The Audio File: Observable Radio: Season 1 (Part 2)

I don’t really have an introduction to add. So, I’ll get straight to the point. Welcome back to my review of Observable Radio. We’ll be covering episodes 9-15 in this review. If you’re looking for Part One, which covers episodes 1-8, it can be found over here. With all of that out of the way, let’s checkout some more radio transmissions from alternate universes. 

Episode nine is “Fathom Under.” It is set in a world where there has been wide scale ocean colonization. Millions of men and women live and work under the sea. It has been discovered that there is quite a bit of water located beneath the sea floor. The global water crisis has been solved. However, there is something else lurking beneath the subterranean ocean. Something absolutely massive, and something that isn’t pleased with humanity’s meddling.

Oh, well what do we have here? Ah, this is a kaiju episode. The Showa era Godzilla movies were a big part of my childhood. I didn’t so much walk, as much as ran, when Pacific Rim came out in theaters. I am still pissed about how Pacific Rim: Uprising turned out, however. I was very pleased to see references to both Godzilla and Pacific Rim in this episode. Ah, but do I detect some other kaiju references? I also see hints of The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, and The Kraken Awakes. Yes, this episode is a fine vintage indeed. Not much more to say. Just a good solid fun kaiju episode.

Very much recommended for all you kaiju fans, and lovers of other giant monsters.

Episode ten is “Best Minds.” It takes places in a seemingly idyllic world ruled over by an A.I. known as Salom. Every year, a select group of students are chosen to attend a very special academy. You have to be among the best and brightest in order to be selected. At the end of term, the students will personally get to contribute their knowledge to Salom. Allen will soon be making his contribution to Salom, but he’s beginning to have second thoughts.

This episode is another anti-A.I. parable. Albeit, one that takes a more allegorical approach to the subject than “Large Models” did. One of the arguments against A.I. is that it steals the labor and knowledge of the lower classes for the benefit of the wealthy and powerful. It also see hints of classic science fiction short stories. I get some notes of “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas.” Salom is more or less powered by forsaken children; or rather, teenagers, as the case might be. I also see echoes of “Examination Day.” The theme of doing well on a big test actually being to one’s detriment.

Overall, not a bad episode. It didn’t get me excited the way “Fathom Under” did, but still a fairly solid episode.

Episode eleven is “Earworms.” It is set in a world where Earth is experiencing a visit from an alien race. They come in peace, and they really do seem friendly. They are small wormlike beings. Small enough to slip in your ear. But don’t worry, they only want to be your guide, and provide you with some helpful advice and companionship. However, not everyone is convinced of the aliens’ intentions. Some people claim that the aliens are actually an invasion force. One which humanity has welcomed with open arms. But it can’t happen here, can it?

The first thing that came to mind when I listened to this episode was Animorphs. Or rather, the basic set-up of Animorphs, but without superpowered kids swooping in to save the day. Well, save the day, and deal with deep-seated psychological trauma as the result of being child soldiers. Yeah, Animorphs is to kids books what Neon Genesis Evangelion and Attack on Titan are to shonen anime. However, as it was as I was writing this review that I realized there was another influence. This episode clearly draws from the miniseries V. It also deals with aliens who present themselves as friendly, only to later turn out to have not benign intentions for humanity. And yes, it too followed a resistance cell of humans.

Come to think of it, many episode of Observable Radio are tributes to other works of fiction. “Cattle Drive” draws heavily on Soylent Green. “As Below” is a self-admitted prequel to The Time Machine. “Fathom Under” is a kaiju sampler platter. None of this is meant as a criticism, merely an observation.

I can say, completely, of my own volition, that this was another fine episode of Observable Radio.

Episode twelve is “Bloodwork.” It is set in a world where vampires rule over humanity. However, it isn’t as bad as you might imagine. Humanity has experienced an unprecedented era of prosperity and harmony. The only thing the vampire ask in exchange is that humans offer a small blood donation every month. However, not all humans are happy with this state of affairs. There are whispers that humanity are merely slaves to the vampires. Sure, the donation of blood is low now, but what if the vampires decide to raise it? We follow a resistance cell of humans who are plotting to overthrow the vampires.

There are several people who consider vampires something of a cliché. I, however, am not one of those people. I found this episode to be delightful. You don’t typically see too many vampire dystopias. Usually, you get vampires hunting humanity like animals. So, it was a breath of fresh air to see the vampires establishing a Vichy regime. Speaking of dystopia, this episode has even stronger V vibes than “Earworm” did. I guess, in this case, V is for Vampires, rather than Visitors. I also liked seeing cameos from famous vampires such as Dracula and Carmilla. And then there was that ending. Wow, I actually kind of found myself rooting for the vampires. It was just so impressive how they were three steps ahead of the resistance cell.

See, it turns out vampires don’t need to drink blood, and they aren’t immortal. The names are, basically, titles passed from vampire to vampire. Most of the blood they collect is used in agricultural feed, iron and nutrition supplements, or sold back to hospitals. I bring this up because the plan of the resistance was to infect the blood supply with prions. So, they only wound up hurting their fellow humans. George S. Patton famously described Erwin Rommel as a magnificent bastard. I’m tempted to say the same of these vampires.

Now, granted, this does raise some questions. Do vampires have any differences at all from standard humans? Are the vampires really just humans who tricked the other humans into serving them? Pretty impressive if that’s the case, but it’s more fun if the vampires really are vampires. I know this episode had an anti-capitalism slant to it, but it also feels a bit muddled. The monthly blood donations are mandated by the people running the government, and there is no way to opt out of them. So, in other words, taxation. Now, I’m just spitballing here, but I’m pretty sure Cameron Suey is not a Libertarian. However, muddle message or not, this still remains one of my favorite episodes of Observable Radio.

First we got a wonderful kaiju send-up, then we got a vampire dystopia. How is Observable Radio going to top this one?

Episode thirteen is “Palimpsest.” It all began in the 1860s when a comet passed by Earth. Before that, only psychics and mediums had the ability to communicate with ghosts and spirits. After the comet, everyone gained the ability to see and hear the dead. At first, it was a time of great rejoicing and celebration. The living were reunited with their dearly departed loved ones. Slowly, however, things began to change. The psychics and mediums began to get overwhelmed by increasing visions of the dead. Decades past, and with their passing, humanity’s collective clairvoyance grew. Soon, people could see the spirits of animals, but then the spirits of plants began to manifest. What if the visions never stopped? What if humanity gained the ability to see the spirits of every living organism all at once?

