I haven't written a regular review of comics and graphic novels since "The Newsletter of Artistic Influence" stopped printing several years ago. However, I was recently given the opportunity to take a preview of the new multi-platform media project "Parallel Man", specifically the comic book mini-series "Invasion America: Issue 1 of 7."

The premise of the Parallel Man is a return to the Multiverse Theory postulated by Quantum physics. Our Universe is like a pearl on a chain, side by side with a potentially infinite number of parallel universes. Like the television series "Sliders" and like one of my favorite role playing games from the 1990's "TORG: The Possibility Wars", the engine of the story is partially fueled by the ability to travel between these universes of possibility.

The method in Parallel Man is by far much more precisely controlled than "Sliders" or "TORG" however. During World War II, the Allied Forces in one parallel Earth developed the ability to travel from one parallel world to another.  The Ascendancy used this ability to defeat their version of the Axis by traveling to nearby universes they then mapped for resources, equipment and technology. They didn't stop there though. With a sinister name like the Ascendancy no one would be shocked to find that they proceeded to declare war and eventually conquer several of their adjoining parallel Earths.

When we come in to the story, the Ascendancy leader, third generation dictator Warren Cartwright III is issuing an ultimatum to Barack Obama. Meanwhile, one of the Ascendancy's undercover operatives has decided to go rogue. A squadron of Ascendancy peacekeepers is hot on his tail in no time at all though. He is pursued by female version of evil Jerry O'Connell, and daughter of fearless leader, Mackenzie Cartwright through a thrilling series of alternate Earths. I especially wanted to spend more time in Chinamerica Chicago, purely for unwholesome interests.

Visually, the comic book has a pulp style that is warmly reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons from the eighties and early nineties. The vehicles, weapons, and costumes place the style in a romanticized pop sci fi period that reminds me of being a kid again. I mean seriously, who can resist an airship that looks like it belongs with the G.I. Joe team flying over alternate Chicago with Bronze age dinosaurs on other dinosaur's backs.