Elsewhere: Vol. 1

In this inconsistent but visually enthralling series launch, one of the biggest missing persons cases in history is fodder for a mystical “what if” tale. Amelia Earhart’s 1937 disappearance during her flight across the Pacific has baffled for decades. Here, Amelia is discovered on a strange world by two aliens, Cort and Tavel, who are on the run from tyrant Lord Kragen. Confused by her surroundings, Earhart is determined to search for her co-pilot, Fred Noonan, but instead discovers another AWOL character: 1970s plane hijacker D.B. Cooper. Together, they discover more evidence of humans visiting the planet and inspire a rebellion against Kragen’s rule, only to find that things can get even stranger on this whimsical world, where nothing and no one are what they seem. While the artwork is transporting, the script falters, allowing conversations about side plots that are not explained or expanded upon. Key moments are abandoned long enough to feel hazy when resurfaced, which is not helped by choppy, uneven transitions between scenes. Though the conceit has potential, the story—like the mystery of Earhart’s disappearance—leaves too much to the imagination. [em](Jan.) [/em]