A love that crosses light years connects Amy, an Earthbound teenage girl from different time, to Oliver, a teenage boy on lone mission in space. But their still-budding relationship is laced with the mysteries of an alien artifact, a murder, a world organization, and a being that seems to connect them all.
Thanks to National Security agent, James Silber, the investigation of the Homecoming Incident is closing, but things don’t add up. At least Tammie is back home safe—and relatively sound. She, along with Schafer and Cassie, are focusing on finding out what really happened to Amy at the Homecoming Incident. So far all they know is that they can’t trust the authorities, and to everyone else Amy is officially dead.
But Amy isn’t dead, she’s a prisoner at FCP Headquarters where she’s finally begun to form a true friendship with Special Ops agent, Qiana, and her relationship with Oliver is continuing to grow as they spend long hours chatting. The more time she spends on base, the more Amy realizes the world at large has no idea that the First Contact Project is not at all what it seems.
While Amy and Qiana investigate the dark events the FCP has been covering up, Oliver flies ever closer to the artifact and the end of his mission. Through everything, Amy strives to stay true to her ideals and treat everyone with kindness, even when it’s hard.
Stephen McCranie has been drawing comics since before he could read or write. He graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in Fine Arts and currently lives and works out of a small apartment in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The series flags as the various characters each noodle around as they pursue their individual investigations into the cover-up by the First Contact Project and slowly start to team up with one another or just give up.
I'm not going to give up yet, but I hope the next book starts doing something more interesting.
The Foot Code: Tamara is the only character on pointe as she lounges around her bedroom in capri pants.
Everyone trudges forward with their investigation of the FCP. Amy's friendship with Qiana blossoms and they investigate the FCP leader, who Qiana thinks might be a bad guy (duh!). Meanwhile, Tammie wakes up with memories of Amy being alive. Cassie and Schafer tentatively start investigating the homecoming dance.
It's somewhat wheel-spinning, but it's also still Space Boy, so the art is pleasant, the tone is upbeat, and the pacing is satisfying. Hard to say no to any of this.
Stephen McCranie's Space Boy Volume 15 is the 15th installment of the Space Boy saga by Stephen McCranie. I read the first 14 volumes in omnibus editions but couldn't wait for the next omnibus but have since acquired the individual volumes / chapters.
Volume 15 continues the story of Amy and Qiana, both working at First Contact Project (FCP) HQ and now becoming friends and trying to find out what happened to Professor Lesnik. This might provide some link to the strange being that seems to control FCP's bosses. There are side stories involving Amy's friends back in South Pines, as they begin to explore the events when Amy was kidnapped (although agents of FCP say she died) and also Oliver, out in space preparing for contact with the Space Artifact.
As always it's an interesting story, with excellent drawings and vibrant artwork. Amy's growing friendship with Qiana is a happy situation as I've always liked Qiana. Time will tell if Qiana can shake off her FCP links and become a true friend. As well, it's nice that Oliver is finally talking with Dr. Kim again. Dr. Kim might be able to help. And I like that Cassie and Schaffer are trying to help Tammie remember what happened that night at the prom. They will make a good team.
Volumes 16 and 17 sit on my book shelf so I will get to them soon I'm sure to see what happens next! (3.5 stars)
When it's Friday night and you don't have the bandwidth to even read the teen novel you're working on... Space Boy is there for you.
Current arc of me reading Space Boy: 1. I have no idea what's going on. It's been too long and I've lost the narrative thread entirely. 2. I am completely engrossed in this book. 3. That really hit the spot. I don't know that I need to read anymore of this.
Amy continues to be a really interesting character. There's a lot in Space Boy that I could leave behind without regret (if Oliver mentions the Nothing one more time I swear to GOD-) but I'm invested in finding out where Amy ends up.
Also, it's really enjoyable to read in the moment. It's like a TV show that just washes over me. Very relaxing when that's what I need.
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss.)
In Volume 15 of SPACE BOY, the covert ops really start to heat up: Cassie and Schafer visit the newly "rescued" Tamara, who insists that her memories were stolen by a bright light. A light against which she struggled, valiantly, and managed to guard two convictions - that Amy is still alive (despite news reports to the contrary!!!), and that James Silber is absolutely not to be trusted. Meanwhile, Amy finds a new sense of purpose at the First Contact Project: helping Qiana uncover the truth behind Aleksander Lesnik's murder - and the seemingly mundane archaeological work preceding his entanglement with the FCP. Meanwhile, Oliver comes to his own (in some ways tragic) realization, which sends him to Dr. Kim for advice.
Finally, for a touch of levity, the volume ends with a super-cute Lil' Amy strip wherein she and Jemmah attempt to ... make a baby (it's all about the jeans).
As always, SPACE BOY is a sweet and gentle - yet utterly compelling - scifi read.
*****
Here's a breakdown of the episodes contained in each TPB. Sometimes I borrow the books from the library, other times I receive early electronic review copies online - and to bridge the gaps in between, I read the strips on Webtoons. Forever and always do I tear my hair out trying to figure out which strips I missed in between the collected volumes.
Oliver’s phone call with Dr. Kim was a highlight. The one page spread of Oliver’s thoughts on forgiveness were beautiful. This whole series is as soothing as a weighted blanket and always an inviting read. I wonder how Amy will respond in a future volume to what Oliver wants to confess? 😊
Amy and Qiana embark on a mission. Oliver confesses his feelings for Amy to Dr. Kim. Schafer and Cassie go visit Tammie who swears that Amy is still alive and the police are lying. #Edelweiss+
Amy gets Qiana to open up to her and the two set off to investigate the murder that happened at FCP. Silber has declared the kidnapping case in Baltissippi closed, but the local police have their suspicions it is a coverup. Silber uses his powers to shut them up. But he didn't count on Tammie having Schafer and Cassie for friends, friends willing to listen to what others call her crazy hallucinations of Amy alive during her kidnapping. While Amy is snooping around with Qiana she's too busy to talk to Oliver so he reaches out to someone he should have talked to long ago.
This book is what flour is to soup, it's a thickening agent. The plot is thickening of Amy and Qiana figuring out what is going on at FCP, Tammie and Schafer and Cassie figuring out the truths Silber is hiding, and Oliver growing as a person. I love how Amy continues to demonstrate how responding to angry people with kindness instead of retaliation is so powerful. I'm a little worried, though. She meets someone in this story she can't read as well as others. Looking forward to the next book!
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. No violence in this volume (past violence is discussed). Tammie is struggling with not having people believe her.
Tammie is back! Shafer pulls Cassie out of her home/depression to help Tammie, while Amy offers to help Qiana solve the mystery of an archeologist's death at FCP, and Oliver reaches back out to Dr. Kim for advice re: his relationship with Amy.
Oliver is still getting closer to his end goal but in the meantime he comes to the realization that we already know about his feelings for Amy. Amy’s friends decide to figure out if she’s really alive or dead. Amy goes on a mission to read a mysterious book in Langley’s office. This one felt like a lot of set-up without a lot of pay off but as part of the grander story I know it’s all good and worth it in the end. This is easily one my favourite series and the only complaint I have is how long it takes to get to the next instalment.
My favorite part about the illustrations for Space Boy is how well PTSD and Panic Disorders are portrayed here. I think I can see a lot of readers resonating with it, even simply the flavors of dread and despair.
A lot has happened in this series since it started, but the heart still remains! Still loving it even if I have no idea how everything is going to go down lol.
And love the message about forgiveness in this one.