Co-creators Antony Johnston and Justin Greenwood begin the next arc of their inventively familiar police procedural set in outer space with “The Fuse” #7. Detectives Klem Ristovych and Ralph Dietrich are back on the job with yet another mystery that must be solved!

Written by Antony Johnston

Illustrated by Justin Greenwood “GRIDLOCK,” Part One 22,000 MILES UP, THERE IS (STILL) NO BACKUP. They call it Gridlocking—maglev-bike races across the Fuse’s vast solar arrays. Fast, dangerous, and very illegal. When a gridlocker turns up dead, Klem and Ralph begin their own race to catch a killer! PLUS: Bonus backup strip “TABLOID” starts this issue!

After a rocky beginning as partners, Klem and Ralph are in the middle of another murder mystery in this first issue in the second arc of “The Fuse,” ‘Gridlock.’ The Fuse is a man-made society that floats above planet Earth. Like any society, it must handle issues of class and people’s position in the world. When a player mysteriously dies during the illegal sport of gridlocking, class becomes very important to the case. With physical and societal blockages in their way, the Fuse’s detectives are assuredly going to have trouble solving their case.

There’s a natural rapport between Klem and Ralph that thankfully carries over from the previous arc. The chemistry between them is a vital part of why this series has succeeded in so many ways. Even though Klem continues to mercilessly tease Ralph, he continues to take the brunt of her ribbing because that’s what makes their relationship entertaining and real. They trust each other and embrace each other’s quirks (even though it may seem otherwise with Klem’s constant wisecracks). They even care for each other’s feelings. When they are heading to a place that could cause Klem discomfort, Ralph asks if she’s alright ascending to a certain level of the Fuse. Klem, naturally, responds with a joke.

Klem and Ralph are obviously characters in a police procedural, yet it’s familiarity with a twist. Crime genre tropes are evident throughout and lend a recognizable feel to the proceedings. That familiarity is a very welcome trait of the book. Characters have to use their brains because they have to solve a crime. With mystery comes the need for intelligence. “The Fuse” has that perfect combination of character and intelligence within a crime drama. We have grown to care for these characters and continue to do so in this issue; they are real to us. The beginning of the “Gridlock” arc is very promising because of its intriguing mystery and the guaranteed danger that will be around every corner of that space behemoth.

It’s understandable why Greenwood is listed as the co-creator of “The Fuse;” the same realism that Johnston brings to his writing is evident in the art. That realistic grittiness is used to great effect in the science fictional space setting. The dichotomy between the setting and art never jars, but is appropriate and what makes this title so unique. Paul Pope’s influence on Greenwood’s art is what transforms the story into something even more powerful. Although realism is present in the art, a combination of fluidity and the otherworldly transform that realism into something that seems just a tad off and surreal.

That surrealism is evident throughout the world of the Fuse. When Klem and Ralph investigate the inner workings of their artificial world, the structure and tubing seems to burst with life. This single page of exploration is just one example of the brilliance of Shari Chankhamma’s colors. The blood red and aquamarine of the ship’s underbelly contribute to a fake world that throbs with life. As she does throughout this issue, Chankhamma uses yellow to illuminate scenes and make them appear as if light is bursting off the page. Great colorists utilize their palette to aid in telling the story, while bad or mediocre colorists become lazy or gaudy with their color choices. Chankhamma does not succumb to slapdash choices but instead uses her colors to fit the world she helps bring to life.

Like Greenwood’s art, Chankhamma’s colors can be unassuming and easily overlooked because of their supposed simplicity. Credit must be given to both artist and colorist on “The Fuse” because they are in service to the story. There’s proof of that in the beginning of the issue when the art and coloring are both clearly different than the rest of the issue. The first two pages depict a race between two vehicles on the ingeniously named “Fuse Tube” channel. Greenwood brings a shaky, digital feel to the art that makes us feel as if we are watching it happen on our computer or television. The lights emanating from the vehicles even have that shaky feeling because of Chankhamma’s colors. They blend and mix into a digital hue. Artist and colorist adapt to the story and make it seem effortless.

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However, “The Fuse” is far from an effortless endeavor. Human interaction, crime, and class struggles are just some of the topics touched upon in this issue. The trio of Johnston, Greenwood, and Chankhamma show us that no matter where we are and no matter what genre (or genres) a story fits within, humanity will have the same struggles. There will always be a need for people to save the day, whether that’s a superhero or a space cop on a floating artificial world.

Final Verdict: 8.0 – With strong characterization and world-building that is just beginning, “The Fuse” creative team continue to impress with their seventh issue.