This sixth issue of this intriguing series marks the end of the short and quick run which it had, though leaving open the door for perhaps something else.  Thus far in the series, the story has focused around Dr. Cale Isaacs and the manifestation of his inner torment, the superstorm Hurricane Brandon.  It has been an equal part of social commentary and playing with the theme of mankind interfering with nature, and in this issue it finally comes to a conclusion, one which is maybe expected in some sense, but still has enough edge to keep the reader guessing.

Some may not recognize it immediately but this series is indeed science fiction, only that the science in question is one not often used in this genre, meteorology.  The lack of a connection disappears completely halfway through this issue as Cale dons a sci-fi inspired helmet to finally confront the storm.  There are some parts of this story which feel rushed, but then again this story could have been expanded easily into a couple of extra issues without losing the overall tone of the series.  That being said, it is an interesting confrontation between Cale and his storm, even if it is resolved in an expeditious manner.  What is more interesting than the actual climax in this series is the denouement, one which is a bit longer than what people might be expected to in comics, where the hero usually wins and the denouement is forgotten.  Instead here the writers throw in a bit more social commentary about the ease by which politicians spin tragedy to their own interests and even tie in some current geopolitics in another way.

It is a shame that this series was unseen by so many, because it combined a mature approach in its storytelling, while also aiming high for something new in a genre overpopulated with spaceships and green skinned aliens.  The writers managed to tie together everything that they were after, and left nothing hanging while telling their story but also meeting all of the underlying themes that were developed throughout.  This series covered all of its goals, and in so doing, ended up as more than the sum of its parts.

Story: Jeffrey Morris and Ira Livingston IV Art: Dennis Calero 
Story:  8.5  Art: 8.5 Overall:  8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Future Dude and Comixology provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Brainstorm continues with its fifth and penultimate issue and doesn’t look like it will be stopping with its interesting take on the disaster genre.  As the storm advances across the country, people start to realize the threat which it poses, and while there are those that are ready to run, there are also other that are ready to stand and make a final attempt at controlling the disaster.  Thus far the series has focused mostly on Cale, either in his subconscious in the storm or in his own problems, but this issue focuses more so on the ‘Nado Ninjas, the group of reality television filmmakers focused on storms.

What is notable about this particular issue is its approach to science fiction.  Though already firmly rooted in a hard science approach to storytelling, it is not what makes this particular issue more interesting.  Instead the best science fiction, whether hard or soft has the same quality, in that it looks at more than just the science, and instead focuses on either philosophical or moral issues.  That same aspect comes here, as Cale is forced to focus on himself as both the cause and solution to the super storm, and the only way that he will be successful is by taking an honest look at himself and to stop believing the lies which he has told himself.

One might read this series and not even really appreciate it as science fiction, but when that realization is made, it is also evident that the creative team is pulling out all of the best characteristics of the genre and putting them together in an unconventional but intriguing manner.  There is not only an original approach to this series but also more depth in the story telling of a science fiction story than is found in most other places.  It is a shame that the series is less known in the medium, as it is really one of the standouts of recent months, and any reader looking for a fresh take on science fiction stories should check this out.

 

Story: Jeffrey Morris and Ira Livingston IV Art: Dennis Calero 
Story:  8.5  Art: 8.5 Overall:  8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Future Dude provided a copy to Graphic Policy FREE for review

In the relatively short history of the sub-genre of disaster based stories, there has been a common problem.  Generally speaking the plots are full of characters that are mostly one-dimensional based on the need to fulfill some role for the plot, and the antagonist is usually some out-of-control force of nature.  This creates a dual problem, both in that there are not generally many heroic characters to get behind, and also that the villain is not a villain exactly, it is more of an unfeeling and uncaring force that has no control over its actions.  Its actions might be seen to be bad by societal standards, but in effect it is governed by the laws of nature and it is not acting out of any malevolence.

The series Brainstorm addresses these limitations almost head-on and focuses on a completely different force-of-nature as an antagonist.  As a quick rundown of the issues that have come before, the series has focused on a team of weather experts and their attempt to control weather, assisted by funding of the U.S. military.  After the deployment of the first test into a hurricane, the hurricane goes wildly out of control, taking on a mind of its own.  As the story unfolds, it is revealed that the storm does have a mind of its own, or at least partially as the nanotech which is meant to attack it has been assimilated, and that nanotech is partially based on the mental pattern of the series protagonist (or maybe anatagonist?) Cale.  Far from a simple character, this is a man wrestling with his homosexuality, his dysfunctional family, and the inability to get research funding.  At the opposite end of the stream is a U.S. president all too happy to bomb the storm to oblivion, while unaware that the extra energy is causing it to increase in size as it traverses the United States.

This is an interesting series thus far, and this fourth issue continues the momentum that has been built.  The writers rely heavily on a harder approach to science in their science fiction as they have seemingly done an impressive amount of research into meteorology.  While this adds to the realism of the story, it is not there where its strength lies, but rather in its novel approach to the disaster genre which seems to always make the same mistakes.

Story: Jeffrey Morris and Ira Livingston IV Art: Dennis Calero 
Story:  8.0  Art: 8.0 Overall:  8.0 Recommendation: Read

Future Dude and Comixology provided a copy to Graphic Policy for review