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Descender (Single Issues)
Descender #1
One young robot's struggle to stay alive in a universe where all androids have been outlawed and bounty hunters lurk on every planet.
A rip-roaring and heart-felt cosmic odyssey that pits humanity against machine, and world against world, to create a sprawling space opera from the creators of Trillium, Sweet Tooth, and Little Gotham.
A rip-roaring and heart-felt cosmic odyssey that pits humanity against machine, and world against world, to create a sprawling space opera from the creators of Trillium, Sweet Tooth, and Little Gotham.
30 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2015
21 people are currently reading
1396 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Lemire
1,399 books3,868 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
June 25, 2024
9 planets with population of 5.5B?!
I think Jeff lemire is trying to tell us we fuck too much...
This Looks like a Futuristic Sci-fi Attack of titans.
While i am not really surprised by how good the writing is, its not my first Jeff Lemire, and my first time was also Sci-fi Trillium
But i am pleasantly surprised by the art, its amazing, i don't know what takes the credit of my ability to appreciate and enjoy different types of art, because outside of the monthly super hero comics, we find a wide range of artists with many many styles, that wouldn't really fit in the usual requirement of what's popular in the market.
Really intricate details in everything Sci-fi, really good choice of coloring that complements the art.
The Ability of Jeff Lemire to create these Sci-fi worlds time and time again, we already have an amazing story after 1 issue, we already have interesting characters in dr quon, we already have interesting character in the Tim robot and his not so cute dog with the cutest Arf arf.
We already have many moving parts to look out for, Tim facing a band of fanatics, the doctor and the council officer on their way to Tim.
We already have a Huge mystery (which is honestly a total rip off from Attack on titan) Yes I Said it!
But yeah Titanic Robots, that decimated entire populations and then disappear totally, to leave a big ass mystery behind? where did we see that before? come on...
I think Jeff lemire is trying to tell us we fuck too much...
This Looks like a Futuristic Sci-fi Attack of titans.
While i am not really surprised by how good the writing is, its not my first Jeff Lemire, and my first time was also Sci-fi Trillium
But i am pleasantly surprised by the art, its amazing, i don't know what takes the credit of my ability to appreciate and enjoy different types of art, because outside of the monthly super hero comics, we find a wide range of artists with many many styles, that wouldn't really fit in the usual requirement of what's popular in the market.
Really intricate details in everything Sci-fi, really good choice of coloring that complements the art.
The Ability of Jeff Lemire to create these Sci-fi worlds time and time again, we already have an amazing story after 1 issue, we already have interesting characters in dr quon, we already have interesting character in the Tim robot and his not so cute dog with the cutest Arf arf.
We already have many moving parts to look out for, Tim facing a band of fanatics, the doctor and the council officer on their way to Tim.
We already have a Huge mystery (which is honestly a total rip off from Attack on titan) Yes I Said it!
But yeah Titanic Robots, that decimated entire populations and then disappear totally, to leave a big ass mystery behind? where did we see that before? come on...
September 13, 2016
I've heard a lot of good buzz about Descender and I'm pleased to say that it lived up to all of it. It isn't easy writing the first entries in a series without descending into character listing and lengthy explanations on setting. Descender manages to introduce itself completely without any of that boring stuff.
On a distant planet in a futuristic setting, an enormous robot lands on the government's home world. Simultaneously, huge robots land on several other planets. These gigantic machines attack all at once without communication of any kind. Fast forward ten years. A child-like robot named Tim-21 awakens on a mining planet, but he is the only one there. The mining colony had an accident and he has been inactive for a very long time. Since then, all species have declared war on the robots because of the massive attack that occurred ten years previous. But, something about Tim's operating system is special and now it is only a matter of time before he's found by government scientists seeking answers or something worse... bounty hunters!
Descender contains a lot of classic science fiction questions like: Can robots dream? Are they able to experience feelings? Do they have souls? And there is the mystery of where the giant killer robots came from and why they attacked. Actually, the beginning reminded me of Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel but only for a moment... so if you didn't enjoy that book, don't let that turn you off of this graphic novel.
