23rd Apr2020

‘Star Pig Vol.1’ Review (IDW)

by Chris Cummings

Written by Delilah S. Dawson | Art by Francesco Gaston | Published by IDW Publishing | Format: Paperback, 96pp

Sci-fi comics can be delightful things. I’m a big fan of the genre and so the concept of Star Pig appealed to me right away. A teenage strong female lead named Vess who goes on a space adventure with a giant water-bear (yep, you read that right) with a retro nostalgia kick emanating from Vess’s Discman. Ahhh, I had a Discman. Used to listen to it on the bus. It jumped every few seconds. Ugh.

Written by Delilah S. Dawson with artwork from Francesco Gaston, Star Pig is both the tale of adventuring and a tale of friendship, a friendship that is pretty darned unlikely. There’s a real warmth to the rapport between the characters and it builds the story so well, giving more than just a run-of-the-mill space-adventure. Gaston’s wonderfully vibrant and beautiful illustrative work took my breath away here, making it perhaps the most beautiful looking comic I’ve read this year so far. The aliens are drawn so whimsically and Vexx herself, and her facial movements, are done very well. That’s something I do love about comics and sometimes base my true enjoyment of a comic on… the expressions of the characters. I tend to read a lot of “true to life” stories in comic form, so the expressions on the faces of the characters is vital. Gaston nailed it.

Dawson’s writing was a lot of fun, bringing some smaller side arcs into play while still placing a good amount of focus on the main aspects of the tale. Vess was a fun lead character to follow. Her sarcasm and wit makes her a funny presence. Good job, too. It’s her story. The story of her making her way back home, alongside her new pal. I mean, it’s bloody charming stuff. It’s got that Ready Player One-like nostalgia going for it. A real retro shot of fun. I had a blast with Star Pig, and urge you to check it out. I expect the story to continue, and I’ll check out the next part for sure. Friendship between humans and aliens is always a good time, right? Good stuff.

**** 4/5

Star Pig Vol.1 is available now. Order your copy from Amazon.

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