How would Observable Radio top “Bloodwork?” Quite well. Quite well indeed. If I absolutely had to pick a favorite episode of Observable Radio, it would have to be “Palimpsest.” I looked it up, and a palimpsest is a manuscript that has evidence of previous writing still on it. You know how when you erase something and you can still sometimes see the outline of what you wrote? That’s an example of a palimpsest. So, I suppose you could say that ghosts are a form of spiritual palimpsest.

I have never encountered a ghost apocalypse story before. Certainly not one anything like this. So, this episode was even more of a breath of fresh air than “Bloodwork” was. I also liked the alternate history aspects of this one. Queen Victoria is far less dour now that her beloved Prince Albert has been returned to her. In our world, she spent the remainder of her life in mourning after Albert died. Meanwhile, the American Civil War ended earlier due to ghosts from both sides pleading for the war to end. Though, I do wonder if anyone listened to what the Black ghosts had to say.

In a way, we are living on top of a graveyard. Ninety-nine percent of all species that have ever existed have gone extinct. It might be cool to get to see spectral dinosaurs, and other extinct creatures. And it would be nice to know that death is not the end, and that there is something on the other side. It would also be nice to see my dog Wolfie and my cat Tiger again. Of course, not being able to see anything due to all of the ghost bacteria would definitely take a lot of the shine off of all that.

There really is not enough I can say about what an absolutely fantastic episode this was. I recommend it in the strongest possible terms.

Episode fourteen is “High Strange.” This episode follows a group of meddling kids who find themselves in a strange town. The town is in the middle of the desert. It is a place where the rules of reality seem to be out to lunch. So, yeah, this episode is basically a crossover between Scooby-Doo and Welcome to Night Vale.

This episode wasn’t bad per se. The idea of a Scooby-Doo/Welcome to Night Vale crossover was a fun concept. However, given the incredibly strong string of preceding episodes, it is hard not to see this episode as a bit of a let down. It doesn’t help that the plot is interspersed with the plot of the finale. The final two episodes deal with Observer and Trapper. As previously mentioned, Observable Radio failed to make me care about the Observer segments. So, it was kind of hard to get invested in the finale.

Now, let me elaborate a bit. Out of Place was an audio drama that took a similar approach; an anthology with a recurring meta plot. The difference, however, is that it made me care about Andrew the Archivist and his personal life. The Observer segments sound like the ravings of a madman, and I couldn't make any sense out of them. As such, I just couldn’t get too invested in the Observer. So, maybe listen to “High Strange”, but skip the two-part season finale.

I don’t want to end this review on a sour note. So, I’ll briefly talk about some of the other offerings from Observable Radio. Cameron Suey has been sharing some bits of his other fiction during the wait for season two. He has published these stories across the internet under different pseudonyms. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I’d listened to one of them before.

“Thaw” follows an astronaut who has been put into cryogenic preservation for a space mission. However, he wakes up to find that something has gone terribly wrong. I had listened to this story on the creepypasta channel CreepyPastaJr. I was pleasantly surprised when the story started playing. It was like meeting an old friend that I hadn’t seen for years. Though, in hindsight, it is unfortunate that CreepyPastaJr is how I know of “Thaw.” He and CreepsMcPasta both got busted for attempting to solicit underaged fans of theirs. But, at least we now have another audio recording of “Thaw.”

I was also quite fond of the story “Sick, Or, The Algorithm.” It follows a man who is being poisoned by a powerful man. The power man has an equally powerful algorithm, and hordes of loyal followers, he can use to help eliminate our protagonist. But the protagonist isn’t going down without a fight. He’s going to get an untainted meal; even if he has to resort to…unconventional methods to do so. This story was almost like a bizarre superhero origin story. Something more along the lines of V for Vendetta. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how the protagonist would outwit the powerful man.

Season two of Observable Radio is going to take a different approach. It will be a single self-contained story told across the season. It is set in the near future, after everyone on Earth has had a vision of an apocalypse involving a solar flare. It seems we will follow a different person each episode, and how the vision has impacted their lives. So, something along the lines of The Phone Booth or The Program Audio Series. Whatever the future holds, I’m excited to see what Observable Radio will do next.

So, there you have it. Observable Radio is an anthology of radio transmissions from parallel universes. It is a fine mix of horror, science fiction, and a bit of alternate history. Tune in if you dare, and I certainly hope that you do dare.

Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: Observable Radio: Season 1 (Part 1)

As many of you know, I got my start on my audio drama listening journey with anthology shows. There’s something magical about having each episode be a new present to unwrap. Each story a new adventure to begin. I suppose it was fitting that I also began my audio drama production journey with an anthology. And as I’m sure you have gathered by now, we shall be reviewing an anthology today. We’re taking a look at season one of Observable Radio. 

Observable Radio is presented as a series of radio transmissions from parallel universes. Each episode covers a different universe experiencing, if not an apocalypse, then something rather unpleasant. We have a universe dealing with a kaiju invasion. There’s a universe undergoing a ghost apocalypse. There is one where AI has gotten out of control. There’s even one were The War on Christmas has a far more literal meaning. At the beginning and ending of each episode we get some commentary from Trapper or the Observer. They are…well, actually, let’s put a pin in that for now.

As with many things, I first became aware of Observable Radio thanks to the r/audiodrama subreddit. However, they significantly boosted themselves on my radar by listening to my own audio drama The Books of Thoth. Observable Radio recommended The Books of Thoth alongside several other audio dramas they’d been listening to. So, I decided to return the favor by listening to Observable Radio. I’m happy to report that I give them a recommendation as well. Observable Radio is created by Cameron Suey, and performed by an ensemble of actors and actresses.

Observable Radio reminds me a lot of another audio drama I enjoyed: Out of Place. Particularly the second seasons of Out of Place; which also dealt with apocalypses from across the multiverse. Though, Observable Radio is more conventional style audio drama; in the sense it doesn’t rely as much on narration and after action reports to set the scene. Not that there's anything wrong with the latter approach, mind you. Merely an observation on my part.

Now, on that note, there’s something Observable Radio and Out of Place have in common. I couldn’t review Out of Place without getting into serious spoilers. And the same is very much true here. So, if you don’t like spoilers, consider this your first and only warning.

With that out of the way, let us begin.

