Martian Confederacy Out This Week

Released this week was The Martian Confederacy, a new sci-fi adventure graphic novel written by Jason McNamara (First Moon, Continuity) and drawn by Paige Braddock (Jane’s World).

It’s set on Mars in the year 3535, but this isn’t a shiny happy future. It’s Mars as trailer park. Think of the grimy bar that shows up in Star Wars or Serenity, and then envision a planet like that, where even the air is controlled by a corporation.

Boone’s a scrappy guy getting by on his wits (patterned after your typical charming rogue type, although a bit more generic and not very charming), while Lou is his android friend and Spinner is his fence and a bear. Alcarde is the bad guy preventing rebels from bringing oxygen to Mars in order to maintain profits. It’s a shame the motives are so predictable and the action familiar (if you’ve seen science fiction before), combined with the violence of a thriller. Personally, I would have preferred more comedy, less gore, but I’m squeamish.

This interview with McNamara will give you more idea of the background and aims of the story. See preview pages at the book’s blog, including examples of the coloring. Don MacPherson liked the book.