We're three issues into Satellite Sam, and it's finally starting to feel like we're getting somewhere with the story. While writer Matt Fraction has certainly delivered on the title's promise of sex, death, and live television, the plot of the series has yet to congeal into something as fascinating as it could be. In this issue, we delve a tiny bit deeper into the late Satellite Sam's scandalous past, while a handful of secondary characters flit between lovers like butterflies on flowers.
The issue begins, as the rest did, with a single page intro for all of the characters. With the exception of one or two (namely, Michael White and his father's erstwhile lady du jour, Kara), most of the characters are more fleshed out on this one page than they are in the meat of the book. It's certainly telling that the part of the issue where we're told what kind of people these characters are is more illuminating than the actual plot itself.
Through it all, artist Howard Chaykin is basically instructing a master class on how to illustrate a black and white comic. The 50s-era vibe is strong enough to inject a sense of timely nostalgia to the proceedings. His style is such that it almost feels as though, with a deep enough breath, you'd be able to smell the ever present cigarette smoke and liquor that permeate the pages of Satellite Sam. Unfortunately, the text isn't nearly as strong as the visuals.
Perhaps there are too many moving parts to Satellite Sam. So far -- and this installment is no exception -- the series has been on the verge of devolving into character stew. One wonders if a more focused look on Michael's investigation into his father's shady lifestyle wouldn't have benefited the overall narrative. As it stands, his storyline is the single interesting thread in the entire issue, and the contrived deviance of the rest of the cast feels like little more than window dressing.
Melissa Grey is a lover of all things cats, comics, and outer space. She can be found on MyIGN at MelissaGrey or lurking on Twitter @meligrey.
Source : ign[dot]com
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