Industry observers note that this week, we recommend Cecile Pin's Celestial Lights and the fresh Image Comics series, If Destruction Be Our Lot. Need something fresh for your reading list?
According to the latest update, oops, I might have a type. Cecile Pin's Celestial Lights is a short and contemplative novel about Oliver Ines, or Ollie, a man who has always been drawn to the stars and is one day chosen to lead a 10-year mission to one of Jupiter's moons, Europa. It hops through time, following Ollie's memories across his life and weaving in logs from the mission. Another melancholic narrative about love, loss and the consequences of human ambition, with space as the backdrop?
Industry observers note that celestial Lights is, as the blurb explains, "A portrait of a complicated man and a breathtaking tale of memory, personal choices, and the relationships that define us.". While space exploration is part of it, this isn't a book to grab if you're looking for excitement and adventure.
The report highlights that the main character is, absurdly, an Abraham Lincoln robot whose purpose appears to be regurgitating quotes said by the 16th president of the US. He's one of countless robots still running decades after humans have gone extinct. And, unlike most of the droids around him, he's pretty caught up on what the meaning of his life is now that his original, human-assigned purpose is moot. The first issue of this series came out at the beginning of the month, and oh does it feel like the start of something really, really great.
As part of the ongoing story, i loved the art style and tone, which is kind of darkly funny but also a bit serious. Super promising premiere issue. If Destruction Be Our Lot is by writers Mark Elijah and Matthew Rosenberg and artist Andy MacDonald. When things go awry during a bus ride one day — the vehicle being Abe's autonomously driving friend, Bus — his global stage suddenly seems to expand, for better or worse.