LOW by Remender & Tocchinni Arriving 7/30!
LOW is a brand new science fiction tale by the writer of Black Science, Rick Remender, and artist Greg Tocchinni (Uncanny X-Force, Last Days of American Crime). The first issue introduces us to the family Caine, helmsmen of a ship carrying humanity’s very last, years after the sun’s radiation renders the Earth’s surface uninhabitable. One of their scouting probes gives hope for relocation, but first they must deal with the aggressions of a rival clan.
The foundation of LOW recalls Remender’s previous work on Black Science. Both feature a high-tech futuristic setting and a cast of intellectual and family-centered characters exploring new worlds intending to benefit mankind. Except, whereas Black Science kept us guessing about character relationships and motives from the offset, LOW draws clear lines between good and bad. Its main characters are the ideal family: the Caine siblings love and support each other, and their parents are model citizens. Having a cast full of pristine do-gooders undercuts the drama in this issue, as even disagreements between family members appear amicable, but given the disparate personalities between the siblings (secretly brave Tajo, brash Della, and the attentively abiding Marik) this will certainly change in coming events as they discover their true selves.
In this opening installment, Remender is mostly focused on establishing key goals, context, and fleshing out the atmosphere. High-octane action is saved until the very end, but when the chaos ensues it builds into an epic and fiery conclusion. Occasionally the exposition on a page can grow abundant, however Remender is quick to get the necessary background out of the way. We have seen that Remender is capable of snappy dialogue and interesting situational exchanges (case in point, Deadly Class). With his talent, there should be high hopes for where he will carry this series.
One of the great strengths of the book is Tocchinni’s gorgeous artwork. He favors a low contrast visual style, where colors blend comfortably and the aesthetics are easy on the eyes. The use of deep tones brings the dark ocean setting to life and accurately frames humanity’s desperate situation.
