool confidence of someone who knows exactly what he’s doing.
Fabian Cobos‘ colors showcase the sci-fi nature of this book with a bright palette. It’s not your typical noir tale as the shadows aren’t really there. Instead, there are vibrant bursts of color. This feels a little off from the tone of the story and the detective genre, but works within these parameters as the sci-fi elements are front and center.
Thompson Heller: Detective Interstellar has some potential with a blend of genres. It’s interesting to take the dark, shadowy nature of noir and mix it with the bright, shining lights of science fiction. Heller seems almost too good at his job though, so we’ll see what other obstacles he encounters as his adventures continue.
Thompson Heller: Detective Interstellar #1 from Source Point Press is set for release on October 28th, 2020.
Whenever we do head into space at scale, we’ll still have mysteries that need solving. Thompson Heller may not beCOMICONRead More