Since my re-introduction to comics, and introduction to manga and anime, some years ago, I've noticed with increasing disfavour the lack of good science fiction stories in these media. There are perhaps a dozen different reasons why this is so, though I suspect it's mostly Sturgeon's Law in action once again.

Thankfully, there are exceptions, and I'm pleased to say that Galaxion, written and drawn by Tara Tallan, is one of them.

The story centers around the comic's namesake, the Terran Space Agency (TerSA) starship Galaxion, and its crew, as seen through the eyes of Aria Schaeffer, a member of the Galaxion's Survey Contact Team (SCT) and a personal friend of the ship's somewhat strong-willed (and strong-opinioned) captain Fusella Mierter. As the story starts, we learn the Galaxion has been appropriated by TerSA's opposite number, the Interplanetary Patrol, to test a controversial new stardrive (previous tests of the stardrive gave, erm, mixed results, and there are rumours about the sanity of the project's head, General Scavina Nelson). For this test, Scavina has taken temporary command of the Galaxion as well as brought some of her own project staff to help crew the ship, including Fusella's old boyfriend Darvin Deloran, and whiz-kid Zandarian Wilder.

The test jump, however, does not have the expected results - successful or otherwise. As far as navigation can tell, the ship hasn't budged from its orbit around Mars - but the jump engines did activate as planned, and what's more, the Galaxion has lost all contact with all TerSA stations and beacons - it's as if something has wiped the human race away from the Solar System. Before too long, the Galaxion's becomes aware that the ship has been moved into a parallel universe, and that they are not the first visitors. For on the devastated surface of the parallel version of Earth, is the wreckage of the Hiawatha the IP vessel that first tested the stardrive, until now presumably lost with all hands.

The story is still ongoing - as of this writing we're just entering chapter 4 - though this is not the first time the Galaxion story has been told. An earlier version of this story was told in print in the 1990s, marketed first under the Salmagundi comics name, then later under its own title.

The web-version has been redrawn and rescripted, according to the author, and the result is a high-quality product. The art, which has a flavour similar to Star Blazers and Macross, is superb, using only black and white to convey shade and tone in a way I have not seen in any other comic - certainly not as well done. The plot moves along at a good pace, and the characters are not only well-realized in their personalities and motivations, they are something I too-rarely see in comics and animation these days: they are actually decent people. I can't stress how much of a relief it is to find such characters in today's science fiction comic climate. Far too often, a creator will give us characters that are so ridden with faults, neuroses, and psychoses, that it is a wonder that such characters can get out of bed in the morning, much less face the challenges given them. Here, however, Tara Tallan has given us characters that are truly human - some flaws (from Fusella's temper to Ari's, um, "foot-in-mouth" condition), but people who are not just competent but good at their jobs, and who exhibit an integrity we hardly see anywhere anymore. It is a personal joy to be able to spend time with such characters, and it helps me to care more about what happens to them.

In addition, while the science tends to be black-boxed for the most part, Tara Tallan has worked hard to keep the science consistent, and shows enough of the scientific process. The scene in Mal's lab in chapter 2 captures life in a lab very well - I laughed at seeing the poster that declared "If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be Research!" Words to live by. Tara has also involved her readership in some of her efforts to keep the science honest, holding a couple of "open forums" on topics like galactic distances and remote sensing. I had the priviledge to take part in both, and had a blast. Further, the science is still central to the story - if the jump drive was removed from the story, it would collapse.

The site also has a few short stories set in the "Galaxioverse", giving us more of a glimpse into the characters as they were before the events in the main comic. Each tale is fun to read, and shows the same quality of writing and detail as the main.

In sum, Galaxion demonstrates that it is possible to tell a story that is truly science fiction, rather than a story that just happens to be set in space or the future. Sadly, Galaxion seems to languish in obscurity, known to only a few. It is my hope that, before the comic's end, it will recieve the wider audience and recognition it deserves.

Galaxion updates every Tuesday, with an extra update on the first Friday of each Month. It can be read at galaxioncomics.com

Images are copyright 2007-2009 Tara Tallan. Used with permission from the author.