Reaching Out To Friends And Monsters With Outpost Zero #13
by Josh Davison
[*Mild Spoilers Ahead!]
Sam, Alea, and Otto have found a massive and strange creature in the water. Otto believes that it’s trying to communicate with Sam and Alea through rhythmic vibrations, and he tries to translate for them. Meanwhile, Karen, Jann, and Denis are trying to find their missing children. However, Arturo and the council are turning the people against Karen, Jann, and Denis, and this is intruding on their efforts to find the kids. Finally, Mitchell babysits his sister and Maddie as they embark on their drug-induced psychedelic trip.
Outpost Zero #13 continues the story of its inhabitants in an interesting if somewhat scattershot manner. We follow Sam and Alea’s quest to identify the underwater creature while their parents and guardians search for them.
The story of Sam, Alea, and Otto is the main plot of the issue, and it’s quite strong. We watch them try and identify and communicate with the strange sea creature, but we also watch Alea get Sam to open up to her. It leads to a very heartfelt moment, and it’s hard not to feel for Sam.
The story of Jann, Karen, and Denis is good too. They just want to look for their kids, but Arturo and the council are hamstringing them and threatening to turn the entire Outpost against its scientists and security.
The drug trip plot is the least compelling by far. It isn’t innately bad, but it’s the far less interesting thread. It does end with a serious confession from Mitchell, but even that is somewhat unrelated to the drugs consumption of Liss and Maddy.
The artwork remains quite good. Alexandre Tefenkgi knows how to render this world quite well by now, and the design of the sea creature is great. The art representing the drug trip is quite good too. Jean-Francois Beaulieu’s color art is brilliant too, and he makes the aforementioned drug trip look fantastic.
Outpost Zero #13 is the first issue of this series that I’ve read in quite some time, but it still felt like slipping into some old, comfortable clothing. The story remains interesting, the premise is solid, and the art is damn good. Despite my criticisms, I can still recommend this title fairly easily. Feel free to check it out.
Outpost Zero #13 comes to us from writer Sean Kelley McKeever, artist and cover artist Alexandre Tefenkgi, color artist Jean-Francois Beaulieu, and letterer Ariana Maher.
Final Score: 7.5/10