|
|
 |
| |
|
|
| |
Biomega : Volume 1
Originally, we intended The View to be about movies that dealt with science and science fiction themes. But these days graphic novels are so cinematic that it made sense to put them under our small spotlight. BioMega is such an example of a graphic novel that feels as if belongs on the big screen. In fact, it feels as if its creator, Tsutomu Nihei, had his eye on the big screen the whole time. The movie, er, novel, employs many of the aesthetic sensibilities of an action driven motion picture. Exhibit A: the story's opening that finds Zoichi Kanoe, our futuristic motorcycle hero, fast-forwarding through multiple panels as he tries to find a girl named Eon Green who is an "accommodator" of a nasty N56 virus that has turned people into zombies. Others are after Eon as well and so Zoichi, with the help of his AI companion, will have to shoot-n-drive his way through his mission. Readers, wear your helmets. This is one is a fast read. Unless, of course, you slow down to admire Nihei's artistry – and you will. Oh yes, you will.
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
Coming Soon...
BN
BioMega's Volumes 2 and 3...
...Of course.
|
 |
|
| |
 |
| |
"Playing dead with this bear doesn't work unless you are dead"
|
| |
The plot is pretty straight forward, giving Nihei the luxury of throwing in as many zombies and other obstacles in Zoichi's way as he thinks of them. The appearance of a talking bear with a protective paternal instinct – and a rifle – was the perplexing early addition that hooked us into buying the book. Seriously. Just when you think that BioMega is going to be a fun, yet predictable, bio-epic a gun wielding bear (with a Russian name...get it?) springs up and reboots your expectations. Bravo.
The Zombies in BioMega are probably an excellent example of Tsutomu Nihei's ability to take a still image and scare the shit out of you. We'd be lying if we said that we weren't just even a tad bit intimidated by the frozen, assymeticral, leaning and languid and oozing and undeadly appearance of these zombies. Nihei's drawings are tight enough to give exlipicit and unsettling detail and yet loose enough to make the word "organic" take on not so appetizing meaning.
Quick cut sequences like these are examples of where BioMega demonstrates cinematic sensibilities. The pacing throughout much of the book is so "one-two punch" in its cause-effect timing that we had to back peddle in a few places to figure out what the heck just happened and to whom. While frustrating at times, in the end it wasn't an altogether bad thing. Shit the same thing happens in action movies, so there ya go.
|
| |
|
| |
Conclusion
Minimal text keeps the pages turning almost fast enough to meet the fps of a real-life action flick. The story pauses only once to give the reader (and Kozlov our talking Bear) a chance to know what the heck is going on and why). To be honest, the story may have burdened itself down with too many acronymous companies and other plot devices, but with a story as straight-forward as this one it probably doesn't matter. Not to mention, there are more volumes to come which will give readers plenty of time to acclimate to such names as DRF, PHD, PHS, MSCF and N5S. Biomega may not be the most original take on this theme, but visually it is pretty damn sweet and if Nihei wanted to make sure that this one hit the screens than he certainly made Biomega storyboard ready. Our guess is that Leonardo DiCaprio will be cast to play Zouichi Kanoe. We're still trying to figure out who is going to play Kozlov. :-)
|
| |
Best Hollywood inspired Panel - Zouichi Kanoe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
