Monkeybrain’s latest series focuses on an interesting figure in both scientific, musical, and espionage history. I know, sounds like a guy begging to be comic book-ed. Pretty much any $1 #1 is worth it in my opinion, but how “worth it” is this debut? Be warned: lots of dashed interruptions — like this — follow.
Written by Curt Pires
Illustrated by Dalton RoseTime travel is real and scientist/inventor Leon Theremin just discovered it. The journey from scientist to super spy is shorter than you think. It all starts here. The first chapter in the new series by Curt Pires, creator of the critically acclaimed “LP”, and art sensation DALTON ROSE, the creator of “PHABULA” and artist of “SACRIFICE”.
Premise is always second to execution — yes, always, but you have to talk about it a bit when discussing “Theremin.” Léon Theremin is a figure second only to Nikola Tesla in terms of real world figures with science fiction potential. As well as the instrument bearing his name, and other instruments, Theremin created a few espionage devices that saw use through the early years of the USSR — he was the NKVD’s Q, if you will. “Theremin” blends these two fields together into something even more interesting, encroaching on “music of the spheres” territory. It’s a fresh idea, which is impressive enough considering the gimmicky nature the theremin has taken since producers realized it was perfect for science fiction scoring. Theremin was a pioneer, examining the previously uncharted — or, at least, under-charted — relationship between sound and energy, and while this series may take that relationship to new extremes, it does so with respect and deference. There’s a starry eyed wonder regarding this relationship between reality and sound — and, consequently, music — that is embedded in the concept and that many of us can identify (resonate?) with, resulting in a comic that has you hooked right away.
When writing dialogue for science-fiction, you walk a fine line. If you make it to technical, you very seriously risk losing a large portion of your audience. If you make it too vague, readers may call you out for “hand-waving,” or, worse, not knowing what you’re talking about (funny that people will say that for made-up or, at best, highly theoretical science, but here we are). Pires hits that happy medium that many sci-fi scripters aim for but miss: his words avoid jargon, but are clearly written with a scientific mind. Theremin’s thirst for knowledge, for truth, and, most prominently, for wonder is palpable. Pires’s Theremin speaks (and… captions) like a scientific mind — which is kind of the point. Of course, the layman associates science with jargon, and Pires would be remiss in leaving all of it out, which brings us to his masterstroke: while it may only be for three panels, Pires interrupts Theremin’s thoughts with pure, abstract calculations. Again, this happens very briefly, but it completes his depiction of Theremin as a man of science, all without losing the reader — as they are calculations the reader, most likely, will not know, they stand less as part of the narrative and more as a glimpse into a complex mind. That Pires distributes them between a continuous strain of thoughts — without the annoying mid-sentence interruptions that other writers are so fond of — show Theremin as a man with a mind that runs on multiple tracks. Between this, and Pires’ ability to write with such gravitas without coming off as overwhelming or unnatural, the dialogue gets an A.
That being said, the “like a comic book” line is a bit on the nose, but I’ll let it slide because I’m nice like that.
Dalton Rose is rather new to the industry, and, I won’t lie, you can tell. I hate typing that, because I mean it with the best of intentions; I love Rose’s work in this issue, and can’t wait to see him develop into a powerhouse. Let’s get the bad out of the way: Rose’s work isn’t completely refined. He does not quite have the precision that more mainstream readers may be used to, and as he is working digitally, that lack of precision is slightly more noticeable, as it manifests in ways different from the typical penciling/inking method that most are used to. With that out of the way, though, let’s address something important: it doesn’t matter. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but seriously, we are talking comics here, and the only way to even kind of objectively judge comic art is by how well it tells a story. In this most important area, Rose passes with flying colors. The pages of “Theremin” are a cinch to read; not once does Rose lose his reader in sloppy storytelling or confusing panel composition. Even in dialogue- or caption-heavy sequences, Rose knows how to adjust angle and focus to keep the reader interested, and how to manipulate facial expression to match the speech without slipping into caricature. Most of the pages are conservative in their layout — that is to say, based on parallelograms, while still providing an excellent sense of motion — but the one page where Rose breaks free of these norms is outstanding, less like fresh blood trying out a new trick and more like a veteran doing what he does normally. Rose has that touch that many would-be comic artists lack — that sense of drawing like a comic artist — and that will serve him incredibly well in this industry.
“Theremin” #1 is a bold debut that does what a first issue should do: hooks readers with an interesting premise, offers page after page of well executed comic book-ing, and ends on a note that will have readers coming back for more. Pires and Rose demonstrate an awareness of how the medium works that many long-established professionals — not naming any names — have yet to grasp. For only a dollar, you can’t afford to miss it.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Come on.
