Review: Extragalactic #2 by Scott Mills

This issue of Extragalactic features a story called Dropping Science. Carter Zacharia, a quasi-monk, postulates a mind-blowing theory of alternate worlds to his colleague George, while perched on the edge of an asteroid inside the Jovian cluster.

The cosmic concepts they discuss are enthralling. The witty dialogue draws you into their world with an effortless pull that takes you deeper into the story with every panel.

The artwork continues to be visually arresting, successfully capturing the vastness and wonder of the void. Mills' panel and page layouts are inventive, nicely varied, and complement the astonishing concepts he proffers.

I love the dichotomy of a mini comic devoted to such vast and heady subjects as those presented in Extragalactic. (I only wish the type was a little vaster for my middle-aged eyeballs.)

The second issue of Extragalactic is a fitting follow-up to the impressive debut issue. In the first edition, the story is all told in first person narrative and mostly long shots of the galactic environment. In the second outing, Mills continues to challenge himself, adding character interaction that reveals the story through dialogue. The visuals range from cosmic long shots to character close-ups. I'm looking forward to see what storytelling perspective he works with next time.

Extragalactic #2 is twelve b&w pages, plus a color cover. The small press zine is 4.25" x 6.5" with saddle-stitch binding. It's available from the Poopsheet Shop and from Scott Mills' website.

R. Krauss reviews small press and mini comics on Midnight Fiction, Poopsheet Foundation and Comic Related.