Comic Review: The Manhattan Projects #12

Once again, Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra bring forth their brand of alternate history sci-fi in this newest issue of The Manhattan Projects. In a world where the atomic bomb wasn’t the only thing being researched by the famed group of scientists, Einstein, Oppenheimer, Daghlian, Feynman and more are all a bit different than history tells, and that leads to some seriously bad science.

As the last issue ended, Daghlian and Fermi sat on the Moon, pondering their position as beings less, and more, than human. This issue picks up right away with Fermi making a rather unexpected transformation. The story then briefly switches to Fermi’s childhood, where the reader finds out more about his status as an alien. After this, Fermi’s true purpose amongst the Manhattan Projects becomes apparent and he attempts to enact his mission. The issue ends with one of the truly saddest moments of the series so far.

Jonathan Hickman can write a darn good sci-fi story. Even with characters who are almost all less than morally good people, it’s hard not to empathize with them. Even with characters such as Fermi, who is revealed to be something sinister, it’s hard not to ultimately like them. Hickman’s blend of outrageous sci-fi and small kernels from history help to make The Manhattan Projects almost believable, even as something completely ridiculous happens.

Nick Pitarra’s art is what truly makes The Manhattan Projects something special. With another artist, it would likely still be a great book, but it would be missing something great. He makes the aliens truly grotesque and his twisted and beautiful art is perfect for this story of science and genius gone wrong. As always, Jordie Bellaire‘s make this issue even more beautiful and bring it to another level entirely.

As it does each month, The Manhattan Projects does something special. It takes terrible and flawed characters with questionable motivations and makes them sympathetic. It takes strange sci-fi/alternate history and makes it seem almost ordinary. It’s a comic quite unlike any other.

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