The artwork is rendered in (at least, it looks like to my very untrained eye) pencil and watercolors. It gives the panels a dreamy quality. I thought it was very pretty.
I highly recommend this graphic novel for fans of science fiction, ages 16+ because of some violence. Some read alikes: Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan (for adult audiences only) or Henni by Miss Lasko-Gross (ok for the teen set, similar themes but doesn't take place in space).
On a distant planet in a futuristic setting, an enormous robot lands on the government's home world. Simultaneously, huge robots land on several other planets. These gigantic machines attack all at once without communication of any kind. Fast forward ten years. A child-like robot named Tim-21 awakens on a mining planet, but he is the only one there. The mining colony had an accident and he has been inactive for a very long time. Since then, all species have declared war on the robots because of the massive attack that occurred ten years previous. But, something about Tim's operating system is special and now it is only a matter of time before he's found by government scientists seeking answers or something worse... bounty hunters!
Descender contains a lot of classic science fiction questions like: Can robots dream? Are they able to experience feelings? Do they have souls? And there is the mystery of where the giant killer robots came from and why they attacked. Actually, the beginning reminded me of Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel but only for a moment... so if you didn't enjoy that book, don't let that turn you off of this graphic novel.
The artwork is rendered in (at least, it looks like to my very untrained eye) pencil and watercolors. It gives the panels a dreamy quality. I thought it was very pretty.
I highly recommend this graphic novel for fans of science fiction, ages 16+ because of some violence. Some read alikes: Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan (for adult audiences only) or Henni by Miss Lasko-Gross (ok for the teen set, similar themes but doesn't take place in space).
June 4, 2016
This is issue number #1 in the Descender series and I'm going to go right ahead and say that I adore the artwork of this series. It's fabulously watercolour and it's kind of fantastically subtle. The series itself seems to be about a young robot trying to survive in this futuristic sci-fi setting and I think that as a starting Issue we certainly get introduced to some initial cool ideas.
The artwork, as I have said, is truly the beautiful thing about this series so far and whilst I found the story intriguing I'm not far enough into it yet to fully decide if I really like or just like it. However, today I picked up Issues #2, #3 & #4 so I'm hopeful that they will elaborate further on what's happening and also immerse me more in the dynamics of the world and the characters.
I can't wait to read more in the series and hopefully really enjoy them. A solid 3.5*s so far and a truly different approach to the design for a sci-fi graphic novel from most others I've seen so far :)
The artwork, as I have said, is truly the beautiful thing about this series so far and whilst I found the story intriguing I'm not far enough into it yet to fully decide if I really like or just like it. However, today I picked up Issues #2, #3 & #4 so I'm hopeful that they will elaborate further on what's happening and also immerse me more in the dynamics of the world and the characters.
I can't wait to read more in the series and hopefully really enjoy them. A solid 3.5*s so far and a truly different approach to the design for a sci-fi graphic novel from most others I've seen so far :)
April 7, 2015
The art in this book is wonderful.
Robots. Space. :-)
I'm curious to see where this goes...
Robots. Space. :-)
I'm curious to see where this goes...
June 14, 2015
Can we just talk about the front cover, it's so beautiful. I like the main characters Dr Quon and Tim. The story looks complex and compelling with all the different worlds and the coexistence of humans, aliens and robots. This is a no-brainer, 5 stars.
February 16, 2017
The art style is a bit odd to me, but I'm intrigued by what I'm seen as a story... We shall see.
March 8, 2025
Pitched by a friend as "the creator" in a space opera setting.
panels look to be done in watercolor of all things
panels look to be done in watercolor of all things
September 21, 2015
Descender by Jeff Lemire came into being amid huge fanfare and critical acclaim and it is well deserved. There is perhaps nothing like this comic out in the medium right now and may have never been. Hidden behind this tale of a lost and abandoned little robot are the underlying demons of our own society. This is the tale of loss and brutality and the heartache of loneliness.
