Comic Review: Black Science #43

Black Science #43

Image Comics

Writer: Rick Remender

Artist: Matteo Scalera

Black Science #43 opens with a quiet but somber sequence. There aren’t any speech bubbles or explosions, just a tough, deliberative moment for Grant McKay.

This is the final issue of Black Science. It is a fantastic, loud, and brutal series that embraces chaos. The quiet moments are rare, which is why the opening of this issue is so damn effective. It makes for a strong opening to a powerful conclusion by Remender and Scalera.

I’m not sure if the quote has actually been said a lot in this series, but “Everything is going to be okay” feels like Grant’s motto. Time and time again, Grant has destroyed worlds, the lives around him, and his own family. Even after being exposed to so many shocking panels, I still found my heart sinking throughout Black Science #43. Grant wants his family and maybe even the reader to trust him, but how can they? How can everything actually be okay? Despite everything, Remender does a fantastic job at making the intense and emotional beats hit their mark. No matter how many deaths the reader may see, they still hit hard each and every time.  This issue allows Remender to hit the reader one more time and it works effectively.

Jumps in the narrative are separated by colorful pages full of beauty but juxtaposed with a quote that clashes with the palette. Sometimes the quote is philosophical, sometimes it’s a little awful. The artistic choice by artist Matteo Scalera and colorist Moreno Dinisio is an effective one that leads to graceful jumps in the storytelling.

The rest of the issue’s art is standard-fare at this point. The big action scenes are exciting, and the intense conversations have weight thanks to the emotive characters. Every emotional beat that Remender attempts to hit is made possible by this creative team. It’s impressive how consistent the team has been able to stay throughout the series. Nothing looks strange or out of place. No panel feels wasted. No line or color is underwhelming. Everything hits exactly as it should.

Despite how strong of an ending this is, it feels like its missing something. It’s emotional, it’s powerful, but it is over in the blink of an eye. Black Science has been going for a long time, and I feel like the last few pages are just a touch rushed. Maybe all of this was hinted at and I shouldn’t have been surprised by how quickly the last panel came, but I wanted more. The ending is a bit open but still has enough closure to feel like an ending. The openness of everything is likely intended, and really fits the series’ themes well. It just doesn’t hit quite as hard as I wanted it to.

Black Science has been one of the best books on the stands for years, and with issue #43 it is getting the ending that it deserves. It’s beautiful, emotional, and has just enough excitement to make it feel like Black Science. While the final page creeps on the reader just a bit too fast, it is still emotionally satisfying. It’s an ending that suits the series and doesn’t aim to please every reader. Black Science is a modern classic that demands to be read by all science fiction enthusiasts. Rick Remender and company can’t get enough praise for all they have put into this story. Now it’s time to say goodbye to Grant and his family.