Because It's Free
Don't get me wrong, alone this is certainly not a 5/5 comic at all. It's far too short, pads out the pages with sketches and intros by the creator and writer, and it barely has time to get into anything before it abruptly ends. However, that would be negative if it cost you anything. Being a free comic, this is an excellent teaser for the upcoming graphic novel. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for Grant Morrison. It doesn't mean I overlook when he does things wrong, but his name does carry a bit of superstar hype for me that I'm almost ashamed of. I would've had utterly no interest in looking at this were it not for his name.... Ok that's not ENTIRELY true, dinosaurs and aliens were my two biggest childhood phases. Oh sure every kid likes dinosaurs and aliens at some point, but I was on a kick for several years with each one. I kept my interest long after the 'fad-esque' appeal wore off for most other kids. But without Morrison, it still sounded a bit cheesy. Not that it won't be a little bit, bit I'm far more inclined to believe there will be more than that.
Certainly the opening monologue gives you a great impression that Morrison has injected some fantastic moral quandaries into the idea; though reading the intros afterwards informs you that this was, in fact, the intention of creator Barry Sonnenfeld. So right off the bat we know this isn't going to be simple Godzilla mindless monster mash. Another good sign is the artwork. Mukesh Singh delivers us artwork that is reminiscent of some of the better concept art for video games. Singh appears to be channeling Tsutomu Nihei in the alien design, judging from the sketchbook, and that's an idea I could not get more behind. Tsutomu Nihei is a god-king of dystopian sci-fi art, and Singh has enough of his own touch to not come off as a copycat.
In Conclusion: 5/5
What's given isn't a lot, but I felt a little weird when I was disappointed by the issue's shortness. What did I expect? It was a FREE comic. And it served its purpose well, it was a teaser who's sudden cut-off left me ravenous for more, as if someone had given me a particularly delicious burger and then ripped it out of my hands after I had taken a single bite. But it was a free sample, so it got the job done. The score in this case reflects the contrast of content to cost (or lack thereof) a little more than the overall quality. But it is damn interesting.