Trillium by Jeff Lemire

Wow. That's what I'm saying. I love what Lemire did with this issue. The issue is written as two separate stories that merge as one. There are two covers, you flip the book over and start from the other side. Doesn't matter which side you choose to read first although the side labeled the soldier is listed as chapter 1.2. To me, there is not spoiler created by reading one side before the other. I did read it in chapter order.

Each story takes place in a different year. The chapter labeled the soldier takes place in 1921 on Earth while the chapter labelled the scientist takes place in 3797 on a planet that is not called out.

In chapter 1 we meet Nika who is a scientist attempting to help save what is left of humanity from a deadly, sentient virus known as The Caul. The goal is to procure a rare flower, a species of Trillium from the local natives known as Atabithians. They are apparently gentle, wise and cooperative. Of course the last 4000 humans in the universe and their governing saviors known as Earthlab, would rather bulldoze the local alien inhabitants and take the flower for themselves. Funny how genocide has become the justification for genocide here. This is where Nika steps in and takes matters into her own hands, following her mothers beliefs which are basically, that we are all one in the universe and we should not cause harm.

Five Things I like :
1. Sci-fi stories where people talk to their computers which have their own names and personalities.
2. Pyramids(not the scams, the ones built out of rocks).
3. Pictorial Languages (hieroglyphs).
4. Squidie/Cthulhu looking aliens.
5. Time travel/parallel universe/inter-dimensional travel all Star Gate stylish. (Seriously it could be any one of those, I can't tell at this point)

It's here I'll explain that in this issue, the two chapters and their main characters meet in the middle. I just can't wait to read more... god why do I have to wait a whole month!?!? It's so unfair!!