Welcome to our Summer Comics Binge of “The Manhattan Projects” by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra. I’ve read work by both creators before, namely Hickman’s X title relaunch and half of “East of West” (that’s on hold until I finish “The Manhattan Projects”), and Pitarra’s short-lived “Leviathan.” I’ll be reviewing a volume of the series every week. Be warned, this review does contain spoilers.
Cover by Nick PitarraThe Manhattan Projects Vol. 3
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated by Nick Pitarra (#11-14) and Ryan Browne (#15)
Colored by Jordie Bellaire
Lettered by Rus WootonWhat if the research and development department created to produce the first atomic bomb was a front for a series of other, more unusual, programs? The acclaimed FEEL GOOD, BAD SCIENCE epic series now in one super educational package. It’s THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS, VOLUME 3: BUILDING! Collecting issues 11-15 of the world’s most irreverent alt history book.
One thing is made very clear at the start of this volume; The Manhattan Projects have grown. They’ve dramatically expanded since we last saw them, with multiple levels to the Projects now alive and buzzing with scientific activity. There’s an enormity to the scale of the projects now, but, as Enrico points out, the Projects have now become an “all-consuming, behemoth of mediocre concepts.” There’s a tangible discontent established in the opening exchanges between Enrico and Dr. Daghlian, not so much in their relationship, but a sense of discontent with the direction of the Projects and it marks a significant shift in the series.
Last week, it felt like as readers we were meant to sit back and enjoy the bonkers narrative of this alternate history, but this week, there’s friction between the scientists that draws us in closer. Sure, there had been tensions previously, largely generated through the incorporation of Nazi scientists into the programme, but in this volume, the scientists are splintering apart. The scientists have achieved their goals of travelling into space and there’s a hesitation in what to do next. Many of them have been “afflicted by the malady of responsibility,” as Einstein describes it. They now need reinvigorating to shake this malady.
Oppenheimer proposes three projects for their future, Ares, Gaia, and Vulcan, while keeping a fourth, Charon, to himself. With these projects, he aims for colonization of other planets, the extension of human life, and a new source of energy. As a result, the scientists are split up and assigned to different projects and the distance between their locations, aims, and senses of responsibility, allows for a far more compelling insight into their characters, but Hickman leaves one last problem for the scientists to deal with together first.
In the opening issue, the unveiling of Oppenheimer’s plans is interposed between flashbacks to Daghlian’s fatal accident and its fallout (pardon the pun). We see Daghlian confined to a radiation-proof room, with only Enrico visiting him. Despite being only bones and glowing radiation, there’s more to him. He was loved by everyone that he met before being involved in an accident and then was left on his own, with everyone fearing him. Likewise, Enrico’s persistent attempts to keep him company and develop a device to enable him to walk freely again show us a humanity that has been severely lacking in the characters otherwise.
The irony here, in regards to Enrico’s case, is that he’s not human. He’s an alien that was sent to Earth years ago to observe the human race’s development. He took Enrico Fermi’s appearance, and was instructed to act when humanity was on the brink of breaking out into the solar system. In this pair of issues, #11 and #12, Hickman’s structuring choices work so well; as an audience, we’re sympathetic towards these two friends following the flashbacks in #11, before being horrified to see Enrico suddenly change into his alien form and fling Daghlian into space. This isn’t the only horror that he’s enacted on him though, with the flashbacks revealing that he set up Daghlian’s ‘accident.’ This dark turn by Enrico/the alien drone, leaves us on the edge of our seats and, importantly, leaves the characters undoubtedly changed.
Issue #13 jumps ahead a year with the scientists now assigned to Oppenheimer’s different projects. The discomfort with the progress made is seen in each project; Feynman is uneasy about Einstein’s methods, Yuri is worried about Laika flying around in space for the next five years, and Ustinov voices his concerns about their arrogance and the line between sinner and scientist. The responses by Einstein, von Braun, and Groves are hardly indicative of any change in their attitudes, but it’s refreshing to see the characters showing some concern.
Continued belowBy the end of issue #14, with General Westmoreland taking the scientists off of their projects, leaving an increasingly conflicted Oppenheimer solely in control, and Laika coming face to face with an alien fleet, the next volume promises that there’s plenty more to come.
I realise I’ve made #14 seem like the final issue of the volume, which it isn’t, but that is because, with Ryan Browne taking the artistic reigns once again, #15 is a highly entertaining but least story intensive issue. Browne depicts the ongoing Oppenheimer Civil War and we see the infinite Oppenheimers fighting against each other. As with #10, Browne brings so much enthusiasm to the artwork and there’s a feeling of individuality to each Oppenheimer, as well as a sense of shared unity in each side that warrants a revisit after finishing the issue, just to see the details in each design.
This is the first volume of the series where my notes aren’t filled disproportionately with references to the artwork, and that isn’t because the art team haven’t combined well, it’s due to the strength of Hickman’s story choices in this volume. Previously, the script has allowed for Pitarra to bring the zany elements to life, but there’s less focus on that in these volumes. In this volume, it’s the script that leaves the reader stunned, with Pitarra’s artwork detailing the subtler character moments, such as the fear in Daghlian’s eyes as he is helpless to prevent the accident happening before him, or the sadness that seems to be expressed by Daghlian’s radioactive skull as he reads Dealing with Loneliness, instead.
Overall, “The Manhattan Projects” volume three sees Hickman go beneath the surface of many of the scientists, giving them a deeper sense of character and humanity.