We’ll start with a brief word about Trapper and the Observer. I have no clue what was going on there. I could never make heads or tails of what they were saying. It was cryptic to the point of being incomprehensible. Also, I felt the show failed to make me care about those bits. I found myself drumming my fingers during those parts and thinking “Get to the good stuff already!” Let’s be real, the transmissions from the parallel universes are the true stars of the show; as they rightly should be. Thankfully, you can ignore the Trapper and Observer segments and you won’t miss out on anything. Well, the season finale will make no sense, but we’ll get into that.

We shall start with “A Night Indoors.” This episode that place in a world that seems to be presently stuck in the 1940s. We start off with a typical American wartime broadcast, big band orchestra and all. However, there is something sinister lurking in the background. And something is about to go very wrong.

There was technical proficiency here. Observable Radio did an excellent job of mimicking the style of a 1940s radio broadcast. However, the writing left something to be desired. What was the message here? Don’t idealize the past? Nostalgia is evil? Was there even a message, or are we trying to subvert expectations. This was, I think, not the best foot Observable Radio could have put forward. But I felt perhaps there was potential for this audio drama. So, I decided to give the next episode a go.

The second episode is “Cattle Drive.” It takes place in a world that is has been experiencing a food shortage. The Barnyard Flu decimated the poultry and pork supply, but cattle industry has never been better. It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however. Joseph Clay is a whistleblower who has uncovered a major scandal within the cattle industry. He is currently on trial, and the outcome will have major ramifications for the cattle industry.

I admit, I really wasn’t sure about this episode at first. Initially, I assumed it was going to have an annoyingly preachy pro-veganism message. I’d already been burned by an episode of Wrong Station that suffered from that problem. The technical aspects of “Cattle Drive” were as good as ever, but I was prepared for my eyes to flying out of their sockets from all the rolling.

Then the ending came, and it changed everything. You see, there are two types of twist endings in fiction. The first is the big mystery everything has been building towards. This is sometimes referred to as the J.J. Abrams Mystery Box School of Writing. Such endings can certainly be fun, but they kind of diminish the re-reading/re-listneing value of the works that use them. The second type, however, is one that recontextualizes everything that came before it. These sort of endings increase the re-read/re-listen value of a work. The most famous example of this is Tyler Durden and the narrator of Fight Club being the same person.

The ending of “Cattle Drive” is the second variety. I thought back to how the episode mentions cattle, but never uses the words beef or cow. You see, Soylent Green is people, and so are cattle. Observable Radio had been on the ropes up until this point. I was seriously considering dropping the show. That ending, and how it completely recontextualized everything that came before it, is what convinced me to stick with the show. This was the point the writers officially had my attention, and I had a better idea of what they were capable of.

Sure, there are some nitpicky things I could say. For example, humans would make a pretty horrible food source due to our high caloric requirements. But you know what, I’m willing to overlook it. If the story is good and holds my attention, I can forgive less than plausible plot points.

All this to say, “Cattle Drive” get two huge thumbs up from me. This is the episode you really want to start with for Observable Radio.

Episode three is “Large Models.” It takes place in a world where everything is run by A.I. They deliver food, they run the power grid, they handle emergency services, and of course they produce entertainment. Everything was working perfectly, up until it didn’t. The AIs began to malfunction. Food stopped being delivered, blackouts went unfixed, and society came apart at the seams. We follow a man named Mitch. He is desperate to find other survivors in the desolated wasteland that used to be Los Angles. He has been communicating with a woman named Hope. She claims to know where other survivors are. But hope can be a dangerous thing when you live in desperate times.

Okay, admittedly, I figured out the twists about halfway through the episode. I’m sure you probably have as well. It is often said it is the journey, not the destination, that counts. I don’t completely agree with that. The Mystery Box, as previously mentioned, is an example where not even the journey can salvage the ending. However, I do agree with the sentiment overall. And the journey with “Large Models” was certainly worth it.

Earlier this year, Spotify put out their usual Wrapped recap. They also included an A.I. summary. It summarized my year of listening in the style of a chat podcast with two hosts. It was almost scary how natural and lifelike it sounded. “Large Models” definitely did a good job of replicating the feel of those sorts of AIs. So, major points to everyone in the voice cast.

I am officially agonistic when it comes to A.I. and the future. I do understand the anxiety everyone feels about how arts and entertainment might become automated. Thing is, this isn’t the first time we’ve had this conversation. There was quite an uproar among artists when photography started to take off. The writings and correspondence of those artists sounds very similar to modern artists talking about A.I. There’s this fear that photography would put traditional artists into the poor house. But drawings and paintings didn’t disappear.

The genie isn’t going back in the bottle. We don’t have to like it, or be happy about it, but that’s the hand we’ve been dealt. Personally, the biggest argument in favor of human artists is how annoying AIs can be. I’m sure you’ve all had to deal with the automated phone service. I’d rather talk to an actual human, and describe my vision to them. Same with voice actors. I’ll happily wait for a human voice actor to give me a performance. They are infinitely more likely to know what I mean when I request a specific performance. I don’t use AIs to write my reviews, and I do not intend to change that.

On the other hand, I’m not naive about potential abuse. Imagine how worse scam calls would be if A.I. could perfectly replicate a loved one’s voice. Too much automation would lead to mass unemployment. This is one of the reasons I support some form of Universal Basic Income. There’s also, as the episode demonstrates, the issue of redundancy. Basically, you need to make sure you have enough humans in case the AIs go haywire. So, you don’t want to go all in on automation. At the same time, the AIs won’t always be broken. Which leads back to the mass unemployment issue.

This was certainly a very timely and topical episode. As you’ve noticed by how many tangents I went on. “Large Models” is very much worth listening to.

Our forth episode is “Signs & Signifiers.” The comet Hasegawa is going to be making a rendezvous with Earth. Ah, but don’t worry, this isn’t Armageddon. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean this world will get off so easily. Strange reports have been coming in across the world. It seems that the comet has brought an infection, but not an organic one. This alien invasion is one of sonic origin.

This was certainly not a bad episode by any stretch of the imagination. I enjoyed it overall. However, it did have the misfortune of being sandwiched between two particularly excellent episodes. So, it wound up getting outshone by its siblings. So, it was an enjoyable episode, but just not quite as memorable as some of the other episodes this season. So, let’s move on.

The fifth episode is “The Holiday.” It is set in a world where The War on Christmas has a much more literal meaning. Well, the people of this world simply refer to it as The Holiday. Every year, hordes of children armed with guns, axes, and other weapons duke it out with Santa’s elves on the field of battle. This year, there’s even rumor that the big man himself is going to get involved in the battle.

