Negation Vol. 3: Hounded by Checker BPG

At first, I wasn't really sure what to think of Cross-Gen's Negation comic-book series. I believe that I have discussed Cross-Gen's company before, and how its financial difficulties caused many series to be unfortunately taken out just as they were getting good.

Cross-Gen comics had a universe that took place in many eras. Some of them were in the past, and some in the future. As with other series, such as Sigil and Sojourn, any character bearing the Sigil mark inherently has some super-powers. The Negation series takes place sometime in the future of this "chaotic universe" that has been united under a massive empire known as the Negation.

This is only a review of Negation: Hounded Volume 3, which reprints issues 13-18. I have not read the first two volumes, but I am guessing that this story, like most epics, start out in medias res, or "in the middle of things". Negation is most certainly an epic, and probably never really shows how the Negation came to be. Over the Negation universe is a "God-Emperor" known as Charon, a being of blue energy that is spreading his power to the "bright universe" that is apparently the world we humans live in.

At the beginning of the series, Charon arranged for one hundred aliens to be brought to his universe and tested in very harsh prison camps. A human named Obregon Kaine led an uprising against the camp's taskmaster, Komptin, and stole a spaceship in order to find a way home for himself and compatriots. Kaine's group eventually met a group of super-powered Australians led by Samakar.

Now that is just the backstory to book 3. This volume begins with these two groups raiding the Negatron Throneworld, where they split into two separate groups. Kaine goes to try and kill Charon, but somehow gets himself teleported on a hostile world with Komptin. Samakar's group gets into some interesting and more complicated messes.

As I mentioned before, Negation is an epic, but it has the unique advantage of being both a space science-fiction as well as superhero story. Most science fiction epics specialize on spaceships or super-powered beings, but Negation successfully mixes both genres very well.

Negation has a cast that is both human and alien. That certainly is not new, but I do admire how some of the aliens have a distinct look that can be horrible and beautiful at the same time. Compton, for example, is very unique, as his head has these weird horns that are pliable and work like tentacles. Komptin has this alien hound-like creature with many mouths. Clearly, H.P. Lovecraft was some sort inspiration for this universe.

Another thing that I admire is that the main villain, Charon, is not your typical evil Emperor conventional character. He doesn't revel in his power, but humbly commands his troops. He is not rude or assertive but he doesn't hesitate to order men on a killing spree. He has an air of Machiavellian command presence about him that has long since dismissed war as a business.

In short, Negation is worth checking out. It is very imaginative, and recommended for those who like their sci-fi adventures a little on the darker side.