Void Trip #1 does what a first issue of any comic book miniseries should do. It offers the reader a glimpse of the personalities of the main character, their relationship dynamic, and what they are out to achieve. Over the course of the issue, we see that main characters Ava and Gabe travel around space, they really like getting high, and they often find themselves in trouble.
Since it is the first issue of a miniseries, there is a limit to how much plot Void Trip #1 can cover. Writer Ryan O’Sullivan wisely keeps the focus on Ava and Gabe’s personalities, but there are some glimpses at the plot. Unbeknownst to them, the protagonists are being pursued by an as yet unknown foe. What this person wants with them isn’t made clear. Learning the answer to this question, and just how they intend to catch his targets, provides readers with another reason to keep reading the miniseries.
The universe of Void Trip combines both the everyday and science fiction for its aesthetic. Almost all of the characters in this issue wear the sort of clothing that wouldn’t draw attention on the high street. A trucker’s ship looks very similar to a modern-day petrol truck, except that it is also clearly a spaceship. Plaid Klaus’ artwork combines these elements together so effectively that it doesn’t seem weird for a woman in a leather jacket to be holding something that could have been wielded by Duck Dodgers. This is a universe which already feels very lived in. The shinier technology is around but, much like our own world, not everything is bright and shiny. It is a relatable vision of space.
Void Trip #1 is a good start. It establishes what readers can expect from its main cast going into the miniseries. It teases future plot points with its mysterious antagonist and provides a basic understanding of how its universe works. It tells readers enough to judge whether or not to pick up the second issue but leaves enough unsaid that it feels like the miniseries could go anywhere as it progresses.
VOID TRIP #1 / WRITER: RYAN O’ SULLIVAN / ARTIST: PLAID KLAUS / LETTERER: ADITYA BIDIKAR/ PUBLISHER: IMAGE COMICS / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 22ND
