Writing original fiction is hard, writing original science fiction is even harder. It’s not that the genre is any more difficult to write than any other, it’s just that the realm of science fiction is packed with so many unique, interesting, and incredibly popular stories and universes that it’s hard to not create something that you think is fun and original only to have an audience of rabid fans tear it to shreds for ripping off their favorite story.
The creative team behind “Clans of Belari” #1 seems to think they can find success in the somewhat crowded sci-fi space, let’s see if they can pull it off.
Written by Rob and Peter BlackieCover by: Andy Clarke
Illustrated by Daniel Maine
Colored by Carlos Lopez
Lettered by Taylor Esposito
PRIMARY LAWS OF THE BELARI SYSTEM:1.) No person or Clan may exit the system.
2.) No person or Clan may do the Designated Work of another Clan.
3.) Clans may not merge.
4.) Any person that breaks a Primary Law shall be made Outcast.On the far side of the galaxy, an isolated branch of humanity is trapped in a feudal dystopia. Oder is maintained by a system of oppression, until an orphaned girl and her incorrigible adoptive father sow the seeds of a revolution and unite the clans against a fearsome alien threat.
From Rob Blackie and Peter Blackie (creators and writers of Netflix’s historical action-adventure series, Frontier) and artist Daniel Maine comes this vast and enthralling sci-fi adventure.
“Clans of Belari” #1 is set on a distant planet where the people’s lives are controlled by an incredibly strict caste system. Each caste has a certain job to do such as piloting ships, farming, or mining resources and the clans are expressly forbidden from encroaching on each other’s territory, doing the job of another clan, or interacting with members of another clan outside of a very few times and places.
The story itself follows a former pilot of the Frigate Clan named Greely who takes on an orphaned Outcast girl named Te’a and tries to raise her as his daughter in a world where she is illegal, everyone is trying to hunt her down, and where Te’a displays all the usual signs of a rebellious teenager and has to question why the system is the way it is.
“Clans of Belari” #1 is written by brothers Rob and Peter Blackie, and according to the blurbs at the end of the book, they’re film and television creators and this is their first time writing comic books. Rob and Pete’s storytelling experience pays off well in the first issue. They’ve done a very good job establishing the rules and regulations that govern the setting, the characters have a great blend of wisdom and stupidity that makes their actions understandable and relatable, and it all comes together in an intricate tapestry that does a great job of engaging the readers and making them want to find out what happens next.
The star of the show in “Clans of Belari” #1 is the relationship between the two main characters: Greely and Te’a. Te’a plays the part of the curious and sometimes hotheaded teenager who wants to fight against a system that she doesn’t fully understand while Greely is the tired old mentor figure who knows exactly how things work, but is too tired and scared to do much about it. It’s clear that they care about each other in their own special way and that they are going to need each other more than they know if they want to survive a system that’s supposed to be there for their own protection, but is really there to exploit everyone and keep things quiet and peaceful.
While the world is interesting and the characters have a great rapport, there are some small unfortunate moments where the writer’s inexperience with comic book writing does show a little bit in “Clans of Belari” #1. It’s not enough to detract from the overall experience, but there are a few moments near the end where the pacing feels a bit jumbled. There are two pages near the end where the writers throw in an exposition dump that could have been covered in the back of the book and there are a few panels where there is a lot of dialogue that can feel a bit crowded. Other than those two noteworthy moments, it’s still a solid first comic.
Continued belowThe artwork for “Clans of Belari” #1 is provided by Daniel Maine with colors by Carlos Lopez. Maine and Lopez are a great team and their talents combine to be the real star of the entire comic. Maine shows a knack for costume and set design and when it’s combined with Lopez’s gorgeous and rich colors it all comes together to create a world that feels both very futuristic and very livable at the same time. Each clan has their own distinct color schemes and clothing styles and there’s a very real sense that there are some substantial technological and social divides between the clans based on how they act and what kind of technology they get to use. It’s a very good looking book with a ton of very subtle and well done visual storytelling that helps create a real, lived in world.
While the artwork is very good on a broad scale, it does share some of the same problems the writing has in some of the tiny details. Maine has a very indie comic book art style, which mostly means that there are pages where tiny little details on character’s faces and little bits of the setting can vary from panel to panel. They aren’t bad, but there are moments where one of the character’s facial expressions can feel a bit off, something doesn’t look clear enough, and there are moments where it feels like some of the ships were quickly photo shopped onto the panel in an effort to save time. These aren’t problems that ruin the book, but they are worth bringing up.
“Clans of Belari” #1 is a solid introduction to a very interesting universe with great characters and world building. Aside from some very tiny mistakes, it’s a great first comic book for a great writing team with some awesome art.
Final Verdict: 8.1- A story filled with heart and conflict set in a very engaging universe, but a handful of tiny details keep it from being as good as it could be.
