Galaxy of Madness

Archaeologist Vigil Virgo searches for the mind-shattering origins of the universe in this fast-paced, retro-styled science fiction adventure from Eisner winners Visaggio (Girlmode) and Oeming (Powers). A crew member aboard the 41st-century Voidship Verisimilitude, Vigil is set on finishing a mission that her late parents started, and is accompanied on her quest by a diverse and distinctive cast of characters. Starship commander Odysseus Rex acts as Vigil’s adoptive parent, but he and abrasive engineer Petra are keeping plenty of secrets from her. (Among them: Vigil’s parents are still alive.) Wisecracking green alien Ondon and mystic warrior nun Krios round out Vigil’s allies. Visaggio’s sharp, witty script sets a brisk pace, with a string of space-age mysteries to be solved that culminate in one of the crew evolving beyond humanity into a “cosmic question mark.” Oeming’s trademark exaggerated, cartoony character designs have a 1980s vibe (Ray-Ban-style glasses abound), with innovative, fluid layouts. Fans of both Star Wars–esque space adventures and Jaime Hernandez’s early Love & Rockets strips will enjoy cruising the galaxy with this eclectic crew. (Jan.)