“Yesterday’s” Comic> Max Rogers #1

The new Max Rogers action figures! In stores now.

Max Rogers #1

John Dorsey Communications (February, 2013)

“A Tale Of Two Galaxies”

WRITER/ARTIST: John Dorsey

Yes, this is how the comic is laid out, taking advantage of the computer monitor like some online comics today take advantage of the phone and tablet screen. It’s technically 508 pages but each page is one panel, filling the entire monitor. I’ve seen webcomics use animated gifs to their advantage on an HTML comic online. I don’t have a problem with that. However, whether it’s the file itself from Drive Thru Comics or ComicRack, the program I’m using to read this in CBZ format, I can’t zoom out to get the full screen. It’s just slightly too large, requiring a few turns of the mouse scroll wheel to get the rest of the panel. I could zoom out a slight bit I’d have no trouble reading this a lot better. It’s kind of annoying, but won’t be taken into further account in the review. I am, however, taking points off for the black line through each panel/page. It’s distracting and unless this is some artifact from an attempt at a print version it really shouldn’t be there.

Welcome to 2591. Max Rogers (hinted to be the great grandson of that other Rogers) is a trainee fighter pilot on his way to flunking despite the help of his best friend, Cleo, and to the delight of fellow cadet Aurelia. Then all three are brought together by Max’s robot, Rokur, who mysteriously transports the trio to another dimension, where unlike their own world, Max is an ace fighter pilot in the middle of an intergalactic war with the Zenaruians, who use a primarily robotic army. There, taking over for their counterparts, Max slowly gains the memory and skills of his alternate, though somebody should have told him he has a girlfriend. Rokur sends Max and Cleo to some strange coordinates, though while Max and Cleo know each other they have no memories of this world’s Aurelia. At the coordinates they learn why when Max and Cleo are taking captive by the Zenaurians, and learn their leader is Aurelia…but remember, she doesn’t like Max in their own reality.

What they got right: For the most part the writing is decent when it comes to dialog and character. You do get a good idea of our five main characters’ personalities (including a girl named Destiny that Max is trying to get a date with, and failing in both realities). Dorsey is using the latest version at the time of DAZ Studio, a 3D character creating program, and manages to make each character feel distinct. Where the art excels, though, is the design of the ships and backgrounds.

What they got wrong: Dorsey is doing the best he can with facial expressions, but body language is the real issue here. The characters are usually quite stiff with the occasional physical expression for certain panels. He also uses way too many panel/pages, sometimes having three or four panels of the same shot but with the characters slightly forward or the door slowly opening. We don’t need to see the entire trip down the hall. Also, that black line I mentioned earlier.

What I think overall: I certainly applaud experimenting and his goal of an all-ages comic that can be safely read by a kid, with some references only picked up by an adult, but that both can read together. (That’s what all-ages means, folks.) There’s clearly room for work and I only have one more issue to check out. I’m not sure the alternate universe bit was really necessary but that depends on where the story is going.