With the writing of Jeff Lemire and the artwork of Dustin Nguyen, Descender is book that should quickly garner a cult following. In this futuristic world, bounty hunters are looking for the remains of robots that they will take to the scrap yards for a fee. It is in this world that a small boy refered to as Tim awakens. He has been in a sleep state for years and the world that he had known is gone. More so, Tim is not just a boy, he is in fact, an android. A robot known as TIM-21.
Tim awakens to a world, where his memories are slowly working back to him. All the humans who he had served, who had treated him as one of their own, are dead and gone. Their remains litter the small deserted mining camp. But there is more for TIM-21 to worry about. The bounty hunters who are searching for him. The others that want him for their own needs and the untapped power hidden in his small body.
Descender is science fiction that is not comic book in its material at all. It hearkens to Clarke and Asimov in its subject matter. Presented through the experience of a small robot with the innocence and fear of a young child. TIM-21 is a new age re-telling of Pinocchio. A lost little boy that is not a boy at all but with all the childlike wonder of one.
Descender is far from dry. There is betrayal and heartache and torture and death. There is, a story, a damn good story and one that needs to be followed.
Descender may be the best written comic of 2015.
With the writing of Jeff Lemire and the artwork of Dustin Nguyen, Descender is book that should quickly garner a cult following. In this futuristic world, bounty hunters are looking for the remains of robots that they will take to the scrap yards for a fee. It is in this world that a small boy refered to as Tim awakens. He has been in a sleep state for years and the world that he had known is gone. More so, Tim is not just a boy, he is in fact, an android. A robot known as TIM-21.
Tim awakens to a world, where his memories are slowly working back to him. All the humans who he had served, who had treated him as one of their own, are dead and gone. Their remains litter the small deserted mining camp. But there is more for TIM-21 to worry about. The bounty hunters who are searching for him. The others that want him for their own needs and the untapped power hidden in his small body.
Descender is science fiction that is not comic book in its material at all. It hearkens to Clarke and Asimov in its subject matter. Presented through the experience of a small robot with the innocence and fear of a young child. TIM-21 is a new age re-telling of Pinocchio. A lost little boy that is not a boy at all but with all the childlike wonder of one.
Descender is far from dry. There is betrayal and heartache and torture and death. There is, a story, a damn good story and one that needs to be followed.
Descender may be the best written comic of 2015.
June 22, 2016
Me gustó lo suficiente como para querer leer a la de ya la segunda parte.
April 9, 2015
This sci-fi comic has a really interesting concept that seems like it's to deal with themes like humanity (versus artificial intelligence), loneliness, survival, and the unknown. The writing is well done and Tim-21's character pulls me in. The art is nice if you like watercolour paintings, but it's not really for me. The style suits the story, though so I won't fault it much for that. I would like to follow this story, especially to see what happens to Tim-21. This is a very promising first issue.
November 27, 2015
Beautiful. Elegant. Mesmerizing. If you read my review of comics I don't say these things often. Descender is different. Feels like a story that Asimov would have concocted. Drawn with just enough abstract to allow your mind to fill in the gaps. This is a comic book series that will leave you dreaming and imagining yourself in this created world.
September 17, 2024
THIS IS A REVIEW OF #1 OF DESCENDER. FULL REVIEW MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT MANIFEST IN THE FUTURE, BUT KNOW THAT THE WHOLE BOOK IS 5/5 - I DON'T REVIEW ANYTHING LESSER.
For opening context, Descender is very likely the first 5/5 Image comic I ever read. It is heavily inspired by Mass Effect (which is great). The design of the alien visitors screams Mass Effect influence. However, unlike Mass Effect, this is told as a children’s story. It is not a childish story. And decidedly NOT for children. A children’s story. There is a difference.
The book might not be easy to like at first glance - water color art style is not for everyone. The comic receives an abstract/dreamlike presentation from this. I am not sure it has fully grown on me even after a reread. Regardless, Nguyen enhances the watercolor aesthetic with the proper rigidness of forms. It is not shapeless.
The shading is also better than expected. Because of these details, the art feels more ‘’contained’’ than in comics of this style elsewhere.
