A Realistic Glimpse Into the Future--But Does it Fall Flat?
Review of BRIDGE PLANET NINE by Jared Throne
Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy.
Spoiler-free review.
At its core, Bridge Planet Nine is about corporate greed forcing people to turn against each other, though neither faction really wants bloodshed. Action. Capitalism. Faraway planets. It had the makings of a deep and gritty dystopia. But did it fall through?
The new sci-fi comic from Jared Throne follows Pearl—a pilot and reluctant thief—and her motley crew attempting to rob an old freighter on a deserted planet. The planet, of course, is not really deserted. With one of their own is kidnapped and the mission goes sideways, the crew is forced to unravel the dark history behind the planet’s deadly air—and the people surviving despite it.
The story and twists are engaging, and the worldbuilding is a realistic glimpse into a possible future, but the characters fall flat. While reading, I understood their motivations and hesitance for violence, but their reactions sometimes had me scratching my head. Without giving too many spoilers, I’ll say that when one of the crew members dies, everyone reacts with almost…indifference. What little emotion is displayed is quickly moved on from. This could have been a good way to ground readers in the high-stakes world of hesits and the threats that come with it—is a death like this normal? Did they have plans in case this happened? But instead, it feels rushed and almost forgotten.
The entire comic, really, feels rushed. I wish readers got to sit with these characters and this world more. That way, I’d better understand their emotions and decision-making. I knew just enough to get by, but I feel like we only scratched the surface of this story. There are opportunities for depth and heart that are quickly skipped over.
The art style is charming, but the characters feel rigid during the action sequences, which took some tension out of the scenes for me. Otherwise, I liked the character designs and thought the art style conveyed the right tone and mood for the story. The black and white colors, the clothing, and the scenery all felt right to me.
Overall, I recommend Bridge Planet Nine to anyone who wants to enjoy a quick sci-fi read.