Thursday Comic

Biomega, Vol. 1 - Tsutomu Nihei

The story to Biomega is both imaginative and derivative; simplistic and subtle. Our hero rides a cyberpunk motorcycle through a gothic-industrial city that would make M.C. Escher proud, his mission to protect a young woman who is resistant to the zombie plague sweeping the world. On the way he'll have to deal with the death squads rounding up the infected - and a talking, gun-wielding grizzly bear.

I don't normally go for action comics/manga. I kind of get bored reading page after page without dialogue. But this first volume of Biomega held my interest the whole time. The story is lightweight, but through careful implication (rather than forced exposition) it nicely supports the gloriously epic (which I'm using in the literal, rather than slangy sense) action, with huge explosions, impossible motorcycle stunts, thousands of zombies and indestructible villains. Events move quickly, and no individual scene of danger or violence outstays its welcome. In the same vein, the characters are taciturn, fitting established archetypes, but they're also entirely memorable and convincing. Yes, even (perhaps especially) the talking bear.

If you're looking for something atmospheric and gripping, without much in the way of idle chatter, this may be the action-horror comic for you.