Sometimes a comic comes along at a certain moment and you realize it’s the exact type of story you were looking for. A sci-fi space adventure to a similar tone of Ocean’s Eleven and Cowboy Bebop would sound interesting to anyone on paper but when the talents of Mark Millar and Matteo Scalera team up, along with Marcelo Maiolo and Clem Robins, it’s hard not to get excited about a new creator-owned series. The hype is well met in the first issue and builds an interesting story along with strong world building as another one of Mark Millars Netflix/Image titles hits the shelves.



The first issue takes over a vast variety of fast-paced and beautifully designed space locations.The attention to detail in characters and world building by the artist and colorist is highly important in every comic but especially in creator-owned work as the world really has to pull you in during your first exposure to it, and no artist is more adept at this than Matteo Scalera. From his work on Black Science alongside Rick Remender to this first issue where we are treated to some amazing art panels. One page in particular set on a space prison in the form of a dead god named The Crustacean, where the prisoners are tasked with mining the remains for minerals and medicines that have cured many diseases.



The art isn’t the only part of this first issue that hits the mark. Millar is one of the best and most successful comic creators. With a list of creator-owned, as well as big brand comics, being turned into movies, and not to forget some new shows heading our way based on his Netflix partnered titles. His success is well earned and speaks for itself, he knows how to draw in readers on the first issue and does so here in the same fashion.



The first glimpse of the characters of Thena Khole and Cody Blue are both enjoyable to watch play out. Both after being betrayed, in no part due to their misplacement of trust in some shady character who seemed from early on to be the exact type of people who would double cross someone for their own gain. That might be my own concern with the first issue. It was a little obvious from the start that this was where their situations would lead in order for them to make each other acquaintances, but then again not every story has to reinvent the wheel as long as the journey is enjoyable and fun.



Space Bandits #1 is an enjoyable read and with a creative team as strong as this, it does more than enough to keep the reader’s interest and have them looking forward to issue 2.

