Satellite Sam continues to be one of the standout series on the market, especially in the crime noir genre.  Each issue has been met with more revelations that in the golden age of Hollywood that it took little to peel back of the facade before encountering the true nature of the people associated with it, some of whom are revealed to be more angelic than they would seem, others who are true scoundrels.  What makes this series so compelling is the nature that it weaves the characters together, like a soap opera full of vice and depravity.

While the series is a compelling read there is something that specifically works against the series, and that is time.  Clearly in the balance of quality versus quantity, the creative team has gone for the former, but equally in a medium which is flooded with stories from a variety of different genres, it does make it a little hard to keep the characters straight, and this is evident in the first pages as one of the characters leads out their dominated companion, which would seem completely out of place to anyone who had not read the issues that had come before.  This forms very little of the actual narrative of the story here.  Instead it focuses on the blackmailing of Roth and the attempted murder of Elizabeth, and the stories in between that weave them together.

This series remains an excellent example of how the medium can be used in different ways that do not involve superheroes, and instead rely on characters and concepts which are of any creator’s imagination and inspiration.  The confusing story of this series will eventually lead to some ending when those behind the vile actions are forced to face the consequences of their own actions, but in the mean time it is not the overarching story line which keeps the readers engaged but rather it is the well written characters that draws the reader in.  One thing is certain though, those that judge this series only by its covers are missing a completely different story.

Story: Matt Fraction Art: Howard Chaykin
Story: 8.8 Art: 8.8 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Image provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review.