‘’Half-assing’’ establishing panels is a common flaw present in the medium. Some panels could have no background. Or would have a background, but not enough detailing. That's usually done as a ‘’resource conserving’’ compromise in bigger productions. Almost everyone does it. Lemire has previously had that in his other works. Given the art style, one might predict that unfinished panels come with the territory. But thats not really true here!
Yes, some panels, particularly the close-ups, could use more background work. But it is a forgivable flaw if compensated with generous use of establishing shots, which IS the case. Architecture and interior design evoke the futuristic setting of the world well enough. Nguyen's crowds are purposeful collections of diverse shapes with enough details to properly visualize the street view, for example. As a result, none of it is seriously detrimental, but pedants unfamiliar with Lemire's previous work might find an issue here. Be warned.
You could, after all, make the argument that keeping panels minimalistic in places helps the overall perception of the panel (aids readability by limiting visual clutter) and puts focus on important parts. Like facial expressions.
Subjective art style preferences aside, Lemire, Nguyen and Wands are the right guys for the job.
When narration mentions population diversity, a panel on the next page zooms in on the crowd to ‘’prove it’’. The art serves to substantiate the narrative. The way it should be.
Sound effects efficiently enhance the visuals, i.e., when the bustling crowd is made alive.
Suspense is established by having the characters react to things happening off-screen. The reader is left guessing, which makes the delayed reveals for what is coming to take place, have weight.
White being the default background color in panels for the first part of the issue (which takes place on the ground level), is great for contrast, when the view soon enough shifts out into space, which is predominantly black. The shift is felt.
Robot speech bubbles have an alternate shape with distinct lettering. It is a good choice for setting voices apart. On top of that, it serves as impactful foreshadowing for later, when the story delves into topics of segregation and discrimination. Even interactions with computers are consistently varied!
Emphasizing words with colors (not just putting them in bold) within bubbles is another underutilized detail in comic books. Clarity in speech delivery is a very strong enhancement for a narrative-heavy comic like this. And an impressive endorsement to Wands’ talent!
Speaking of which, Steve Wands, the letterer on this, was a discovery for me. At least I thought so. After some research, I learned he has been having an extensive career already. Most notably, on Attack On Titan - a wildly different performance. Who could have thought?!
This knowledge might help explain an annoying lettering ‘’bug’’ that sticks out. That being, the unnecessary usage of exclamation marks for expression of shock when the art already conveys the emotion through facial features. It happens more than once! My guess is it seeps over into this from his previous experience with mangas, where the limited facial expressions warrant the use of exclamation marks in speech bubbles. But that's an excuse. This is a definite ‘’oopsie’’ nonetheless.
Overall, the first few introductory pages are impactful and sell the scale of the story well. They build the correct expectations. The importance of characters is implied sufficiently through dialogue. While never coming off as heavy-handed or forced exposition. In large part that is thanks to narration boxes sharing much of the burden - those are not stale.
Post-introduction sequence, the main story jumps in time and starts with a neat entry point - a robot awakening in what appears to have been an abandoned mining facility for 10 years. A grey filter applies a fitting atmosphere to a plain, cold environment. The mystery is engaging. Reader gets to learn the backstory hand in hand with the MC, by exploring the environment through their eyes. A very admirable ‘’show, don’t tell’’.
More importantly, the presented circumstances justify the MC being a robot. AND only a robot could be the MC in such a setting. Very neat indeed! Many lesser stories wouldn’t bother with a comparatively strong setup. Instead, ‘’Here’s your protagonist, a chosen one - love it or leave it’’. This approach strengthens the immersion. Had Lemire gone the beaten path, the quality would have suffered.
Unfortunately, I have to point out a missed opportunity.
Later in the chapter, MC uses robotic abilities. But the readers were made aware of MC’s status immediately. Leaving it a secret up to that point would have proven to be an intriguing reveal. Oh well.
There is more than one spread utilized. And always well. Thankfully, they are easy to follow. The lettering always fits, and the information delivered does not overpower the visual storytelling. A particularly well-done addition to a spread is a complimentary closeup panel of MC reacting to a news drop. We wouldn’t see his face ‘’normally’’, but the authors making sure to add the detail is impressive!
