Dark Wing #2

Dark Wing #2

Heavy Metal Comics 2020

Created & Written by Matthew Medney

Illustrated by German Ponce

Coloured by Protobunker Studios

As time moves fluidly throughout the journey of the Dark Wing’s crew a plot to foil the way of life so akin to the men and women aboard the Dark Wing unfolds. But deception would be an easier notion than what lies ahead.

I am a sucker for a good science fiction story and this one is absolutely spectacular. There is something about a story set in space where the inhabitants of a huge ship structure are searching for a new home that has a universal appeal, think Battlestar Galactica but one vessel. To see so many elements that are influenced by different aspects within the genre blended into this story so that it at once feels familiar and yet strange and fascinating is a feat unto itself. This is what I think of when I think of a classic science fiction story, it has that whole sweeping epic feel to it as it takes you on that unexpected journey through the stars. Plus it has all that intrigue that comes with people who like to exercise their own free will and the tensions and conflicts that arise from that.

I am a huge fan of the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented in such a beautiful manner. The character development we see is utterly amazing! The dialogue between Ben and the Council member is full of half-truths and innuendos that include genuine concern and to be able to see all this happening through how they interact with one another shows so absolutely phenomenal skill and talent when it comes to writing and being able to show the reader more than they expect. I mean seriously usually I add how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter but honestly it’s all about how these two men talk to one another and it conveys so frakkin much. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through pages I found myself getting to the last page and being left wanting more.

How we see this being structured and how words can send us to another viewpoint within the vessel acting as these layers within the story is mindblowing in how well it’s done. How we see everything working together here to create the story’s ebb & flow is magnificent to see.

God German is one of those artists who is underrated and isn’t known as well as he should be. The linework is exquisite and how he manages to utilise the varying weights and techniques to bring about the level and quality of this detail work is mindbogglingly good. The creativity and imagination in how we see the depths of the vessel and the cities full of citizens is giving me life! Everything about this and how the work is so detailed bring us into a world that you want to be in, you want to visit and have a sore neck after swivelling your head in every direction trying to take it all in. How backgrounds are utilised and how they work within the composition of the panels as they enhance the moments and bring this depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is really unparalleled. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show such a masters eye for storytelling. The colour work we see is divine! The choices and then the various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is is above and beyond. The knowledge of how colour works and how it can encompass more than people realise is sensational.

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If you want some of the absolute best storytelling on stands you need to be paying attention to this, to Heavy Metal Comics. This is as classic as it gets and it has that larger than life feel to how the reader interprets what they see. This my friends is genre defining work.