Ian’s Race Against Galactic Collapse

A Flicker of Hope in a Dying Galaxy

As whispered legends of faster-than-light travel begin to fade into silence, Alcanite reserves are all but depleted. This once-bountiful material has long been the backbone of our interstellar journeys, but it’s now on the brink of vanishing. With no new sources in sight, the galaxy braces itself for “The Hard Switch”—a jarring shift from vibrant interconnectedness to stark isolation. Everyone is on edge, each trying to secure a future in this turmoil. The law stands impotent in the face of such chaos.

Amidst this pandemonium, we find Haika, Ada, and their cephalopod engineer Mallic. They’re a ragtag crew just trying to scrape by in the prelude to The Hard Switch. Their last gig ended in shock, discovering they’d been transporting dead bodies. By chance, they ended up saving an alien child named Hodge. In the midst of this chaos, they stumble upon clues from an extinct alien race. These hints may unlock an era where travel isn’t dictated by Alcanite—assuming they can dodge the crime lord with the same goal.

Colors of Hope and Desperation

The Hard Switch, a comic from Avery Hill Press, brings this story to life. English comic artist Owen Pomery, known for his work on Victory Point and British Ice, crafts an arresting visual narrative. Unlike the usual dark sci-fi palette, his artwork explodes with vivid colors. It’s a refreshing divergence, reminiscent of how technology and art once embraced bold hues, as seen in iconic iPod ads.

Pomery’s influences seem clear. The colorful landscapes nod to Moebius, though there’s a tighter, linear design reminiscent of Ligne Claire, associated with Edgar Jacobs and Herge. This combination of simple character designs against extraordinary backdrops testifies to the power of illustration.

Beyond Alcanite: A Fight for Freedom

The heart of this journey is a quest for a new form of interstellar travel, free from Alcanite’s constraints. It promises freedom, a tantalizing dream amidst the encroaching void. This ambition, while seemingly impossible, could change everything.

Space Opera thrives on found families. The Hard Switch follows suit, showcasing Ada and Haika’s dynamic as they juggle perilous, illicit jobs. They navigate a universe inching toward catastrophe. Malic, their gritty cephalopod engineer, adds a unique twist. Octopi are geniuses, often overlooked in sci-fi. And then there’s Hodge, an alien child with skills crucial to their ship’s success.

Apocalyptic Odyssey

This narrative intertwines two sci-fi giants: post-apocalypse and space opera. It echoes modern environmental anxieties, like “Peak Oil,” escalating them to cosmic proportions. Surprisingly few have tackled this blend, with Simon Spurrier’s Coda being a notable exception. It’s a trope subversion that feels timely and intriguingly unexplored.

Moreover, “The Hard Switch” focuses on those at the bottom. Ada, Haika, and friends embody the working class, eking out a living from the galaxy’s remnants. They’re not grand heroes aboard the starship Enterprise; they’re survivors with a van, clawing through a collapsing world. These aren’t the galaxy’s saviors but resourceful rogues racing against time. They grasp a fleeting chance to better things, driven by desperation more than heroism. Change, therefore, bubbles up from the grassroots.

Pomery’s tale holds promise as a rich, ongoing saga in the space opera sphere. One hopes it continues, offering fresh insights and adventures in high-stakes storytelling.