Here is my most mention-worthy worldbuilding nitpick:
The story implies there is an ongoing ‘’Robot Genocide’’. Seemingly, carried out ‘’manually’’. And largely against ‘’assistant’’ (non-intelligent) robots. But why? A ‘’kill switch’’ not being installed even in ‘’lower level’’ robots for safety purposes, is a lame flaw. Feels very negligent! Because it has little logical reason to exist. It appears to exist within the world as a gimmick. ‘’An oversight’’ through which to pin more atrocities on humanity (and other races). And if so, as a tool for emphasizing ‘’how bad the bad guys are’’ it is LAZY.
By the chapter closure, we get a second look at the planet we started on. After a time skip. It retreads places seen before, now in a strikingly affected landscape. Less civility, worn-down environments, technological regression, and apt color changes are effective signifiers of societal collapse. Very masterful!
Final note - introducing villainous galactic mercenaries with true racial diversity is a fantastic creative choice. Space-faring stories with humanity blatantly overrepresented and serving at the forefront are unimaginative, to say the least. Righting that wrong is what contributed to Mass Effects' greatness. A very warm signal, proving the influences chosen for Descender are on point!
For opening context, Descender is very likely the first 5/5 Image comic I ever read. It is heavily inspired by Mass Effect (which is great). The design of the alien visitors screams Mass Effect influence. However, unlike Mass Effect, this is told as a children’s story. It is not a childish story. And decidedly NOT for children. A children’s story. There is a difference.
The book might not be easy to like at first glance - water color art style is not for everyone. The comic receives an abstract/dreamlike presentation from this. I am not sure it has fully grown on me even after a reread. Regardless, Nguyen enhances the watercolor aesthetic with the proper rigidness of forms. It is not shapeless.
The shading is also better than expected. Because of these details, the art feels more ‘’contained’’ than in comics of this style elsewhere.
‘’Half-assing’’ establishing panels is a common flaw present in the medium. Some panels could have no background. Or would have a background, but not enough detailing. That's usually done as a ‘’resource conserving’’ compromise in bigger productions. Almost everyone does it. Lemire has previously had that in his other works. Given the art style, one might predict that unfinished panels come with the territory. But thats not really true here!
Yes, some panels, particularly the close-ups, could use more background work. But it is a forgivable flaw if compensated with generous use of establishing shots, which IS the case. Architecture and interior design evoke the futuristic setting of the world well enough. Nguyen's crowds are purposeful collections of diverse shapes with enough details to properly visualize the street view, for example. As a result, none of it is seriously detrimental, but pedants unfamiliar with Lemire's previous work might find an issue here. Be warned.
You could, after all, make the argument that keeping panels minimalistic in places helps the overall perception of the panel (aids readability by limiting visual clutter) and puts focus on important parts. Like facial expressions.
Subjective art style preferences aside, Lemire, Nguyen and Wands are the right guys for the job.
When narration mentions population diversity, a panel on the next page zooms in on the crowd to ‘’prove it’’. The art serves to substantiate the narrative. The way it should be.
Sound effects efficiently enhance the visuals, i.e., when the bustling crowd is made alive.
Suspense is established by having the characters react to things happening off-screen. The reader is left guessing, which makes the delayed reveals for what is coming to take place, have weight.
White being the default background color in panels for the first part of the issue (which takes place on the ground level), is great for contrast, when the view soon enough shifts out into space, which is predominantly black. The shift is felt.
Robot speech bubbles have an alternate shape with distinct lettering. It is a good choice for setting voices apart. On top of that, it serves as impactful foreshadowing for later, when the story delves into topics of segregation and discrimination. Even interactions with computers are consistently varied!
Emphasizing words with colors (not just putting them in bold) within bubbles is another underutilized detail in comic books. Clarity in speech delivery is a very strong enhancement for a narrative-heavy comic like this. And an impressive endorsement to Wands’ talent!
