A review by jexjthomas
The Manhattan Projects Volume 1: Science Bad by Jonathan Hickman

3.0

It's not often that I worry something might be too weird for me. I tend to rejoice in the weird, so long as it's not weirdness without real purpose. Weird for the sake of weird? I don't tend to like that so much. But here's the thing: it's clear that there is a method to the weirdness of The Manhattan Projects, but it can be difficult to discern just what that method is. There's certainly much more going on here than just a thick cloud of weirdness, but the narrative has a tendency to stop and start in fits, feeling choppy, and on the whole, the story doesn't seem cohesive. Without this narrative cohesion, the oddness can feel contrived, and in and of itself isn't enough to drive the story forward.

Still, there's much to love here. The art is truly wonderful, with a fantastic use of colors, and the characterization is unique and even fun. There's definitely joy to be gained from interacting with such twisted versions of our scientific heroes. And while I may feel that the overarching plot is lacking, there are plenty of really great moments, and some turns of phrase that leave me almost giddy ("Zen-powered by Death Buddhists" being the best of the lot).

I'm not 100% sold on this book, but it's piqued my interest enough that I'll check out the next trade and see if it sticks a little better.