UNIOVERSE

Six comic books combined into one action-packed SF story that’s full of complex political intrigue.

Writers Hodapp and Viola and artist Matsuya place readers into the thick of things from the first page with an attempted political assassination on an alien world. Sinfed Reyu, an imposing, armored alien being, manages to save the targeted representative, but is notified by his contractor about another assassination attempt carried out elsewhere by infamous assassin Krishah. Reyu is a mercenary and the last of his kind; he’d been trapped in a device called a transpod for millennia. He believes that Krishah, who works for a fringe religious terrorist group called the Ascended, may have information on what happened to his people, the Ja’din, and where their lost relics are. However, Krishah won't be turning herself in to authorities anytime soon; after failing to successfully kill an ambassador, she decides to eliminate Reyu. To muddle matters further, their standoff is interrupted by another merc-for-hire, Vella Janx, who kidnaps them for a mysterious client. Janx, along with his droid companion, 9Bot, also pick up with Tor Gret, who helps to conceal military deserter Jaxon Sutton from pursuers; and bodyguard Annill. Will they be able to carry out their client’s cataclysmic wishes without succumbing to infighting? Matsuya’s detailed, full-color illustrations skillfully bring the dynamic, alien fictional world of this series to life, rendering SF backgrounds and non-humanoid characters in expressive ways. Hodapp and Viola’s storylines vary in quality as they juggle a large cast of characters, but some of the players share intriguing similarities. Reyu and Annill, for example, are both the last of their species, due to memory-wiping time travel and an infection contagious enough to wipe out an entire planet; Krishah, who was orphaned at a young age, also knows nothing of her own past. Overall, this is a fast-paced read that will leave readers curious about what’s next in store for the cast.

An entertaining read for those who enjoy sprawling spacefaring series.