The Zone Continuum

Unlike many creators who handle both the writing and art duties, Zick doesn't shy away from adding a lot of words to the page in this graphic novel that started as a comic in 1996 and continued in 2006 as a web comic. Sadly, the word count veers strongly towards excessive. The existence of the glossary in the back indicates that the work relies too much on words and not enough on pictures. Instead of feeling complex, it just seems complicated. The fairly pedantic science fiction concept%E2%80%94two superpowered beings who live in secret enclaves on Earth battle for the future of the world%E2%80%94doesn't help matters. However, the art carries things: Zick's Steve Ditko influence shows in all the right ways, with chunks of black ink and exaggerated gestures. Overall, this suffers from the same flaws as many comics written by artists: it's pretty to look at, but the story never reaches the level of the art. (Mar.)