Retrovirus

A renowned scientist is tapped to work on a secretive project searching for a cure to a virus discovered when a Neanderthal is unearthed. Traveling to Antarctica, the quest gets darker%E2%80%94and way bloodier. Funded on Kickstarter and published by Image, this is a strange book from two writers known for their sense of humor and adventure in books such as Power Girl. This is action movie as comic, with a dry, driving tone and on-the-nose dialogue. The strength of the book lies in the story's mystery element%E2%80%94and the anticipation of how some aspects might play out. However, these intrigues lose some steam when the climactic action scenes are followed by talking heads explaining what was really going on all along. Fernandez's hyper-detailed art shifts between compelling, gruesome fight sequences and expositional conversation rendered with scowls and gritted teeth. Although the storytelling in general is adequate, the art is uneven, with characters drawn inconsistently and some wholly unnecessary female nudity. Despite the uneven tone, the story works as a done-in-one thriller. (Dec.)