Uber #10 - Avatar Press

UBER No. 10, February 2014

Whilst Kieron Gillen’s “unyielding vision of enhanced human warfare” could indeed be argued to have “redefined the altered history and super solider genres completely” in comic books, this particular issue of “Uber” is a disappointingly sedentary affair which almost exclusively concentrates upon dialogue-heavy conversations and discussions rather than depicting anything related to the actual “horrors of war.” In fact, apart from the magazine’s final few pages, within which the Germans ‘drop’ a modified V2 rocket into the heart of the British Empire's capital, absolutely nothing of any particular importance takes place.

Such an uninspiring script does however still contain the occasional ‘stand out’ moment, as “the master author” provides plenty of hints and teases within his characters’ conversations as to what the future of his narrative may potentially have in store for the title’s 8,133 followers.

Foremost of these has to be the ‘unseen’ reveal by Stephanie at Bletchley Park of the Allies ‘new’ secret weapon, an enhanced human who is clearly capable of impressively horrifying their nervously inquisitive audience, even if the reader is not party to the actual sight themselves. Whilst the former computer games journalist also somehow manages to portray Adolf Hitler as being even more of a maniacal madman than he has been depicted before, with the Fuhrer dangerously insulting and goading the one-armed Battleship-class Ubermensch Siegmund during supper; “Hmm… A better craftsman than a warrior…Siegfried is a better man than you…”

Dishearteningly though, the vast majority of this periodical simply consists of talk, and whether it be the scientifically challenging gobbledegook of Stephanie’s ‘modified load technique’ or Sigfried’s insane glorification of dying in the service of the Third Reich, little of it is either entertaining or of particular interest.

Just as apathetic as the writing is regrettably Caanan White’s artwork. For whilst the African-American’s pencilling is competent enough, with the furrowed frowning visage of Germany’s lunatic leader being especially well-drawn during his fraught meal with Werner, the lion’s share of his panels lack any actual energy or suggestion of movement and instead appear to be comprised of little more than simple, static poses with plenty of wide eyes and grim unsmiling faces.

The variant cover art of "UBER" No. 10 by Gabriel Andrade