This was a much more humorous offering that Observable Radio is typically known for. However, it was certainly not unwelcome. There is still some social commentary amidst the humor. You can definitely see a satirization of American gun culture in all of the scenes where parents cheerily talk about weapons shopping with their kids. Come to think of it, there’s a lot of satirizing of suburban America in general. There are scenes of parents who are proud of their kids for enlisting, or being selected, for the big fight. It brings to mind those parents who get way too competitive about school sports. And, of course, nobody thinks to question the annual tradition. After all, that’s not very patriotic. But beyond all the commentary on American life, the idea of a literal War on Christmas got a considerable chuckle out of me.

My present for this episode is two thumbs up.

The sixth episode is “Sweet Hereafter.” The afterlife is real. Or rather, humanity has made it real. AfterCare specializes in creating digital afterlives for all their clients. You don’t have to worry about not having enough time with grandma. Thanks to AfterCare, you can visit her anytime you want. And you can spend as much time…as your subscription plan allows! Isn’t that dandy? But hey, there’s more! AfterCare doesn’t just make digital heaven, it also makes digital hell. That way, criminals and wrong doers will truly have to pay for their crimes. But uh oh, what’s this? It seems there’s been a bit of an issue with the backup files. What will happen to everyone who has been uploaded.

It is a common trope in science fiction to cheat death by uploading your consciousness into a computer. Personally, I’m a little skeptical of how well this would work. The mind is a byproduct of the brain. You can’t just download it like a computer program. All you’d be doing is creating a digital replica of yourself. That’s all well and dandy, but it doesn’t change that fact that I, as an individual, am still doomed to die. AfterCare claims they keep their clients souls on the tapes. But I can’t help but wonder if that’s merely poetic wording. If so, well, then I suppose that’s the point. AfterCare is depicted as a shady corporation.

There’s also, I sense, a commentary on the private prison system with the digital hell. There’s also potential commentary on the death penalty. I see certain parallels. Use the digital hell as a deterrent for crime, but would it really work? Is it needlessly cruel? Should there be a statute of limits for souls in the digital hell? And most pressing of all, what if an innocent soul unjustly gets sent to the digital hell? I can only answer the last question, and I suspect you might know the answer as well.

Well, actually, I do know the answer to one other question? Should you give this episode a listen? The answer is yes, yes you should.

Our seventh episode is “Hollow Ring.” This episode seems to take place in a world where democracy was never invented. Countless dynasties and noble families carve the globe amongst themselves. But this isn’t just lines on a map. There are several megacorporations controlled by noble families. Lord Osmand, the head of House Hanover-Gore has been murdered. It has been quite a while since an assassination has occurred, and this has sent shockwaves across the dynasties. Who is the murderer, and what is their motivation?

There was potential here, but the episode failed to achieve that potential. We get some tantalizing glimpses of this world. We know that Egypt is still ruled by Pharaohs. There’s brief mention of a House of Argos. Perhaps related to Jason of the Argonauts? There’s also mention of a place called Ondonga. Perhaps the Iroquois managed to maintain their independence? Which is odd, given that they didn’t have nobility, and practiced a form of democracy. In fact, the Iroquois Confederacy is one of the longest continuous democracies in history. Only the Icelandic Althing has been around for longer. There’s also mention of luxury airships. I know some people consider airships a cliche, but I like them.

The further back the point of divergence, the more alien of a world you get. This world was certainly alien, but I felt I never got a feel for how it functioned. I felt like I was being thrown in the deep end without an explanation. I certainly wished we would have gotten to know more about the history of this world.

There was so much potential, but this episode failed to make the most of it. Thumbs down, unfortunately.

Episode eight is “As Below.” We follow a community of folks living deep underground. They tend to their crops and keep the great machine running. It’s just as their sacred forefathers commanded them to do. It isn’t much, but it’s honest work. They hold the great machine in an almost religious revere. But some folks are beginning to question that devotion. Perhaps all is not as it seems.

This was another episode that had potential, but didn’t quite hit the mark. Apparently, according to Observable Radio’s social media accounts, this episode is meant to be a prequel to H.G. Well’s classic novel The Time Machine. A way to explain how the Morlocks and Eloi came to be. I guess I can kind of see that. Wells was making a point about class conflict with the Morlocks and Eloi. Though, Wells also seemed to assume that the middle class would never become a thing. The reveal was certainly fun, but I don’t feel the journey was quite worth it. This episode also had the misfortune of being followed by one of my favorite episodes of Observable Radio, but we’ll get into that next time.

For now, however, I unfortunately have to point in the direction of this episode. Thumbs down.

And this is where I’m going to stop for now. I will split the review into two parts to make for easier reading. We’ll cover episodes nine though fourteen next time. I don’t want to end this half on a sour note. Overall, I very much enjoyed Observable Radio. To whet your appetite, I will add that some of the best episodes are yet to be discussed on this blog. I loved getting to hear all these broadcasts from other universes.

Observable Radio is a fine blend of horror, science fiction, and just a hint of alternate history. Always excellent to find another fellow anthology show. If you think the half was great, wait until you see what the back half has to offer. Speaking of which, I should get to work on part two of this review.

Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: Hannahpocalypse

As many of you know, I try to work on my own projects when time allows for it. I find myself with a bit less time for that now that I’m gainfully employed at the Shreveport Aquarium. However, I always make time for those who ask me to review their audio dramas. Frankly, I feel a bit guilty when I’m not writing new reviews. I’m aware it isn’t my job to keep the reviews coming, but still. So, without further ado, let’s get right into it. We’re taking a look at Hannahpocalypse. 

Hannahpocalypse is set in the year 2182. It has been 150 years since the zombie apocalypse destroyed civilization as we knew it. Humanity tried to counter the zombies by building an army of robots. Unfortunately, the robots went rogue, caused a robot apocalypse, and just made things worse. But hey, at least they killed all the zombies. Well, most of them anyway. A few zombies have managed to survive. Hannah is one of these zombies. She basically has dissociative identity disorder. Her human personality is basically a prisoner in her own body. Her animalistic zombie personality is the one in the driver’s seat. Hannah has led a dull and lonely existence. The highlights of her day include chasing red balloons and eating live crows. However, Hannah’s finally found some new companions: us, the listeners! Somehow, Hannah is hosting a podcast about her unlife, and we’re along for the ride.

