Red Mass For Mars #1 (of 4) – Review

Jonathan Hickman, (Writer and Colors) Ryan Bodenheim, (Art), and Marty Shelley (Color Assists)

Jonathan Hickman is, in my opinion, one of the best writers in the industry. I was blown away by The Nightly News, am completely hooked on Transhuman, and can’t wait for the conclusion to Pax Romana. It goes without saying that I come into the Red Mass For Mars mini-series with extremely high expectations. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Hickman and artist Ryan Bodenheim did not let me down.

In Red Mass For Mars, Earth is on its last legs after being completely decimated by climate change, disease, rebelling technology, and pretty much any manner of natural disaster imaginable. Little did those on Earth know that a greater threat would emerge, the alien race known as the Hun-Du. That was years ago and humans on Earth have had time to rebuild, but the Hun-Du are making their way back towards Earth, decimating anything in their path. A mysterious man and the world’s most brilliant scientist must assemble a team of powers to combat the threat and preserve this rebuilt Earth. If you are familiar with Hickman, then you know that this seemingly familiar tale is anything but. If you have any interest in science fiction or even superheroes, this is one story you don’t want to miss.

The writing in Red Mass For Mars is dense and there is a lot of it, but don’t let that deter you. As is usual with Hickman, he has a lot to say, but it never gets in the way of the storytelling. It almost feels like reading a chapter of a good book as opposed to a comic, but in no way is that a negative thing. It means that Hickman packs a lot into this first issue, but it all feels necessary and complimentary to the story being told. Some may find that it takes a bit to get used to this style, as it is rare to see a comic offer this much to absorb at once, but it is well worth the effort. Jonathan Hickman is an incredibly gifted individual, but you have to want to be drawn into his world. He writes Red Mass For Mars as an intriguing mix of science fiction, satire, and philosophy so be aware that this is anything but a light read.

The artwork by Ryan Bodenheim is absolutely fantastic and it is complemented by equally impressive, incredibly unique color work. Bodenheim’s work truly gives this book the feel of a science fiction epic. He makes the reader feel the scope of the disaster faced by billions in the opening pages and creates a sense of wonder with his vision of The Black City. The color work by Hickman and Shelley gives everything a surreal quality, making everything feel as though it is being seen through a dreamlike filter. This is one nice looking book all around.

While this may not be a book for everything due to its dense nature, I found Red Mass For Mars to be an exceptionally engaging read. If you feel up to the task, make sure to check this one out. (Grade: A)

-Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

I have many of Jonathan Hickman’s works on my book shelf and comic boxes. The problem is I’ve never had time to read any of them. Red Mass For Mars is my first experience with Hickman and the design elements used in this book are all too familiar. Hickman loves his vector graphics and while he’s not doing any of the art in this book (just the coloring), his design presence is carried throughout by Ryan Bodenheim. Personally, I’m not a big fan of these modern design elements. People seem to oogle over them, but when I see them in Hickman’s books the only word that comes to mind is pretentiousness. Any graphic designer will tell you that these elements are used everywhere from Target ads to shoe commercials, having become overused and tired. And that’s pretty much the way I feel when I look at his books.

As for the compositions themselves, they are quite good and the splashes of color used throughout to portray the starry sky is striking. It’s really too early for me to say this story is good or bad, because all it  does is leave an impression; we’re introduced to the characters, the plot devices, and the reluctant hero who wants to deny humanity a chance to survive. It’s all very intriguing and it definitely has my attention, but I think because of the dense nature of the story it would be best read as a trade than a monthly series.

Fans of Hickman will no doubt flock to this book without any reservations, but for casual readers, I say pick this first issue up and see if it’s your cup of tea. Me? I was a bit let down when the book introduced the superhero. I wanted something pure science fiction and I almost got that. And “almost” isn’t enough to make me want to buy issue #2. I’ll wait for the trade. (Grade: B-)