The High Ways #1

Now there's something you don't see very often:

Science fiction.

Writer and artist John Byrne channels Robert Heinlein and creates The High Ways, an entertaining story about the three-man crew of a space ship that's hired to pick up a shipment on Europa, a moon that orbit Jupiter.

The focus is on the newest member of the crew, a green navigator named Eddie Wallace. It's a useful way to introduce us to the mechanics of walking on a space station, the need for a hardsuit (space suit), how they manage an eight-month-long journey, and the etiquette for receiving a visitor halfway across the galaxy.

This is definitely the kind of story I enjoy. "Hard" science fiction, real-world applications, characters who also act like real people, interesting solutions to difficult obstacles, and terrific art.

Byrne is on his game here, as he gives the space setting a realistic feel (no easy task) and the characters loads of personality.

It's sad that there's so little "real" science fiction represented in comics (not to mention high quality SF), so we have to treasure it when it arrives.

Highly recommended!

Grade: A

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