Hannah’s world is turned upside down when she meets Cali. Cali is a scout from Golden Gate, a city-state in what was once San Francisco. Cali recognizes the spark of sentience buried deep within Hannah. Could this be the key to better relations between zombies and humans? This unlikely duo is about to make their way across the wastelands of what was once the United States. It is a story of love, death, and robots. But, you know, not the Netflix kind.

I was approached to review Hannahpocalypse by series creator Damian Szydlo. He is also the creator of the audio drama Cybernautica. Damian had some very nice things to say about my audio drama reviews. He felt very tacky about asking me to review Hannahpocalypse, but I see no issue. People have all sorts of ways of asking me to review their audio dramas. It is also always great to hear that people enjoy the work that I do with these reviews.

Hannahpocalypse is a member of the Fable & Folly network. If you’ve been following my reviews, then you know what that means. Audio drama roll call! The other fine members of the Fable & Folly family include, but are not limited to, Human B-Gon, Alba Salix, We Fix Space Junk, Harlem Queen, The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles, Spaceships, and Who is Cam Candor?

Hmm, wait a minute. So, the backstory of Hannahpocalypse involves a robot apocalypse. It is mostly set in the United States, but we do see that Canada, along with the rest of the world, was impacted as well. We also have a supposedly non-sentient that turns out to be smarter than she appears to outsiders. Does this mean that Hannahpocalypse is secretly a prequel to Human B-Gon? Well, actually, no. The answer is no. However, Damian Szydlo and Drew Frohmann are both friends, and have respect for each other's work. Both of them are also Canadian. This was all just some random observations I made that weren’t meant to be taken seriously.

Anyway, let’s get into my actual for real observations and thoughts on Hannahpocalypse. The series is billed as being hopepunk. Hopepunk, from what I understand, is fiction that strives to depict a better tomorrow, and a more hopeful future. It isn’t averse to conflict, or even bad things like climate change. However, rather than a future ravaged by climate change, hopepunk chooses to show humans works together to fight against things like climate change. The general philosophy of hopepunk is that sometimes things go bad, but we can work together to fix them.

Now, all of that being said, terms like zombie apocalypse and robot apocalypse are not typically included in the same sentence as the word hopepunk. And yet, despite these seemingly disparate elements, Hannahpocalypse does indeed live up to its descriptor of hopepunk. To explain why, let’s first meet our leading ladies.

Hannah has been a prisoner in her own zombified body for the last 150 years. Despite this, she’s in surprisingly good spirits. Well, at first glance anyway. As the series goes on it becomes increasingly clear that Hannah has gone a tad nutty over the years. To be fair, it would be weird if she wasn’t at least a little insane after all she’s gone through. Though, this does raise an obvious question, how exactly is it that Hannah is hosting a podcast if she can’t control her own body. For that matter, what’s she broadcasting on? The audio drama itself tells us not to think too hard about it. We have several characters, besides Hannah and Cali, who break the fourth wall. This includes those who logically shouldn’t know about Hannah’s podcast or Cali’s status reports. Of course, if we go back to Hannah being slightly crazy, then maybe all those instances are figments of Hannah’s imagination. Of course, in the immortal words of Albus Dumbledore, maybe it is all in her head, but why should that make it any less real?

Hannah is also a lesbian. She had bad luck finding a stable relationship, and turning into a flesh-eating zombie certainly didn’t help. Plus she did eat that pride parade when she first turned. But hey, she’s LGBTQ, and wasn’t in control of her body. So, uh, pretty sure it technically wasn’t homophobic to eat all those people. Anyway, it may have taken 150 years, during which time she kind of went bonkers, but at least Hannah found Cali eventually. And perhaps she’ll even find one of her old friends. Hannah’s friend Mel also got bit, but she turned into a mutant. That means she partially zombified, but retained her human mind. Unlike Hannah, mutants like Mel retain control of their bodies.

One of the things that makes Hannah such an endearing character is the phenomenal performance by her voice…actor? Amanda Hufford uses they/them pronouns, so I’m not sure if voice actor is the correct term. Whatever the case might be, Amanda just did such an amazing job making Hannah sound like a total sweetheart. Their performance reminds me of Amy Adams during the early days of her career in movies such as Catch Me If You Can, Enchanted, and Junebug. Amanda also adds several other layers to Hannah. We get to see Hannah’s endearingly dorky side, such as when Hannah worries about swearing in the podcast, even though nobody can hear her. However, we also get those hints of desperation within Hannah’s voice. You can hear this even when Hannah is clearly trying to put a metaphorical smile on. She’s obviously been screaming her head off mentally for quite some time. She still has a mouth, yet she cannot scream, no matter how hard she tries.

We, of course, have to talk about the other half of our two leading ladies. Cali has grown up in Golden Gate. The city-state prides itself on restoring the best of Old America. In reality, however, Golden Gate has a very warped view of what pre-apocalypse America was like. It is clearly based around rose-tinted nostalgia for a past that never truly existed in the first place. Golden Gate is clearly the right-wing view of America. Hmm, so we’ve got a post-apocalyptic setting, killer robots, mutants, and a moral about the dangers of being blinded by nostalgia. I’m definitely getting some Fallout vibes from Hannahpocalypse.

I bring all of this up because Cali does not fit the mold of Golden Gate. Cali is a lesbian, and Golden Gate is not a particularly LGBTQ friendly place, to put it lightly. So, being a scout was one of the few times she got to truly get herself. Cali is jaded, cynical, and rough around the edges. Despite this, she can be just as much of a dork as Hannah is. Cali gets very excited when she finds a stash of Tank Girl comics from the 1980s. It is a little odd that Cali would be a fan of pop culture from nearly 200 years in the past. On the other hand, it has been firmly established that Cali is definitely a nonconformist.

Abigail Turner gives a multifaceted performance for Cali. It perfectly compliments Amanda Hufford’s performance as Hannah. Cali starts off gruff, tough-as-nails, and gives the impression that she’ll do anything to survive. Then the cracks begin to form, and we start to see a softer side to Cali. The first, besides the comics, is when she sees the faint glimmer of humanity still within Hannah. Cali was taught to fear and hate zombies, and it would have been easy to snuff Hannah out. However, Cali chose to take a gamble on Hannah, and choose kindness over cruelty. Yet this wasn’t a choice born purely out of altruism. Further cracks form, and we get to see just how lonely Cali has become over the years. A good chunk of that bravado and prickliness is just a mask she wears to hide the sadness she carries. Perhaps on some level, Cali chose to spare Hannah because she wanted to believe she’d found someone she could truly be herself with. Granted, her faith was certainly not misplaced. The scene where Cali finally breaks down and admits how lonely she feels is particularly well performed.

