I’m a long time lover of Science Fiction and Space Opera, and when I finally got into comics in my late 20s, it was largely through the Space Opera Metabarons. And I’m always looking out for a new or interesting take on the genre. With Yohance, Paul Louise-Julie has embraced the genre and looked at it through an African lens.

This first issue introduces us to Yohance, an adventurer with a spaceship and a robot pal. He’s a rogue in the Han Solo mold. In this issue, he’s hunting the Ekangeni Crystal. It’s kind of a ‘Mission: Impossible’ story. Alas, the issue is far too short. I’m hungry for a longer story, a graphic novel, or what have you.

Because it’s a single issue, and there’s just not that much actual content, the star here becomes the art. The only recent comic I’ve read with art as bold is probably Black Science. The color palette and design is very different from what you’ve likely seen before. I love the look of Oroa, the gas mining planet, for one example. The buildings and the lurid red sky. Awesome.

I can’t wait for more of this story. And looking at the ‘coming soon’ section in the back, it looks like Midas Monkee is producing some very interesting comics in the coming days.

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