This new 48 page original graphic novel Population Explosion is a sequel to the Bizarre New World series released by Ape Entertainment. It features a man called Paul Krutcher and how he copes when he discovers someone else can fly too like him. Population Explosion takes off where the previous series ended, with Matthew, the man who claims to be the first flying man was making an announcement about his newfound talent. While he was making his speech, a young girl in the crowd believed so strongly that she could fly too and then she floated up, and others soon followed afterward. It was a shocking and phenomenal event that left Paul feeling cheated because he was the first flying man, not Matthew. However, he was still too afraid about revealing his power, so he kept quiet. The people quickly embraced this strange occurence, and rose to the sky. Before everyone was able to fly, Paul had only tested out his ability in secret, but when his young son, Sean urgently calls him for help, he realises that Sean is too important to him to lose so he decides to fly to Sean's rescue.
I enjoyed this story, especially watching Paul develop as a character. Sean, Paul's son, is also brought back in this series. I remembered Sean's role in Bizarre New World, but he didn't play a very big part in the previous series up until now. I enjoyed the scenes where Paul attempts to find a rational explanation for how it is possible for a man to fly, and he consults his colleagues, where they take turns offering various scientific explanations. The explanations are simple, so you can quickly grasp the science behind it, and it's also demonstrated through the artwork too, so you have a clear picture of what they're talking about. The writer Skipper Martin didn't turn this into a typical superhero story although it could have easily gone into that direction. Instead, he kept it well grounded in reality, focusing on the relationships between the characters, and their reaction to the dramatic changes happening around them.
I love the artwork in this story. The artwork is drawn so it looks realistic, but the colours give it an almost dreamy quality, which seems to suit the book's style. There's also something likable about the way the artist draws the characters. They just make you want to like the main characters, like Paul and Sandy. The artist Christopher Provencher did a great job of showing us exactly how Paul is feeling whether it is contemplative or frightened. He also did a fantastic job showing the various scenic places Paul is flying to, in his haste to reach Sean in time. The scenery looks so amazing, it made me wish I could fly myself so I could appreciate the beauty of it all from up above as Paul does. The lettering is also nice in this graphic novel. I don't usually pay too much attention to the lettering in comics, but this particular one was cool when Paul is thinking, it's all being written down as if it's a journal. This adds a bit of a personal touch to the overall story.
This is one book you should read if you want a down-to-earth tale about flying. The artwork and writing go so well together that it combines to make a really light-hearted and heartwarming book. There's a lot of touching emotion in this story, and obviously, a lot of flying is involved. One of the many things I liked about this series is that it does not even attempt to explain why everyone is suddenly able to fly. It simplys deals with more everyday matters like whether we should be flying or not, and how it changes lives, for better or worse. The only thing I wish is that this story continued on for longer, but keep an eye out for "Dubious Miracles', the next story in the Bizarre New World series. I think I can safely say that Dubious Miracles will certainly be a must-read if it continues in the same spirit as this graphic novel. Population Explosion will be released in comic shops in April, but don't wait, pre-order it before then! Check out the Bizarre New World website - http://www.bizarrenewworld.com for more information on this title, as well as preview pages. |
