Robert Heinlein’s CITIZEN OF THE GALAXY #1 Review


Is this an odyssey worth following? Read on to find out

The official description from IDW:

Just outside our galaxy the atrocities of slavery thrive, and young Thorby is just another orphaned boy sold at auction. But when he crosses paths with a mysterious crippled beggar, his destiny is forever changed. Citizen of the Galaxy is an interstellar action/adventure coming of age tale by the “Dean of Science Fiction”… Robert A. Heinlein!

Citizen of the Galaxy 1_Preview PageWhen it comes to the science fiction genre there have been many interpretations over the years and countless authors that have attempted to shape an unwritten future. The smartest talents, to me, are the ones that take the time to cement a clear vision which knows its own rules and plays by them. And that’s exactly what we get in this comic, as the creative team takes basic cruelty and turns it into a redemption story of sorts.

Robert Lazaro and Eric Gignac work together to pen this script and the result is a slow moving but thoughtful interpretation of a potential future. This iteration of the galaxy cuts right to the core of both our worse and better aspects of our very nature. I did find that some of the narration came off a bit too heavy handed but for the most part we, as an audience, got to see some solid foundation building for Pops and his adopted son. Which in the end paid off as the interstellar epic brought it’s first act to a dramatic close.

From an artistic stand point the visual work handed in by Steve Erwin complemented the text. Each page and panel got more comfortable with the given material so much so that even the most discerning eye might look twice. There were instances were I wanted a bit more oomph to the proceedings, but ultimately these failed to dampen a good experience. Especially when the colors by Eric Gignac layered the look of the book with pictures that were engrossing enough to earn a spot on any pull-list.

Robert Heinlein’s Citizen of the Galaxy #1 is a slow moving first step toward a larger world. Through the actions and events surrounding Thorby we see a basic but discernible trajectory that’s bound to turn heads. There’s a lot of promise made real here, to the point that I’m willing to embrace the story as it is and give this release a recommendation.

OUR RATING
7
  • + Capable script.
  • + Engrossing visuals.
  • + Represents Sci-Fi well.
  • - The story is slow moving...

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