Speaking of which, Steve Wands, the letterer on this, was a discovery for me. At least I thought so. After some research, I learned he has been having an extensive career already. Most notably, on Attack On Titan - a wildly different performance. Who could have thought?!
This knowledge might help explain an annoying lettering ‘’bug’’ that sticks out. That being, the unnecessary usage of exclamation marks for expression of shock when the art already conveys the emotion through facial features. It happens more than once! My guess is it seeps over into this from his previous experience with mangas, where the limited facial expressions warrant the use of exclamation marks in speech bubbles. But that's an excuse. This is a definite ‘’oopsie’’ nonetheless.
Overall, the first few introductory pages are impactful and sell the scale of the story well. They build the correct expectations. The importance of characters is implied sufficiently through dialogue. While never coming off as heavy-handed or forced exposition. In large part that is thanks to narration boxes sharing much of the burden - those are not stale.
Post-introduction sequence, the main story jumps in time and starts with a neat entry point - a robot awakening in what appears to have been an abandoned mining facility for 10 years. A grey filter applies a fitting atmosphere to a plain, cold environment. The mystery is engaging. Reader gets to learn the backstory hand in hand with the MC, by exploring the environment through their eyes. A very admirable ‘’show, don’t tell’’.
More importantly, the presented circumstances justify the MC being a robot. AND only a robot could be the MC in such a setting. Very neat indeed! Many lesser stories wouldn’t bother with a comparatively strong setup. Instead, ‘’Here’s your protagonist, a chosen one - love it or leave it’’. This approach strengthens the immersion. Had Lemire gone the beaten path, the quality would have suffered.
Unfortunately, I have to point out a missed opportunity.
Later in the chapter, MC uses robotic abilities. But the readers were made aware of MC’s status immediately. Leaving it a secret up to that point would have proven to be an intriguing reveal. Oh well.
There is more than one spread utilized. And always well. Thankfully, they are easy to follow. The lettering always fits, and the information delivered does not overpower the visual storytelling. A particularly well-done addition to a spread is a complimentary closeup panel of MC reacting to a news drop. We wouldn’t see his face ‘’normally’’, but the authors making sure to add the detail is impressive!
Here is my most mention-worthy worldbuilding nitpick:
The story implies there is an ongoing ‘’Robot Genocide’’. Seemingly, carried out ‘’manually’’. And largely against ‘’assistant’’ (non-intelligent) robots. But why? A ‘’kill switch’’ not being installed even in ‘’lower level’’ robots for safety purposes, is a lame flaw. Feels very negligent! Because it has little logical reason to exist. It appears to exist within the world as a gimmick. ‘’An oversight’’ through which to pin more atrocities on humanity (and other races). And if so, as a tool for emphasizing ‘’how bad the bad guys are’’ it is LAZY.
By the chapter closure, we get a second look at the planet we started on. After a time skip. It retreads places seen before, now in a strikingly affected landscape. Less civility, worn-down environments, technological regression, and apt color changes are effective signifiers of societal collapse. Very masterful!
Final note - introducing villainous galactic mercenaries with true racial diversity is a fantastic creative choice. Space-faring stories with humanity blatantly overrepresented and serving at the forefront are unimaginative, to say the least. Righting that wrong is what contributed to Mass Effects' greatness. A very warm signal, proving the influences chosen for Descender are on point!
July 11, 2016
Descender is emotion wrapped in wires, and it's a great start to a space opera focused more on the existentialism of what makes something sentient.
Ten years after "Harvesters" (robots bigger than you can imagine) have pretty much decimated eight fully populated planets, a robot named TIM 21 awakes to find his mining colony in ruins, and his family missing.
He discovers that after the mass destruction of the planets, humans took to robot cullings, nearly wiping out a good bit of the AI population.
- Every character is pretty interesting. From a scheming robot scientist, to a human murdering mining droid, each character actually has something unique to add to the plot.
-Though slightly reminiscent of the movie AI, it goes into full space opera mode as soon as the pages get to turning. The only time it feels overly trope like is when TIM 21 is remembering his family, and the compassion and love he experienced with them. This is done through a flashback and isn't as necessary to the plot as the rest of the history that's explained.
