Orbiter

I liked the way their personal lives are revealed as the entire story unfolded. There's enough weird and scientifically intriguing concepts to satisfy the sci-fi reader in me. But lest you mistake this book as purely Science Fiction, I'd say it's really about human hopes, dreams and the drive for self-discovery. How I felt about reading this: The story started off weird (in a nice Sci-Fi weird sort of way), there's suspense, then discovery, and finally a hint of something wondrous in the end.

Contrary to a few reviews here, Warren Ellis' Orbiter is a wonderful and powerful story that amazingly weaves both science fact and Ellis' typical mad ideas with his love of the wonder that is outer space. Taking place in a future that may be all too posible, the missing space shuttle Venture returns to what remains of the Kennedy Space Center after vanishing in space ten years earlier. All of the crew is missing, except for the captain of the ship who appears to have not aged a day, while the shuttle itself is covered in some kind of organic matter resembling skin. As the mystery of what happened to the crew and just where has the Venture been deepens, Ellis throws one idea after the other at the reader, and even though his characterizations of the characters featured in Orbiter aren't the best that the celebrated scribe has done, they are only part of his much grander scheme. The art by Colleen Doran with assists from Dave Stewart is incredibly cinematic, and some of the best to be seen in the comic business today. All in all, Warren Ellis' tribute to where we should be strikes pure gold, and although there will be plenty that may be disappointed with Orbiter, make no mistake that this is one of the smartest and most human tales in recent comic memory.

It's the near future, a decade after the end of manned U.S. Space Shuttle flights, which was the result of the disappearance of the shuttle VENTURE from its orbit. But now VENTURE is back, landing at Kennedy (and taking out a few score squatters in the process) with only John Cost, the pilot-commander, aboard. The quickly cobbled-together team of experts are driving themselves nuts trying to figure out where the shuttle has been, and how, and why. Ellis's story beautifully captures the excitement of weird physics and makes an emotional case for the continuation of manned space flight, and Doran's strightforward drawing style is a perfect match for the prose. The irony, of course, is that between the completion of the book and its publication, we lost COLUMBIA on its landing approach -- an event which especially chills the heart of every proponent of manned space exploration because the cry has again been raised for robots to take the place of humans in space. Ellis and Doran know we must never allow that to happen.

Having read the specialty April 23rd release edition, I can say ORBITER was a joy! The fluid and informed writing worked hand in hand with the subtle and dramatic art to bring the story to enthralling life, by turns mysterious (where did that shuttle go, and for 10 years?), horrific (what happens when it does return, and the strange bio technology), and awe inspiring (finding out what happened in those 10 years, and oh that ending!). As the pages turned, it became ever clearer that this is a work of passion for these creators, that they loved the subject matter, and it shone through the interesting ensemble of characters as they peeled away the layers on enigma and faced the big ideas revealed. This is a dream of the future reclaimed. I strongly recommend ORBITER, especially to space enthusiasts and fans of mysteries and sense-of-wonder stories. My only complaint, like with all good stories, is it leaves you wanting more. I hope to see author Warren Ellis and artist Colleen Doran working together again and exploring even further into a speculative future!

Warren Ellis's story presents the reader with an intriguing mystery, while at the same time showing how the space shuttle Venture's return to Earth literally restores the lives of the three scientists tasked with explaining its decade-long absence. These three, having seen their dreams shattered ten years ago, now stand on the brink of the greatest discovery in history; one which will change their lives - and the world - forever. There are echoes of Ray Bradbury and Arthur C Clarke here, and some will see elements of 50s British sci-fi serial Quatermass, but that is all to the good. This is a multi-layered tale that combines the best elements of its influences, creating a unified whole which is positive and uplifting. While a few extra pages wouldn't have gone amiss, the three leads are strong characters fully-realised by the narrative. We see something of their past, and we come to know their dreams. We like these people because they are not superhuman. They're normal, down-to-earth types whose heads just happen to be in the stars - just like us. The story is aimed at the dreamers who look up at the night sky in wonder; who shed a tear at the Challenger and Columbia disasters; and those who look at the face of the full moon and see themselves reflected...A graphic novel does not exist with words alone, and in Colleen Doran's art we find perhaps the book's greatest strength. Colleen uses a style which is largely experimental for her, full of stark contrasts, and while it is not totally successful it does suit the story extremely well. The story-telling is exceptional, and the characters are brought to life with graceful body language that is unique in every case. You can tell who the characters are just by the way they hold themselves within the panels (restless dreamer Terry Marx, introverted loner Anna Bracken), and that is a rarity in comics. We are treated to stunning full-page renditions of some of the wonders the Venture experienced on its travels, and the double-page spread of the shuttle's violent return to Earth is superb.A word of praise too must go to Dave Stewart's subtle colouring which really brings the world imagined by Warren and Colleen to life - a brighter palette would have destroyed the illusion. It is a perfect compliment to the muted watercolours of Colleen's painted cover: an image which conveys in a single illustration the full sweep of human endeavour in space.In his introduction Warren expresses his frustrations over the slow progress of mankind in space. ORBITER is his answer to those who would prefer that the exploration stop; who would cut funding; who would give machines tasks that ought to be done by people. We - mankind- have a restless thirst for knowledge, and a need to seek answers from what we see around us. Warren and Colleen believe that we will find the ultimate answers in space, and so that is where we must go.After reading this book, you'll know they're right.