Creator/Writer: Jason G. Birdsall
Cover and Interior Artist, Exordium #1: Thomas Garbarini
Interior Artist, Exordium #2: James Newell
Cover Artist, Exordium #2: Adam Stone
Variant Cover Artist, Exordium #2: Stefano Fortis
I don’t know about you, but I am always in the mood for a sci-fi read, especially one that is as well written and beautifully illustrated as Venus Rises. This indie comic from creator Jason G. Birdsall focuses on the story of the human race starting a new life on Mars and Venus after barely escaping the nearly destroyed and apocalyptic Earth. As the planet Venus is populated with the working class, Mars takes on the power role as the two planets clash and the cultural and political clashes return. As a revolution is stirring among the people, humanity finds itself in the age of extinction, leaving them to wonder who, if any, will make it out alive? This action packed comic series will leave you excited for more as these dedicated humans single handedly fight for their lives and the rest of mankind. With the first two volumes out now, you find out more here, and get your hands on them before the next chapter releases.
As someone who just started to get into series like The Expanse, this series is a homerun for me, mirroring some of the same energy as the show capturing my favorite character dynamics. After being able to read both parts, I am so excited to see where the third installment takes the characters after their action-packed, fast paced adventures thus far. There is something to say about how writing can carry a story, and this series is a great example of it. Jason G. Birdsall’s writing drives the story and in an instant, immerses the reader into this not so distant future fighting for their salvation. I have found that in recent months, more often than not, that it is hard for me to dive into the in comics because the stories are too baseline or they are just too lazily written, but this fortunately was just about the opposite. From the first page, I knew I was hooked, and was ready to dive into this galactic world, and the storyline ended up being one of my favorites in a while.
One of my favorite parts of this series alongside the writing is the individual character arcs. Over the course of just the two comics so far, I have already grown very attached to the characters and am very excited to see them continue fighting for their planet in the next installment. I love all of the dynamics between the characters and all the little traits that make them stand out, and again, from the beginning it is very easy to get attached to all of the characters, and jump into the fight alongside them. I think that this adventure speaks for itself, and I don’t know if I could do it justice, so without spoiling anything, go check it out for yourself here. You can find a preview, art, special editions, and more. I will be returning for the next installment of Venus Rises once Birdsall and the rest of the crew release it.
With several artists on the Venus Rises team, including Thomas Garbarini, James Newell, Adam Stone (you can find his Twitter here), and Stefano Fortis, no comic would be complete without illustrations. It brings the characters and story to life, and hands down, my favorite part of the illustrations are the introduction panels with the different plants being the star of the show. They stand out so much against the rest of the panels and provide a galactic look into the setting. I also am sucker for cover art, and am loving what Garbarini and Stone have done so far! I love the different variations and special editions from Stefano Fortis, and am hoping to get my hands on a copy of the new editions once they release.
Overall this series so far is a great intergalactic adventure after a global government collapse, filled with adventure, enjoyable characters, and great writing. The writing speaks for itself, and I love the different variations of the cover art. If you are interested in checking out the series so far and want to stay updated on the next comic, be sure to check out their site, along with the team’s social media accounts. Venus Rises gets a 12 from me overall, and I cannot wait until the next installment!