-The backstory that Doctor Quon goes into towards the end of the book is more than worth the wait, and fully immerses you in where the story could be going.
RATING
M-There is a little bit of graphic violence in this one, it's nothing I wouldn't let a twelve year old read though.
If you would like to see more of my reviews go to www.AmandaDana.com
~Thanks for reading!~
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Ten years after "Harvesters" (robots bigger than you can imagine) have pretty much decimated eight fully populated planets, a robot named TIM 21 awakes to find his mining colony in ruins, and his family missing.
He discovers that after the mass destruction of the planets, humans took to robot cullings, nearly wiping out a good bit of the AI population.
- Every character is pretty interesting. From a scheming robot scientist, to a human murdering mining droid, each character actually has something unique to add to the plot.
-Though slightly reminiscent of the movie AI, it goes into full space opera mode as soon as the pages get to turning. The only time it feels overly trope like is when TIM 21 is remembering his family, and the compassion and love he experienced with them. This is done through a flashback and isn't as necessary to the plot as the rest of the history that's explained.
-The backstory that Doctor Quon goes into towards the end of the book is more than worth the wait, and fully immerses you in where the story could be going.
RATING
M-There is a little bit of graphic violence in this one, it's nothing I wouldn't let a twelve year old read though.
If you would like to see more of my reviews go to www.AmandaDana.com
~Thanks for reading!~
April 15, 2015
So, it's too early to really rate something 5 stars and "It's amazing!" since I'm a crotchety reviewer, but other than being exactly what I can't resist: sci-fi, boy robots, and a dog (with the only thing missing being a female spy, and who knows, one might appear), the art is absolutely stunning. Dustin Nguyen, why haven't I been consuming your stuff?
At slightly more length, it's an interesting mash-up of things that I really enjoy, including several elements of Japanese sci-fi. For instance, giant robots/mecha and politics when giant robots are used as space weapons. The first issue also hints at exploring themes about what it means to be human, discrimination/fear/cheap labor, and the ethics of technology, as framed in many humans vs. robots/android works (Metropolis, Ghost in a Shell, etc.) Lemire's showcases one of his major strengths in Descender #1, evoking whimsy and lyricism, and conveying how the vastness of space can simultaneously make people feel significant and connected as well as insignificant and lonely (reminiscent of a series like Saturn Apartments).
At slightly more length, it's an interesting mash-up of things that I really enjoy, including several elements of Japanese sci-fi. For instance, giant robots/mecha and politics when giant robots are used as space weapons. The first issue also hints at exploring themes about what it means to be human, discrimination/fear/cheap labor, and the ethics of technology, as framed in many humans vs. robots/android works (Metropolis, Ghost in a Shell, etc.) Lemire's showcases one of his major strengths in Descender #1, evoking whimsy and lyricism, and conveying how the vastness of space can simultaneously make people feel significant and connected as well as insignificant and lonely (reminiscent of a series like Saturn Apartments).
March 25, 2016
*3.5 stars
I enjoyed reading this fist volume in a new sci fi graphic novel series. The art style, which is painted in water colors, took me a little time to get used to. The lines are not sharp and crisp as most other graphic novels I have read, so some panels were a little difficult to make out. But by the end of the book, I did get used to the style. And the style often added to the atmosphere of the book, too.
The story is interesting and always held my attention. It's a promising first book in a series, and I will be continuing on in the series.
I enjoyed reading this fist volume in a new sci fi graphic novel series. The art style, which is painted in water colors, took me a little time to get used to. The lines are not sharp and crisp as most other graphic novels I have read, so some panels were a little difficult to make out. But by the end of the book, I did get used to the style. And the style often added to the atmosphere of the book, too.
The story is interesting and always held my attention. It's a promising first book in a series, and I will be continuing on in the series.
