Not really enough story for this issue of Ei8ht. There are quite a few scenes and a bit of information–without being exposition–but there’s not a lot of story. In fact, as far as story goes, there’s only like five pages. The protagonist gets up and walks around and hears about the Meld.

The rest of the comic, with the female soldier arguing for the protagonist visitor guy’s survival (instead of being given to the bad guy) and a bunch of stuff with an exploration vessel from Earth, isn’t exactly story or subplot. It should be, but something about the way Johnson writes it, it’s not.

The opening of the comic is confusing as all heck, just because–at issue two–Johnson hasn’t done enough to establish these characters. And even though Albuquerque’s art’s magnificent, his people aren’t exactly distinguished. They’re all human, all fit.

It’s okay enough stuff.

CREDITS

Writers, Rafael Albuquerque and Mike Johnson; artist, Albuquerque; letterer, Nate Piekos; editors, Spencer Cushing and Sierra Hahn; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.

What is Ei8ht?

Well, first off, it’s gorgeous. Rafael Albuquerque does a great job. Nothing’s exactly original–Planet of the Apes meets Twelve Monkeys meets Waterworld meets The Road Warrior–but it all looks really good. Albuquerque immediately brings personality to the characters. He and co-writer Mike Johnson even choose just the right names for certain connotations.

Wait, wait, wait. Albuquerque’s great except the last page. I need to bring it up for a second. It’s the “money shot” of the issue, it’s what sets it the last page being some kind of cliffhanger, and Albuquerque fumbles. He’s not thoughtful about the illustration and it shows. Maybe he’s busy, but maybe the editors need to do more.

There’s a lot of time travel and so on in Ei8ht. Space travel, time travel. Albuquerque and Johnson do it well. Not original, but thoughtfully constructed from other elements.

It’s definitely okay.

CREDITS

Writers, Rafael Albuquerque and Mike Johnson; artist, Albuquerque; letterer, Nate Piekos; editors, Spencer Cushing and Sierra Hahn; publisher, Dark Horse Comics.