One of the main themes of Hannahpocalypse is about how we deal with trauma. Hannah experienced one of the worst things that can happen to someone. However, she only regains control of her life when she stops try to fight against the zombie half of herself. One way of dealing with trauma is to accept what has happened to you and learn to live with it. Like it or not, what happened has happened, and will always be part of you to some degree. However, that acceptance doesn’t mean you have to be a victim for the rest of your life. Hannah is able to regain her agency, both physically and metaphorically, once she truly accepts that she is a zombie. She isn’t just a victim, she’s a survivor, and there is power in being a survivor.

The other major theme, as we’ve already touched upon, is the importance of choosing compassion over cruelty. There’s also a message about the dangers of confusing pessimism with realism or pragmatism. It is never outright stated, but it is implied that Golden Gate suppresses homosexuals in the name of repopulating humanity. There’s a kind of logic to this, but it also requires sacrificing individual liberties and happiness in the name of the “Greater Good.” But that begs an obvious question: who gets to define what the Greater Good is? The leaders of Golden Gate talk big game about the lofty ideals of Old America. However, it is pretty clear that their true vested interest is keeping themselves in positions of power.

To build a world on compassion requires taking risk and gambles. Cali gambled on Hannah still having humanity within her. She also gambled that this might lead to better relations between humans and zombies. I won’t give away the ending. However, I will say that sometimes risks are worth it. There can still be hope for a better tomorrow even when you live in a post-apocalypse world full of zombies and robots. Hannahpocalypse, despite its oddball premise, managed to live up to its hopepunk descriptor.

Now, that being said, I do have a few minor points of critique. As we have noted, Hannahpocalypse deals with several philosophical themes. For most of the series, these are woven into the story organically, and it never feels like I’m being beaten over the head. Episode fifteen, however, was an unfortunate exception to this. It had the characters spend several minutes lecturing the listener about what a terrible place Old America was. They go on and on about the rampant inequality and prejudice that filled America in those days. However, we already cover all of those point, so it came across as incredibly redundant. It also came across as heavy-handed and needlessly preachy. I felt like I was listening to a sermon rather than an audio drama. Thankfully, episode sixteen was a welcome return to form. It was also an incredible finale overall, but getting more specific would be spoilers.

This next one isn’t a complaint, but more an observation. Hannahpocalypse is set in the United States, and deals with American culture, but series creator Damian Szydlo is Canadian. Now, that isn’t to say that Canadians aren’t allowed to comment on America. However, I found it a little odd that Damian decided not to set the story in his home country. Maybe the theme he wanted to deal with worked better in an American context. I admit I’m not too familiar with Canadian post-apocalypse fiction. Here in the United States, we tend to assume that Canada gets eaten whenever the apocalypse happens. 

Damian had said that, in his view, America won the Culture War a long time ago. To give on example, in many countries, people will watch both local television shows and movies, but also American movies and television series. Canada, for instance, requires its television stations to air a certain amount of Canadian content in an effort to combat the torrential flood of American media. As such, if America falls, the rest of the world falls with it. So, he had the zombie outbreak begin in America. He also claims he didn’t think of Golden Gate as being particularly right-wing. I guess that’s where our cultural differences come into play. In America, it tends to be the political right that invokes nostalgia for the past, and the need to return to this so-called golden age. The political left, by contrast, tends to emphasize the negative qualities of the past, such as the rampant inequality and bigotry, and how we need to let go of the past. 

Hmm, here’s another random thought I had. Hannahpocalypse sounds like the phrase “an apocalypse.” And the word apocalypse contains the suffix -caly, which is like the name Cali. Could it be that Hannah and Cali’s names were puns all along? Accord to Damian, this was just coincidence. However, he did find my observation amusing. 

Season one has wrapped up most of the loose-ends fairly neatly. However, Hannah and Cali’s story isn’t over yet. Season two is already being planned. There are certainly several directions for the story to go. For example, we discovered that not all zombies are mindless killing machines. Does the same hold true for robots? It does appear we will get answers to that particular question in season two. I know that I can’t wait to find out which path the story takes.

Well, there you have it. Hannahpocalypse managed to genuinely surprise me. It billed itself as a post-apocalypse zombie hopepunk audio drama. Despite these seemingly disparate elements, it managed to find hope for a better tomorrow within the wastelands of what was once North America. And it did so quite well at that. Give it a listen, and perhaps it will surprise you as well.

Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: Hell Gate City Companion

You guys probably know, by now, how it goes when I'm asked to review an audio drama. I'm more than happy to review an audio drama that is asked of me. However, I also don't hesitate to critique anything I find to be lacking. So, with all that in mind, let's get into the podcast we'll be reviewing today. We're taking a look at Hell Gate City Companion.

Hell Gate City Companion is set in Neo Amsterdam. It's a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk future version of New York City. There's a portal that leads straight to Hell in the heart of the city, and demons run wild in the streets. The city is also under the iron grip of an authoritarian government. But radio host Kirby Bevins doesn't let it get him down. He runs a semi-illegal public radio show dedicated to informing and entertaining the people of Neo Amsterdam. Each episode delves into a different topic about life in Neo Amsterdam.

I was first made aware of Hell Gate City Companion when series creator Kevin Berrey. He'd seen my review of We Fix Space Junk. I'm always happy to help those who ask me to listen and review there shows, and so here we are.

Upon listening to Hell Gate City Companion, I was struck by how similar it is to Welcome to Night Vale. We've got a quirky community radio host, in a place where strange and unusual things regularly happen, and with a shadowy oppressive government, but the hosts remain cheery and upbeat despite it all. I should add that Kevin is an excellent narrator, but it was pretty clear to me that he was trying to channel Cecil Baldwin.

Don't get me wrong, I used to love Welcome to Night Vale. I listened to over 100 episodes, but after I got to...was it episode 112 or 120? Anyway, point is, eventually I got tired of it and noped out of it. I didn't like the fact that it was just going on and on, with no end in sight, and doing pretty much the same thing for episode after episode. As such, the last thing I want in an audio drama is something that reminds me of Welcome to Night Vale. So, Hell Gate City Companion was pretty much doomed from the start with me. I tried to give it a chance, but after the first few episodes it was clear that things weren't going to improve in that regard. Also, and this really is a minor point, it's billed a cyberpunk, but I find it to be more supernatural post-apocalyptic.