July 27, 2016
Me encanto esta novela gráfica, es la primera que leo en mucho tiempo, no creí que la disfrutaría tanto. Su originalidad me sorprendió bastante, las ilustraciones son bellísimas, me encanto que el ilustrador verdaderamente logrará transportarte dentro de la historia con sus preciosas imágenes, y que decir de la novela en general, está muy bien escrita, si te gusta la ciencia ficción, eso de los robots, con algunos toques de humor este es el indicado para ti.
Necesito leer la segunda parte porque se quedo buenísima!!!
Necesito leer la segunda parte porque se quedo buenísima!!!
August 25, 2016
So far, with this first book, I am already intrigued and really wanting to see what happens next. I love the characters and the art style and the story so far is very interesting. I would've given it 5 stars but it gets 4 because this first story arc doesn't explain a whole lot. One character reveals all of his cards, but it doesn't seem to have a whole lot of impact just yet because the story is still so fresh. I'm sure this will change going forward, but 4 stars for now.
June 17, 2016
Oh, Jeff Lemire. You can do no wrong. The worlds of United Galactic Council were destroyed by Harvesters ten years ago, and a small boy-bot on a mining colony may be the old clue in understanding these enormous destroying robots. Tim-21 has "slept" through the destruction, but now he's awake and the adventure begins. I predict LOTS of tears.
September 4, 2016
First of the series, introducing Tim-21, the child companion robot. Intriguing world, and good storytelling - I'll be back for more of this series.
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Format note: my library offers several graphic novels in ebook form but I wasn't sure how it would look while reading on my phone - good news, it was vibrant and easy to scroll and magnify for details. Another win for Hoopla Digital!
...
Format note: my library offers several graphic novels in ebook form but I wasn't sure how it would look while reading on my phone - good news, it was vibrant and easy to scroll and magnify for details. Another win for Hoopla Digital!
October 8, 2016
Excellent graphic novel, with an incredible artistic style that complements the story perfectly. You very quickly go from the perspective of one lonely robot child to an entire galaxy of competing forces, and by the end of 30 pages you're completely immersed in a very deep story. Descender is on the level of all time great graphic novels like Saga and Locke & Key.
August 13, 2020
This first issue was free on Kindle so I had to get a peek to see if it's interesting enough to get the Volumes.
This was just ok for me. The graphic art was not something I enjoyed and from what was being told in the first issue, it didn't make me interested to continue with the rest of the issues.
This was just ok for me. The graphic art was not something I enjoyed and from what was being told in the first issue, it didn't make me interested to continue with the rest of the issues.
March 14, 2015
Interesting introduction to the universe, characters are not really developed very much in this issue but the premise is intriguing and I look forward to the next issue to see how the story moves forward. Love the artwork looks like hand watercolors and is most striking on the large images.
March 18, 2015
i'm not really sure where to start. while using familiar tropes the story seems fresh and unlike anything i've seen before. the hints at what's to come are wonderful. it's also been a long time since i've seen anyone watercolor an entire book. very much impressed. cant' wait for the next issue.
July 13, 2020
Muy buen comienzo para una historia que, por desgracia, ya he visto antes en otras versiones: la Jihad Butleriana de "Dune", las Guerras Cylon de "Battlestar Galactica"... Aún así: el dibujo es muy bonito y superior al de otras series actuales, y vamos a darle una oportunidad a ver cómo evoluciona.
April 8, 2015
This is a brand new series by Jeff Lemire that I picked up because everyone at my comic book store raved about it, so I decided to take a chance. Boy, am I glad I did! Very excited to see where this is going to go.
February 28, 2015
A very promising #1. Echoes of PLUTO, which is a very high compliment!
March 5, 2015
Brilliant first issue! Complex and intriguing world building, interesting characters, compelling storytelling, and fascinating art design. A must read!
March 11, 2015
Pretty damn good.
Huge scope from the start, but with a firm grip on the world and story.
All the praise and advanced movie deal, totally deserved.
Nguyen excellent.
December 17, 2015
Excellent start to a story - beautifully drawn. Very excited about this series.
April 19, 2015
This has the potential to be one of my favorite comic book series, but maybe I'm jumping the gun. I don't even care about Sci-fi. The art in Descender is just so brilliant.
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