Customer Reviews

The Masterplan

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I finally got around to buying "My Own Little Empire" by Scott Mills and decided while I was at it to try another graphic novel that's he's created. Reading an interview on the internet, Scott stated that one of his favorite things that he's done was "Masterplan" so I thought I'd give it a try. The sample pages seemed intriguing enough. There aren't a lot of science fiction graphic novels around so it's hard to compare it to other comic works. It's close in spirit to the "hard" science fiction of Arthur C. Clarke and Robert L. Forward. As graphic novels go, this one is pretty ambitious and for the most part it delivers a solid story of truly cosmic proportions.

As for the artwork, I liked it. It's a loose simple kind of style, yet it's amazing in a way how expressive it is. Since this book only has three main characters who all look different from one another, I was able to distingish between them easily (something I often had a hard time doing throughout "My Own Little Empire.")

Overall, I found this to be a substanial read, and it's one of the better graphic novels I've read in awhile. People who are interested in something different from comics and graphic novels will find this appealing as well as those interested in space and science themes. Suitable for all ages, although the reading level may be 12 years or older.

A brilliant scientist hatches a 'Masterplan' to save the universe from eternal expansion. Before the plan can be officially carried out, malicious sabotage of their facility forces the scientist, his estranged brother (a priest), and his ex-wife (angry) together into executing the plan alone. Ultimately, we are wisked away to the collapse of the universe and back in a scientific space adventure presumably meant to wow us with its dizzying scope. Unfortunately, anyone who's read more than the weekly science section in their newspaper or any pop-science book on cosmology won't be wowed becuase the science just isn't very good. Furthermore, the author brings up and then neglects some great opportunities to involve realistic and relevent science/technology topics such as space elevators, astrobiology, and artificial intelligence.

This would be totally forgivable (after all, it's a space ADVENTURE right?) if the plot and characters made up for it. In the end though, I found the characters to be less than intriguing. The stage for interesting character developments was set well with conflicts to be resolved with both the brother and ex-wife of our brilliant scientist, but these are hardly even addressed. His ex-wife is mad at him... but why? I guess they had a bad breakup, but it does seem worth mentioning (especially if we're to believe they're together again by the end of the book). Why had he and his brother not talked for so many years, and why is he trying to sabotage the plan? These are key questions that I would expect to drive many of the character interactions, but they don't. Failing that, you'd think they would at least set the stage for investigating the countless good moral dilemmas the author (apparently unwittingly) introduces as a result of the 'Masterplan', but few of them are given even a passing nod. In the end, after touring all of space and time, we're left with the feeling that we haven't really gone anywhere or learned anything at all about the universe, or ourselves.

Perhaps I am being too hard on what should be seen as a light space adventure. The character dialogue was enjoyable enough (witty at times), and the art is simple yet expressive which makes it easier to empathize with the characters. However, without characters worth caring about and without a plot with a point, I must say I was disappointed.