Area 51: The Helix Project is a six-issue series focusing on the story of Kent, a half-breed child that has been in hiding for 15 years since the brutal death of his extraterrestrial father, who up until that time, lived amongst humanity as one of them. That is until one fateful day when Kent’s father exposes himself to the public in his true form to save a child, leading to his demise. His father’s death shapes Kent’s life forever. As he questions the incident, he’s contacted with information about that day and the possibility of his father’s whereabouts. This leads to a mystery of twists and turns as Kent’s idealized views of his father begin to shift and his sense of self starts to shift with him.
Fernandes-Lenkiewicz puts Kent through the wringer as he is caught in the crossfire of forces that are bigger than himself. Throughout the entire six-issue series, readers witness Kent’s journey as he questions his origins of self, his views of the world, PTSD, and his ideals toward his father and the world around him. Fernandes-Lenkiewicz challenges Kent’s sense of self along the way, making every decision and interaction as impactful as the blows exchanged between characters that stand in Kent’s way of seeking the truth. Whether it is Kent and Marissa’s ties to the present, Colonel Winters ties to the past, or Kent’s father’s ties to the future, every facet of this book reflects the pains of self-destruction, trauma, and self-discovery. Using science fiction as a template to tell a human story was a fantastic display of Fernandes-Lenkiewicz’s ability as a writer. He reminds readers the importance of science fiction, and how it is at its best when written as cautionary tales that reflect who we are as people at our worst and at our best.
Samuel Iwunze and Marcelo Salaza both do an excellent job illustrating the story with moments of mystery, intimacy, and brutality. While Salaza gets the book running, establishing the tone of the series visually, Samuel Iwunze carries the torch and elevates the book further by expanding upon what came before with creative panel layouts that both preserves the visual continuity while doing his own thing stylistically without sacrificing the story to do so. Marcio Freire’s color work drapes the entire book in atmosphere and elevates the book further, cementing the kind cinematic tone that the entire team has established. Taylor Esposito’s lettering tethers the entire book together, creating an enjoyable reading experience throughout. Of the many Kickstarter campaigns books that are out there, this is one series to check out.
If you’d like to see what other projects that Pocket Watch Press has in store, and where to support it, you can find it here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thehelix/minutes-to-midnight?ref=profile_created
Newsdesk