Ultimately, whether or not you enjoy Hell Gate City Companion will come down to whether you enjoyed Welcome to Night Vale, and you want more of the same. If so, then you'll probably enjoy Hell Gate City Companion quite a lot. If not, then you're better of skipping this one. There really is no getting around this point.

To be perfectly frank, I'm surprised that Kevin hasn't been sued for copyright infringement. Granted, I think there's probably enough differences to keep him out of legal trouble, but the influences from Welcome to Night Vale are pretty obvious. The biggest difference is that Hell Gate City Companion has a tendency to play Current Events Mad Libs. For example, one episode's main story was pretty obviously about the Capitol Riot, but with some of the names switched around. The other difference is that Hell Gate City Companion does not feature any guest music like Welcome to Night Vale does.

Well, I really don't think I can add much more. I didn't care for Hell Gate City Companion, but perhaps you will. I've given you all the information you need to make an informed decision, so decide for yourself.

I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: Visionaries: Season 1

 If you've been following my last two editions of The Audio File, then you'll know the drill by now. I'm happy to help anyone who ask me to review their audio drama podcasts. However, I also maintain a policy of strict honesty, and I won't hesitate to critique any elements that I think aren't working. I don't really have any more to add, so let's jump right into it. We're taking a look at season one of Visionaries. 

Visionaries takes place in the post-apocalyptic future of 2185. Humans have evolved various superpowered abilities. What these abilities are depend on what eye-color you have. Hence, these powered individuals are known as Visionaries. However, not all humans managed to evolved powers. These powerless individuals are known as Dead Eyes. Dead Eyes are kept as slaves by the Visionaries. This is how it has been for years, but all of that is about to change. The Dead Eyes are about stage a revolt against the Visionaries. But they aren't doing it alone. Rumor has it that a Visionary is leading them. 

I had heard about this show before, and I'd been meaning to listen to it. What finally got me around to it was when I was contacted by Visionaries series creator Richard Seneque. He discovered by reviews from the r/audiodrama subreddit. In particular, he enjoyed my reviews of Lights Out and Sticks Shift Incorporated. I said I'd be happy to take a look at his podcast, and now here we are. 

On the technical aside of things, this is a very well produced audio drama. The audio is very slick and professional sounding. The audio is the same high-quality sound you would find in any professionally produced audio drama. The actors as also quite talented. I don't know if they are professionals, but they certainly sound professional. The sound effects and music are well done, and there's plenty of them, which keeps the audio drama properly immersive, and contributes to the professional feel of it. 

Another aspect I liked was how the narrator will describe the scenes and the action. It reminds me of various recorded plays I have listened to, mostly stuff written by Shakespeare and Sophocles. They too will feature narrators who describe the action for the benefit of the listening audience. It is good that it reminded me of those plays. Fall of the Shah did something similar due to it nature as a docudrama. It also reminds me of those podcasts that adapt prose short stories into audio. Honestly, descriptive narration is something I miss from those short story podcasts, and I wish more audio dramas would consider incorporating it. There's certainly a lot that a little bit of descriptive narration can add to an audio drama. 

Okay, I put it off as long as I can so let's get to it: the podcast has more than a few issues. Let's start with the setting. The premise makes this sound like the audio drama is going to be a science fiction adventure, but it wound up being fantasy. The powers of the Visionaries are pretty much magic in all but name. There's some official artwork on the podcast's website that depicts Seer's Rock, one of the settings of the series, as a medieval-style castle that wouldn't look out of place on the cover of a fantasy novel. The names are the  characters also wouldn't be out of place in a fantasy novel. This podcast feels much more like a fantasy that was wearing the skin of a science fiction podcast. 

Now, to be fair, the audio drama's website does specifically describe Visionaries as a fantasy podcast. And I wouldn't have minded that if Visionaries didn't bill itself using clear science fiction elements; such as the setting being a post-apocalyptic future, or the Visionaries' powers being explained by evolution. When you include stuff like that, it creates certain expectations within your listeners. So, when your podcast then turns out to be fantasy, it kind of feels like false advertising. It would have been better, I think, if the podcast had gone the full nine yards and set itself in a separate fantasy world.  

We get some hints and justification about why the world has reverted into a quasi-medieval fantasy world. There's mention that there was a World War III, and that the Visionaries banned pretty much all advanced technology because they didn't want another war. Well, that's what they say at any rate. I suspect the real reason for the ban was because technology might put Dead Eyes on equal footing with Visionaries. 

The setting just felt reminiscent of at least a dozen or so young adult fantasy novels, which aren't something I typically seek out of my own volition. Which is interesting, as I've always felt that those novels were just re-skinned young adult dystopias. Oh, science fiction dystopia, especially ones like The Hunger Games, might not be as common as they once were, but fantasy young adult, especially ones set in secondary fantasy worlds, often hit a lot of the same beats as young adult dystopia. Oppressive ruling classes, generic badass (usually female) protagonist, love triangle, getting cool clothes at some point, rebellion to overthrow the oppressive kingdom, deadly challenge or quest that must be completed, it's all there. 

I should add that Visionaries doesn't follow this formula as slavishly as other examples I can think of. For example, we have a male protagonist, no love triangle, no quest beyond the rebellion. 

The worldbuilding felt like it left something to be desired. It felt like I was being plopped in the middle of the story without being given much to go on beyond the whole slave revolt angle. This is particularly bad given the aforementioned use of the narrator. Give me a sense of this world; descriptions of clothing, food, social customs. I suppose it is possible these things are being saved for future seasons, but I still found their absence annoying. 

Richard has said that he intended Visionaries to be a commentary on racism and discrimination. Essentially, what if we discriminated people based on eye color, rather than skin color? If this is meant as allegory, well, then we have some issues. Let's have a brief refresher on terms. Allegory is a form a storytelling where everything in the story is meant to be a stand-in for something else. Applicability, by contrast, is where a story can be interpreted numerous way because it is written in such a way that it could apply to numerous things, even those the author might not have known about. If we interpret Visionaries as an allegory, then we have a problem. 

