Thursday, May 28, 2015

Featured Site: Mare Internum




"Mare Internum" is a sci-fi web comic set on Mars launched earlier this year by Der-shing Helmer, the creator of the fantasy web comic The Meek.  The comic centers around Rebekah “Bex” Egunsola, an entomologist who arrives at her new post on an isolated Mars research station, where she meets the station's previous occupant, Michael Fisher, who has just been fired.  Bex is on a mission to determine the feasibility of raising crickets on Mars, but Fisher's mental stability is questionable.  Tension quickly builds between the two as Bex struggles to learn everything she needs to know to survive at the remote outpost while also dealing with Fisher's personal demons.

Shing describes it as "a comic about isolation, living with imperfections, being in dark places, and yeah also bugs and robots I guess. It is also a way for me to communicate some feelings about some bad times in my life without having to actually talk about them. That’s the power of webcomics- it’s a way for me to share a message with you, to teach and hopefully entertain, all without you needing to leave your room. Or me mine, haha."

What sets the comic apart is that the author, Shing, spent two years researching the science behind the story to make sure that it is as accurate as possible.  That makes this a very plausible story that few space nerds are going to be able to resist.  It reminds me of some of my favorite sci-fi movies, like Solaris, Moon, or 2001.  Yes, it's absolutely the science fiction elements that draw you in, but ultimately what keeps you at the edge of your seat is the human drama. 

Bookmark it!









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