Space Shark by Chris G has its own twist on single page webcomics, spinning an epic sci-fi adventure by isolating the most potent moments of the narrative to form a slightly disjointed but rich and rewarding world. Also, it is set in space and the “hero” is a shark.
This year saw fantastic use of colour pushed further on already eye-popping visual style, with lots of texture and splatter. Each strip exists independently and tries something different, but re-reading them all I was struck by how well everything ties into a greater whole. (Even if it doesn’t always adhere to a strict continuity, the character relationships build subtly behind the bombast.)
This is the page that hit me the hardest. In terms of pure craft, it’s damn impressive: dynamic, straight-for-the-gut action, shot through with flashbacks which give the action breathing room to hit harder (loudQUIETloud) and ground it in an emotional significance. I actually found it kinda heartbreaking.
I think that strip in particular was enhanced for me by using a Starfleet Academy analogue, it’s the sort of reference that adds an extra layer of mythology to what’s on the page, enhances the context of their back-stories and plays to my interests: Star Trek has always meant a lot to me…
