FARSCAPE: SCORPIUS #2
“Violent Delights”
Story: Rockne S. O’Bannon
Script: David Alan Mack
Artist: Mike Ruiz
Colorist: Nolan Woodward
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
(Editor's Note: Review based on a review pdf provided by Boom! Studios which may or may not be the final version.)
Now we’re getting into it! With this issue of the Scorpius limited series, we’re treated to the action and intrigue I expect of anything carrying Scorpius’ name!
For those of you unfamiliar with what’s come before, this limited series details the exploits of Scorpius (the primary villain from the first two seasons of the original Farscape television series) and the extra-universal alien race known as the Grennij. In the previous two issues of this series, a Grennij fleet makes an emergency landing on a deserted ice world on which Scorpius has exiled himself. After ingratiating himself to the commander of the fleet, in a most unusual manner, Scorpius was hesitantly welcomed aboard with disastrous (to Captain Grrior) results.
In this latest issue, we’re shown from page one how infinitely nimble and adaptable Scorpius’ mind is as he first convinces the crew that he has been sent by their mysterious masters, the Kkore, to assist their commander then slaughters a convenient patsy to cement his position. After this, he almost offhandedly admits to the murder of the crew’s previous commander and again invokes the name of their unseen masters to whom, at times, the Grennij seem almost reverential.
As usual, Scorpius’ off-the-cuff plan works precisely as he had hoped and though he is rewarded with precious few secrets about the Kkore, he learns a few interesting tidbits about his own race, the Sebacean Peacekeepers. What he’ll do with this information is barely hinted at, but knowing Scorpius it will be to no one’s benefit save his own. I won’t spoil the ending of this issue, but David Alan Mack has already shown that he has captured this character’s essence perfectly and I am eager to see where he takes this plotline because no one has gotten this deeply into Scorpius’ head since the original Farscape.
Mike Ruiz’s art in this issue was, as always, excellent but what stood out was the sequence on page 10, during which a critical moment of Scorpius’ youth is recounted. The backgrounds and figures other than Scorpius are blurry and hazy, as if we the readers are remembering a long ago event, while Scorpius remains crisp and clear in these panels. The effect is unusual, and I highly enjoyed it.
It’s no secret that I am a tremendous Farscape fan, and it’s also no secret that I think the on-going series has been less than stellar (no pun intended), but this limited has been everything good comics should be. So buy this book. Buy a second copy for a friend! Let’s show Boom that we support excellent comics like this, and that we want more of the same. And now, I think I’ll read this comic again. It’s just that good.
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