Re-reading .... Black Science: Vol. 7 - Extinction is the Rule

So, as I hurtle my way towards the end of the series and, with it, those final five issues I've yet to read (despite them periodically being released. I figured I'd save it all for the VERY end), I find it quite surprising that I have managed to commit so many words to paper in the fifteen plus hours it has taken me to get to this point.

Now, if you have just found this and would like to go back, the links are as follows:

Volume 1 - How to Fall Forever
Volume 2 - Welcome, Nowhere
Volume 3 - Vanishing Point
Volume 4 - Godworld
Volume 5 - True Atonement
Volume 6 - Forbidden Realms and Hidden Truths

But for now, forward...

(Just a warning, probably spoilers.)

Black Science: Volume 7

Extinction to the rule, the seventh volume of  Black Science's entire run, picks up where Volume 6 (and, in my opinion, volume 5) left off as the McKay's home Earth is overrun by all of their enemies from throughout the series so far; Zirates, Millipedes, Witches and .... some big hairy monster with awful language. However, the tables look set to turn as the Anarchist League of Scientists finally reunite in their entirety with a plan to defeat at least one of these villains, with the others looking set to be finish quite soon after. However, while trying to convince Sara that he's truly right, Kadir sets about his own plan to protect this world from all the enemies of the Eververse, by removing it!

Black Science #31

Now, I've got to admit that after the joy and excitement which volume 6 gave me, I was certainly expecting more of the same during this re-read. My worry was that I couldn't really recall how I had felt about this story arc when I had first read it, with only specific scenes sticking in my mind (and one which I eventually discovered my imagination had made up.

However, I had a serious struggle with the first issue as the tone and pace seemed to be completely off kilter with where we left off. The story opened with Grant appearing at a cabin in the woods to talk to it's older owner and, while it made sense by the end of the story and was, essentially, a recap method. it completely threw me and lost me for the issue.

The gang's all back together again!

However, it did recover by the end, if not the second instalment of the arc as the plot went back to it's natural feel. Now, for me, I'm convinced that this entire arc is the final act of the movie; the action set piece where the good guys save the world and this vibe I got was only strengthened by the fact that it was basically a cleanup arc where all the bad guys started getting killed off. It was also the moment when the Anarchist League of Scientists were finally reunited in it's entirety for the first time since issue 16, further solidifying that heroic final arc where all is right in the world(s).

Kadir's gone all Hank Pym.

Of course, this is Black Science and no sooner do things go right then things start going wrong all over again and this was again the case as no sooner was one villain dealt with but another came right along to take its place followed by (briefly) another and then (a little less briefly) another. If not for the fact that I'm re-reading the series and so know that more is to come, this series of falling dominoes would have convinced me more than anything that the end was nigh.

Kadir and Chandra's big secret revealed.

But, the end not quite being nigh, this arc regardless threw everything but the kitchen sink into the action and I now have to believe that this was done to highlight the amazing work of Matteo Scalara on this series. I have said repeatedly throughout my re-read about how incredible the art in this series has been, with Scalara just going nuts in his imagination on every issue with every world, creature and building which has appeared. With these four issues, however, we get to see Scalara's chickens, much like Grant's, come home to roost with every crazy idea and unbelievable design he's seemingly ever created nigh on bursting from every page between the front cover and the final page.

And yet another Grant/Kadir fight.

That said, not only did this arc feel like it was fun lol to the brim of great art, but every inch of Scalara's work, coupled with Moreno Dinisio again stellar colours, looked so much better in this volume. The colours were richer and the the shading looked deeper all the way throughout, the best example of this being a great shot of Nate after his defeat of Zar'Logh as he stands there in partial shadow. To me, this is almost an epic visual and one of probably a hundred reasons why I love this book and this artist. It is probably no understatement to say that Scalara and Dinisio are what make this battle for Earth as great as it is.

What amazing everversal art!

However, as the arc draws to a close, this all-out war series of visuals isn't what I loved about this arc but for the focus returning to the Grant/Kadir rivalry as revelations surrounding the beginnings of this entire story are revealed, making me far more intrigued. Now, having already read the entire run, I of course knew what was to come. That said, the reveal that Kadir and Chandra (who, like Block) are not of this world was still as much of a gut punch as it was the first time round.

To be fair, this revelation now seems incredibly obvious after re-reading the entire series; like watching the Sixth Sense after discovering Bruce Willis is dead (sorry if I've just spoils a 20 year old film for you). However, unlike that, it becomes this thing of the oddities which occur over the course of the series, such as Kadir's memories of meeting Grant in college or his relationship with Sara, I just noticed that he had so many inexplicably similar memories to the prime Kadir. Now, given that the eververse theory is based on branching universes created from decisions, this does make some sense, but surely the two dimensions couldn't be THAT similar, could it? I guess, the point of the earlier scenes in Godworld of Rebecca on another world was to prove just that.

Proof that Scalara and Dinisio
are top of their game here!

However, beyond these questions, I also found myself asking a few more about Block/Kadir/Chandra's past world's which weren't so obvious? Firstly, was that last world the gome of the Alt-Grant and Sara we met early in the series? If so, then it would certainly explain Alt-Grant's facial scarring. But secondly, and maybe more crucially, were Kadir, Block and Chandra responsible for the epidemic on Roman World? Was their affliction the thought cancer which was reference and did this trio spread it as carriers?

If this is the case then, it re-affirms my thoughts earlier in the series that all the players are fated (for want of a better word) to play certain parts in the tale of the Black Science, of which Kadir appears to have accept his. With yet another Sara leaving him (and finding her own strength to stand against him), his realisation has come that he can never get what he wants, all he can do is save the world his (albeit the wrong) way.

Even Sara gets her hero moment here.

As such, we learn two fundamental truth about both Grant and Kadir's places in the story. With the former, we finally see him realise (with help from a guest appearing McKay) that is actually isn't to blame and that, while he's made mistakes, he is not responsible for the eververse's situation. With the latter, however, I feel that Kadir has been lined up to represent the ultimate big bad of the series, as his survivalist nature has finally won through. It's just a shame we had lose Brian to get there for both.

Looks like the (formerly) happy
couple are making the next jump alone.

But now the end is here with Grant and Sara separated (again) from their home and their family. However, this arc, despite its bumpy road, has me thinking that it sets everything up nicely for that final Hail Mary run, the final arc which see the McKays and their allies do all they can to save the Eververse. However, that moment isn't quite here yet for, first of all, we watch one last tale to prepare the McKays for what is to come.

It's time for Volume 8 - Later than you think.