Chrononauts Review (Mark Millar and Sean Gordon Murphy)
Summary: From start to finish, Chrononauts is an amazing and fun thrill ride that you will never regret jumping into!
4.5
Time Jumping Space Monkeys
Welcome back to another review of world class comic talent. This week I am super excited to announce that I am reviewing Chrononauts by Mark Millar and Sean Gordon Murphy, both are powerhouses in the industry. Even better than that, I had a chance to shoot Mark some questions we have all been dying to know, so without further ado, let’s jump right into this crazy ride.
Chrononauts is a brand new (and super fun) take on a classic idea of time travel. Dr. Quinn, our main character and the lead scientist behind making time travel a reality, and Danny, who is his best friend and colleague, are trying to change the face of the world. No more guessing about who shot who, or how the battle of Gettysburg really went. Not when you can see it live, all by sending back satellites, and eventually, humans.
This comic jumps through so many timelines, your head will literally spin at what you are seeing. From samurai age China, to Vietnam, to gangster riddled New York in the 20’s, and back to the main line in 1504. I do not even know where to start, because the entire story was so well laid out that I kept reading every single word, wanting to know what was coming next. I went from start to finish, then back to start all the way to finish, just so I could make sure I did not miss a single image, or a single word written.
As usual, I do not want to give much away, but just know it is not the classic time travel story. They don’t really get stuck, they just want to live a free and exciting life without the modern day troubles. Ex-wives, no children, no attachment to caring about coming back leaves the two troublemakers alone like kids in a chocolate factory. We all remember how that ended.
WRITING – 4.5
Mark Millar is definitely a heavyweight in the comic industry, writing stories like Kick-Ass, Kingsmen, and Wanted, just to name a few. His stories are cherished by so many readers, and honestly I am a big fan. I was expecting to like this comic going in, but I was not expecting this level of love for it.
I am absolutely certain that these characters would end up being any of us, given a chance to travel through time and be Gods among men. We all think we would do the right thing, but Millar does an amazing job of showing us what men with unlimited power and resources would really do. What men who think themselves untouchable would be capable of. Deep inside we all have that childlike part of us dying to get out, and Dr. Quinn let him out at the wrong time.
The choices the characters made left amazing devastation all throughout history, which was getting worse and worse to try and fix. Millar did an amazing job creating an entire chaos theory for our characters to live from, and to try and survive in the end.
I couldn’t put the book down, and as mentioned, felt the need to re-read it again. That is the markings of a very well written story.
ART – 4.5
I have liked Sean Gordon Murphy’s work since my local comic book store (The Comic Hunter) did Punk Rock Jesus for our monthly book club. His dirty art style works so well in most stories, and his use of truly over exaggerated expression is perfect for the comic medium. This story really is not any different.
The characters, the worlds, and the timelines, all have a completely unique look and feel. Even without the captions, I would know when a jump was being done because the entire world was different. The background art was absolutely astounding, and the development from start to finish was just awesome.
Mainly, the near perfect score comes from the little things. How would YOU draw a group of samurai riding a tank? If you think I am joking, you need to read this comic.
OVERALL – 4.5
I am willing to go so far as to say this comic would be a hit for almost any comic fan. While the content is a bit more to the 14+ side, other than violence, and the occasional bare butt, there is not much that would stop a young teen from reading it as well. Whether it is a birthday gift, holiday gift, or just a “I am not sure what to read” gift for yourself, you need to get this story.
From start to finish, this story is an amazing and fun thrill ride that you will never regret jumping into.
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