Strange Adventures
Various writers & artists
Vertigo, 2014

A compilation of two science fiction themed Vertigo anthologies: Strange Adventures 1 (2011) and Mystery In Space 1 (2012), which both used the 84-page saddle-stitched format that Vertigo adopted for their anthologies during this period.  There are 18 short stories included, each about 8 - 10 pages long. So as always with anthologies like this the reader is on to a new story every few minutes, whether they were enjoying the current one or not. 

There are a wide variety of creators represented. Strange Adventures arguably had the most high-profile stories. "A 'True Story' from Saucer Country" is a short story set in the universe of writer Paul Cornell and artist Ryan Kelly's Saucer Country series (with guest artist Goran Sudžuka). It was also reprinted in the first Saucer Country trade paperback.  An eight-page teaser for Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso's nine-issue miniseries Spaceman presented the opening sequence of the first issue. And Jeff Lemire wrote and drew "Ultra The Multi-Alien," an evocation of the original DC Comics Silver Age Strange Adventures series. In "Case 21" Selwyn Seyfu Hinds and Denys Cowan tell a story about a dystopian future in which tattoos are used to indicate social status. Peter Milligan and Sylvain Savoia tell a haunting story about two friends--each of whom may or may not be imaginary--in "Partners." In "All The Pretty Ponies" Lauren Beukes and Inaki Miranda tell a lurid tale about the rich using MindRide technology to experience slum life--until everything goes horribly wrong, raising the question of who is dreaming whom.

Notable stories in Mystery In Space include "Asleep To See You" by Ming Doyle and Jordie Bellaire, which tells a touching story of two lovers reunited after time differences caused by space travel; while Nnedi Okorafor's writing in "The Elgort" benefits from Michael Wm. Kaluta's fantastical depiction of the title monster. "The Dream Pool" combines Kevin McCarthy's writing and layouts with Kyle Baker's distinctive cartooning; and Mike Allred and Laura Allred contribute a psychedelic exploration of the cycle of birth and death in "Alpha Meets Omega."

 

 

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