Invisible Republic, Vol. 1 by Gabriel Hardman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This graphic novel is nominated for the 2016 Hugo.

It's pretty okay, especially if you like good art and fist-pumping origin stories for SF revolutions. The characters are all plot driven, split between a span of 42 years, with a reporter trying to get the truth and the cousin of the ringleader who's just trying to get by.

Like I said it's pretty okay. The art is better than the story, though. I don't have any issues with either, except that this kind of thing is pretty standard for certain types of SF. It's particularly good only in terms of how it tells its story, not the actual story.

Or at least not yet. This is just early days, so far, but nothing particularly stands out as brilliant just yet. I may change my mind later on down the road when I see what kinds of craziness develops, or even if a lot of craziness develops, but then again, I might not.

I'm honestly not quite sure why it was nominated for the Hugo, except for the subject material. I Do like generational starships and politics after settling down, but for this to mean more than just "huh, this is mildly interesting," It's going to require a full beginning, middle, and end. I've *seen* a ton of comics do just that, easily, in just five issues. Unfortunately, this is a much bigger story begging a longer and more dedicated readership.

I'm sure a lot of people will get a big kick out of this one, though, so don't take just my word for it. The art is pretty awesome.

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