Originally published in 2005 by Afterburn Comics, Unit Primes Volume One was an independent graphic novel that was generally well received by those who encountered it--though it remains relatively unknown to the comics community at large.

The book introduced readers to the world of the titular Primes--peculiar space-faring devices that traverse the galaxy in a seemingly random manner, decimating entire planets and their native populations as they go. As one such civilization is destroyed, a wandering ship’s crew takes onboard the sole survivor, a young boy named L-Bee.

In Salvage, the second Unit Primes volume, L-Bee has aged into a bitter and hardened adult, having now lost not only his biological family but his adoptive one as well. Obsessed with finding an explanation for the devastation plaguing his galaxy, L-Bee discovers an abandoned Prime in a junkyard and sets out to crack it open to reveal its secrets.

From the get-go, it seems like series creator Chris Dreier may have fallen into one of the most tired sequel clichés in the business--that of the despondent former hero. The grown-up L-Bee exhibits self-destructive tendencies, is prone to violent outbursts, and seemingly hates every moment of his waking life. It’s a pattern of psychological free fall that has accompanied many a narrative flash-forward over the years.

However, as one reads further into the book, it becomes clear that L-Bee’s desperate state is a completely logical result of the events of his past. Regardless of how closely it might mimic the course charted by a slew of fictional characters. L-Bee is acting exactly how a person with no respite from an unending string of loss would. It’s a convincingly jarring reading experience, one that will be even more so for those who are familiar with the youthfully innocent L-Bee of volume one.

A potent supporting cast also lends this book its strength--including a villain who reaches levels of evil that ensure he will be despised. More memorable, though, are L-Bee’s two crewmembers--one serves as the epitome of loyalty while the other embraces a cold heart of deceit. The dichotomy between the pair brews in the background until it finally bubbles over to provide the most powerful moment of the story’s climax.

And what a climax it is.

Dreier and Palpham’s script knows exactly how to pull the threads together in order to turn the final sequence into a frantic sprint for the finish line. While some might claim this graphic novel’s conclusion is a bit of a cheat, I thought it was the perfect commentary on our finite human abilities to comprehend the underlying cause of everything. I can’t imagine the story ending any other way.

Giuseppe D’Elia’s artwork takes us into a Star Wars-like universe of bizarre creatures and bulky spaceships--utilizing a style that would feel at home in one of Marvel or DC’s superhero offerings. At times, his drawings evoke the work of Dan Jurgens, Butch Guice, and even Jack Kirby--which certainly puts D’Elia in good company, although the artist has plenty of room to improve in the area of consistency.

His characters frequently go off-model, even as they continue to be rendered well. If nearly every character in this story weren’t from a distinctly different alien race, I would worry about my ability to reliably tell who’s who.

When delving into the pages of an indy comic, the reader must often be prepared to make his or her way through the obstacles of experimental storytelling--for better or worse. Not so with Unit Primes: Salvage. This book would fit right in with the crowd-pleasing comics on the shelves of your local shop while still delivering the kind of dramatic and emotional resonance that you don’t see every day.

Unit Primes: Salvage may be ordered by visiting the creators’ website at http://www.unitprimes.com/

---

What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!

---