Publisher: Image Comics / Raw Studios
Writing: Thomas Jane and Steve Niles
Art: Lewis Larosa and Tim Bradstreet; Grant Goleash (colours); Jason Hanley (letters).
I was really excited to read this because I had heard that Tom Jane (a great actor) and Tim Bradstreet were involved. I was also a bit leary that Steve Niles was writing it, too, as I feel he's a bit overrated (but not terrible... just overrated). Bad Planet is about this thing that crash lands on Earth and it unleashes alien death spiders by the millions or something. That's the whole issue. Just the build-up to the arrival of the death-spiders. Apparantly, according to the preview in the back of the issue, an escaped prisoner from another galaxy is gonna show up to help the humies kick those uninvited guest's ass. But did it have to take the ENTIRE first issue of people putzing around goin' "OMG NearEarthObject ZOMG!" and giving us what might pass for witty banter half the time (and I'm being generous here)? Seriously, it took the whole issue to do what most comics have done just fine with 5 pages. 10 at the most (for those "Tolstoy types"). Points lost on that one, guys. The writing and ideas still seem good, though. And the art... well, the art is quite nice. The aliens look -awesome-. It all has a very nice feel to it. The pages are thick, too, which I like. I'm curious to see what's coming up next... But, I have to say again: should it take 7 pages to explain why/how a couple aliens lose their cargo (the death spiders, I'm assuming... and there was only a handful of lines!)???? If issue #2 ever comes out, I'll still check it out. I have to say, though, that I think Tom Jane could have done fine on his own writing a few issues of this. I mean, I could have pounded out this first issue in under 30 minutes script-wise. See? Overrated. Sorry, Mr. Niles, but it's true in some cases. However, to be fair, this is just the first book. And it has my interest, so that's a plus! Points gained.
