Written and drawn by Marty Tina G

Available now at shortboxcomicsfair.com

Tala is a bounty hunter with no manner of lick. Sheda is a businesswoman. She’s dead. She’s in Tala’s head. There’s a lot of discussion about whose fault what is. Also fighting for their lives. Life. It’s complicated.

Marty Tina G’s 54 page flat out sprint is a blast from start to finish. G balances character and action perfectly and hits the ground the running with a pulpy energy that evokes the best of 2000AD while doing something truly its own.

The art is equal parts subtle and energetic, and I especially enjoyed the difference between Tala’s burly  physicality and the ever so slightly idealized holographic avatar representing Sheda. This also leads to some great moments of visual storytelling. The more power Sheda uses, the less of her avatar remains and that’s just one of the ticking clocks driving the book. Their increasingly panicked, inventive sprint towards rescue throws their relationship into sharp relief and G has a fantastic ear for dialogue. Sheda, while dead, is also used to the high life and has no issue giving Tala stick for the choices she’s making. Tala’s determination is balanced by vast guilt at what’s happened to Sheda and both of them are trapped in the thinning strands of a relationship which isn’t as over as either of them think. It’s very funny, very sweet and goes places you don’t expect and it’s all presented in G’s friendly, expressive, energetic style. There’s a lot going on here and it’s all delivered beautifully, in one of the best presented, likable comics I’ve read all year.

Verdict: This is immense fun, crackling with wit, humour and romance. It’s a great science fiction story with heart and brains and it’s well worth your time. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart