Leo Roa

(Humanoids, 2002)

Metabarons artist Juan Gimenez both writes and illustrates the latest adventure of futuristic reporter Leo Roa in another of Humanoids Publishing’s American translations of its French graphic novels. This time, while covering a terrorist attack on an inhabited space satellite, Roa gets caught in a time-travel experiment that sends him bouncing around various eras of Earth’s past. Meanwhile, his rock-and-roll-idol cousin Meke is kidnapped by one side of an ancient feuding race in hopes of ending their longstanding civil war.

Gimenez’ visuals are stunning, as always. But the story, while not bad, isn’t as captivating. The separate storylines featuring Leo and his cousin develop nicely but stay independent too far into the story, and, by the time they are finally integrated, it seems forced and contrived. And Leo’s time-traveling escapades are mostly gratuitous; they do little to advance the story and, again, only become relevant near the story’s end. It comes together nicely enough, but the reader spends most of the book questioning much of its purpose.

Nonetheless, the story’s enjoyable enough, and its European flavor might be a nice change of pace for science-fiction fans looking for something a little different.

— Jim Johnson

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#1 (Hardcover)

Cover Price: $14.95
11 copies available from $12.00

Juan Gimenez