To be honest, I wasn't sure what I was going to get with this book. I had initially assumed it was somehow connected to Scout Comics' run of Star Bastard, but after I started reading, I realized that Space Bastards was an entirely different animal. The rear cover depicts an old cowboy relieving himself, so I knew I was in for something special.
The series starts off at the desk of David S. Proton, a professional accountant. He has shown up on time for his job every day for years on end. David is abruptly laid off from his job, and his bank account has been frozen. While grieving on his couch, David stumbles across an ad for a job opening at the Intergalactic Postal Service, and it just may be his saving grace.
To put it into perspective, this is a series full of mayhem, entertaining characters, sexy babes, and a lot of crazy death sequences. You'll see lasers. Bear traps. Indians. Cross-bows. Space ships. And an unsavory cast of characters that are constantly at odds. This is the space rat race, and these men and women love their job.
I'm about halfway through the book now, and I'm not looking forward to it being over. Firstly, the art is amazing. It reminds me of a bit of something Steve Dillon would produce with less of his harsh black lines. I also love the tone of this book. It is serious when it needs to be, but it also has a solid wit. The cast of characters helps a lot with this. Roy Sharpton is exactly as insane as he looks, and to me, he steals the page every time he makes an appearance.
While Davey himself is pretty bland (in the beginning anyway), he is an interesting choice as far as vehicles to tell such a stylized narrative. His arc is realistic, and I like that. And because of which, I could easily see this being made into a film some time down the road. While that probably won't be happening tomorrow, I'd be surprised if we don't eventually see Davey, Manicorn, and all of the other space bastards on a screen near you.
Holding this big ass book in your hands is the only way to read it and that is exactly how the authors intended. Space Bastards is presented in a huge over-sized book so you can pour over every detail! Check out the Kickstarter HERE and get your order in while you can, otherwise, your parcel just may be transferred.
Jessie Hobson