In our world, white supremacists claim that whites are inherently superior to other races, despite there being no evidence to support such claims. In the world of Visionaries, the Visionaries claim to be superior to the Dead Eyes...and they're absolutely correct. Yeah, doesn't really work as an anti-racism allegory. However, if we take the audio drama as applicable, then we could see it as applying to discrimination against the physically handicapped, but also having some elements of racial discrimination. Applicability would also work because Visionaries don't seem to care much about skin color anymore. Though, as mentioned, that just means they focus on eye color. The official artwork does seem to show the slaves as multiracial. They also look like they got lost on their way to a Mad Max themed BDSM club, but I digress. 

As for the characters, I struggled to keep track of who was who, which is never a good sign. I just didn't find that any of them really made much of an impact on me. I'd also like to take a moment to clarify a point. I know it sounds like I've been ragging on the official artwork, but I actually think it is quite good. It looks like something you'd find in a high-quality indie comic. Besides the castle and the slaves,my of get to see what the different colored eyes look like. 

Look, I need to be perfectly honest with you guys. This isn't the sort of podcast I'd normally seek out: especially after I realized just what kind of podcast this really is. It's not that I'm opposed to this kind of fantasy. The Two Princes is set in a fantasy world, and I very much enjoyed it. Though, it took a considerably different tone than Visionaries does. 

Now, that having been said, I must give Visionaries the benefit of the doubt here. I still encourage all of you reading this to checkout Visionaries. It might not have been my cup of tea, but maybe it will appeal to you in was that it doesn't for me. At the end of the day, it is important to try things for yourself. It didn't matter what other people say or think about an audio drama, what matters is what you think, even if that goes against the consensus. I give you all full permission to like things I don't like, and to dislike things I do like. I will not hold it against you. 

In sort, listen to Visionaries and decide what you think about it yourself. Season one is only five episodes long, and the episodes themselves aren't very long in length. You can easily binge it in one sitting. So, even if you don't like it, you won't have lost too much time. 

Well, I think that covers everything for now. I will see you guys next time. 

Comic Review: Snowpiercer: The Escape

For today's review we're going to do a little something different.  We're going to review a comic book.  Specifically, Snowpiercer: The Escape by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette.  It all started with a war.  It's unclear who started it or who were, and frankly that's kind of unimportant.  What is important is that somebody launched a weapon that plunged the Earth into a planet-wide ice age.  Billions died, but a few managed to find ways to survive.  Before the war a perpetual-motion train known as Snowpiercer had been constructed.  It is 1001 cars long.  It circles the world on a globe-spanning track.  It is humanity's last refuge.  

The story follows a man named Proloff and a woman named Adeline Belleau. Proloff comes from The Tail, the very back of the train and the lowest of the low in the social pecking order.  Adeline is from third class and is part of a movement to integral the members of The Tail into wider society aboard Snowpiercer.  A series of events causes the unlikely duo to make their way towards the front of the train, and towards answers about the nature of Snowpiercer itself. 

So before we begin I thought we could talk a bit about comics in general.  First of all, are they comic books or graphic novels?  Personally, I use the terms interchangeably.  Some people will use graphic novel more because they claim it sounds more sophisticated.  I really think Robin Williams put it best, the different between the terms comic book and graphic novel is about the same as the difference between the terms porn and adult entertainment.  

Now let's talk about French comics, since Snowpiercer is a French comic after all.  French comics are kind of like how American comics would have turned out if the Comics Code of Authority had never happened.  You don't really see that many superhero titles, but you do see a great diversity of other genres.  Don't get me wrong, I love superhero comics as much as the next guy, but American comics really need more diversity of genre.  So I guess you could see French comics as somewhere between American comics and Japanese manga.  You get the full colors and western writing tropes along with the diversity of genres.  

Anyway, let's talk about Snowpiercer.  I'm willing to bet that if you've heard of Snowpiercer it's probably via its film adaptation staring Chris Evans, John Hurt and various other celebrities.  That's how I found out about it; though I haven't yet see the movie, but I do plan to.  The Snowpiercer comic originally came out in 1982, but it finally got an English translation thanks to the movie adaptation. The movie might not have replicated the plot, besides the general setting.  That having been said, it does capture the spirit of the comic, and the two other installments of the comic followed other trains so it does kind of fit in with the scheme of things. 

Okay, now we will officially begin talking about Snowpiercer: The Escape.  The plot itself is very much an excuse plot so that we can see what life is like aboard the train.  This is certainly not a bad thing, and I rather enjoyed getting to know the people of Snowpiercer.  Excuse plots can be done quite well.  Besides this comic there's also the Dinotopia books by James Gurney.  They're also very much excuse plots, but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who would fault them for that.  

We get to see where the train gets its food from, we see the forms of entertainment, we see how culture has adapted to the endless journey and so much more.  The middle class dine on vat meat, while the first class keeps rabbits to supplement their diets, and as for The Tail...well, the less said about that the better.  There's also a few greenhouse cars for vegetable and fruits.  A scene in the movie car was a bit funny since it showed one of the movies playing as Star Wars Episode VII, which at the time didn't exist, but now it does.  If you're wondering where they get their water from it's collected from snow and ice as the train drives along.  I guess you could kind of view Snowpiercer as a generation ship of sorts.  People are born, live their lives and die all within the confines of the train; and death is but a broken window away.   

There's been a cargo cult religion that's sprung up that worship's the engine.  I also found it interesting that many named characters had French and Russian sounding names.  We never find out where Snowpiercer was before the disaster occurred, but certain hints suggest that it was in Russia.  So the mixed of Russian, French and other European passengers does make sense.  There is some really great worldbuilding within this comic.  Bonus points for taking two things I always viewed as kind of magical, trains and winter, and making them absolutely terrifying.  

Let's talk about the art.  The whole comic is in black and white.  I know that black and white comics were a bit of a trend with American comics during the 1980s, but I'm not sure of that was also a trend with French comics of the time.  Either way, it kind of works out.  The world of Snowpiercer is bleak and desolate with very little hope left in it.  The black and white art does a lot to emphasize all of this.  Plus, in a world covered in snow and ice, you probably wouldn't see a whole lot of color.  I've read enough manga so that the lack of color wasn't that big of an adjustment for me.  The drawings themselves were quite well drawn.

Snowpiercer: The Escape has whetted my appetite for the other entries in the Snowpiercer series, as well as for French science fiction comics in general.  If you're looking for a good post-apocalypse science fiction comic then Snowpiercer can't be beat.  I look forward to reading many more French comics, and maybe I'll even get a few more comic reviews over here.  

Well I think that's enough from me for now.  I will see you guys next time.