What is Descender?
What is it?
Descender is a comic book series from Image Comics written by Jeff Lemire and illustrated by Dustin Nguyen. The series is a science fiction story about a group exploring the mystery behind a deadly disaster. Along the way, friendships are forged, enemies are made, and the relationship between human beings and robots becomes more important than ever.
What is it about?
The central plotline in Descender is derived from a moment when catastrophe struck the futuristic universe in which this comic is set. During this catastrophe, mysterious robots, called Harvesters, killed billions of sentient beings in a surprise attack and then vanished immediately afterward. No one knew why this attack took place or how these robots became powerful enough to pull it off. This lack of knowledge led to panic, which led to a universal war against all robots.
The bulk of Descender takes place ten years after this catastrophe, in a universe still looking for answers. A newly revived hunt for these missing answers sees two government agents team up with the “father of robotics” to investigate a new lead. This lead comes from a robot child with a high level of empathy and his two robotic friends: a destructive, simple-minded protector and a robot dog. Together, all of these characters form a makeshift family as they chart a path across the universe. Along the way, they are forced to deal with perilous circumstances, dramatic losses, and startling truths. However, their goal remains unchanged: to learn more about the Harvester attack and unravel a conspiracy that goes deeper than anyone initially believed.
Who is it for?
Descender is heavy on science fiction and galactic worldbuilding. The main struggle throughout this comic dips into the ethics of artificial intelligence and the implications it could have on human-robot relationships. These concepts are then explored over a variety of different worlds, each with a distinctive culture and history. Those with an interest in this particular brand of science fiction will find a lot to love here.
Descender is also heavy on character driven storytelling. It is incredibly easy to become invested with the personal struggles of every main cast member. Each one of these characters has a unique and interesting backstory that plays into their unique and interesting personality. Watching them grow and change allows for an emotional journey that should appeal to most readers.
Each of these already positive attributes is then enhanced by the gorgeous artwork seen throughout the series. The watercolored pages here have a level of creativity that helps them come to life and make the world of this comic feel real.
This comic is rated Mature and is intended for mature readers. It contains some graphic violence and course language, so those uncomfortable with this should not pick up this series.
Want more?
Those interested in reading Descender should check out ComicBookWire’s reviews of the series to find out if this comic is for them.