Book Review: Black Science, Vol. 2: Welcome, Nowhere

BLACK SCIENCE, VOL. 2: WELCOME, NOWHERE | Rick Remender
Image Comics | 01.28.2015
Rating: 3/5 stars

The Anarchist League of Scientists are back at it again! This time, they’ve lost their leader, Grant McKay, to their time traveling invention, the Pillar. We find the gang in yet another precarious situation in a random world where they’ve been tied up and are set for sacrifice. Then the guy we all wrote off as the villain, swoops in and saves the day! However, they can’t seem to manage to stay together during the rescue. Pia and Nate end up falling from a cliff and becoming separated from the crew. Will they manage to find the rest of the group and make it back before the Pillar launches the next jump?

This collection of issues #7-11 focus on Pia and Nate, who vent over the loss of their father and the very different relationships they had with him. Nate still believes his father is a hero, while Pia can only see him as the family destroying cheater. As they make their journey back to the team, we also get a glimpse into Rebecca’s childhood, which opens the reader’s eyes to understand why she is torn apart over losing Grant’s kids, aside from being his mistress.

Through the issues the Shaman reveals that he has seen the very same Pillar a long time ago. It was brought to his world by a mysterious traveler. While initially used for great good for the world and his people, the Pillar quickly brought greed and disaster. As we continue to learn more about the Pillar, it appears that perhaps the time jumps aren’t as random as the scientists originally believed.

Volume 2 disappoints when compared to the first volume. The story becomes muddled with the focus on Pia and Nate. The glimpses into the past of the other group members were more of an intriguing story-line for me. I want to get to know them more and discover their motivations behind what landed them in this tumultuous journey. The artwork remains stunning throughout volume 2, with its vibrant colors and exotic creature creations. I greatly enjoy the premise behind Remender’s series and will continue to tag along with the Anarchist League of Scientists in volume 3.