Ascender Vol. 1: The Haunted Galaxy
Jeff Lemire & Dustin Nguyen, storytellers
Image Comics, 2019
Set a decade after the explosive climax of the Descender series, Ascender tells the story of the changed universe that resulted. Magic has taken the place of technology, and the ruler is a powerful vampire witch who calls herself Mother. The title implies a loving relationship, but really it's more about control. So she is very unhappy that the rebel United Galactic Council (UGC) group is still active, and seem to have added magic to their technological skill set.
After an introduction the story opens with Mila--the daughter of Andy and Effie--trying to get by on the planet Sampson. She and her father have refused to join Mother as members of The Saved, which complicates their lives, but Andy values freedom above everything. The narrative does not immediately reveal who she is, so we don't fully appreciate the connection to Descender, until Andy's robot dog Bandit arrives. His arrival triggers the arrival of Mother's security forces, and a flashback which reveals the history of Effie's sacrifice to ensure the family's safety.
They run to the ports on the shore seeking Telsa, Andy's old partner. He's convinced she can find them a spaceship to escape the planet. Mother's militia shows up and Andy is run through with a sword. Telsa runs off with Mila, thinking Andy is dead. They are headed off-world: and the last page shows Andy in the water, returning to consciousness. Looks like another epic escape saga is being set up, with Andy trying to reconnect with his daughter, Telsa and Bandit. Nguyen's watercolor artwork continues to be an attractive signature for the new series.
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