Vs

The frenetic aesthetic of a first-person shooter video game informs this satire-infused space opera, in which war is fought for ratings and soldiers are stars of the ultimate reality show. Lt. Satta Flynn, a veteran of numerous conflicts and sponsorships, loses a limb (and his competitive edge along with it) after a particularly brutal match, but he refuses to back away from the fight. This makes him a hero to the masses but a threat to the elite who oversee the war games—and they don’t take kindly to threats. Brandon (NYC Mech) uses the straightforward military science fiction plot as a vehicle for traversing a phantasmagorical setting filled with holy meteors, aristocrats with bonsai trees as hairpieces, and cops who charge by the crime. In one running gag, the bloodshed is halted periodically for commercial breaks. Unfortunately, the sumptuous artwork, lush coloring by Nic Klein, and expansive worldbuilding are at odds with an obtuse narrative structure and opaque characters who exist to show off ideas rather than be part of a coherent story. This may be enjoyable enough for arena shooter fans who watch or play Battle Royale and Quake, but after the fighting’s done, it’s just a gory mess. (Aug.)