Comics Features

REVIEW: Biodegradable Vol. 5

This is once again a brilliant mix of dry humour, action, and story driven narrative. The first story definitely fills the humour category “The thing from another postcode”. A short but sweet story about the mixed up delivery of the controller for our planet. With a wicked punch line and beautiful art that perfectly complements the piece. Although the Alien does look suspiciously like something that I won’t mention here but you work it out.

“Job for Life” shows a pretty brutal future with the adventures of a pizza delivery guy. He will do anything to make his delivery. This has great action sequences and I’d like to see more of this. In fact you could make a whole issue out of this world, and his adventure to deliver pizzas. This would allow us to get to know the characters better and develop the world further. Even though in the short amount of time that is spent there it is well crafted and beautifully detailed.

When I read “First Impressions” I thought that it was just a cool short story about mis-perception. But then I started to think about it, I realised that this is a lesson to those of us who have stuck by “first impressions”. Sure people can make a bad impression, but to stand by that and not give the person another chance to change your mind. That is the true foolish behaviour and can lead to big mistakes. If only the aliens had tried to contact us surely we would have been great friends. A good story is one that entertain, amuse and teach all at the same time. This strip certainly does that and it shines out as the brightest gem of all these stories.

The art as you might expect is very varied between pieces. The use of black and white and colour is well exploited throughout this issue. Stories like “Marren Kane” and “First Impressions” really do the black and white style justice. There is good use of shading in both stories. It does not detract from my enjoyment of the story at all. In fact it enhances “First Impressions” but making the story the main focus and not what colour the dinosaurs and aliens were.

That’s right there is dinosaurs and aliens in this issue. Need I write more? That alone is worth the price of this anthology. 

The writing again is of a superb standard. One story after another hits it right on the head I thought following the last issue may be hard, but they have certainly kept this volume to the high quality I was expecting throughout the anthology.

Gathering together consistent talent that fits the overall tone of this Comic is a real challenge. But I’m to say that the editor has risen to that challenge most excellently.
 
I would thoroughly recommend this issue to anyone who enjoys comics, humour and dinosaurs. I’m also looking forward to the next issue to come out.

Have you read Biodegradable Vol. 5? What did you make of it? Let us know in the comments or send us your thoughts on Twitter!

About the author

Robert Bagley