The Good
Alex Braith is off to Titan to find out some answers about her sister, who worked on the Zemi Rig and recently died. That's the nuts and bolts of the story for this first issue, but there is a bit more than that. The reader really gets to know its main character, Alex, in this issue and a little bit about this futuristic world. It's a lot to take in for a first issue, which is actually a tad part of the problem. We'll get to that later. Regardless, there is a great flow to this issue as it moves along as the reader is introduced to concepts we're completely unfamiliar with. This is one of those books where you'll get a satisfied feeling from the first issue, especially from a series that has the potential to feel so foreign, without being high concept.
SOUTHERN CROSS, to me, was something I had no idea what I was getting into. I love Becky Cloonan as an artist and her run as a writer on GOTHAM ACADEMY has been fantastic. SOUTHERN CROSS feels like the icing on the cake for this creator as she presents the reader with something incredibly serious that mixes the genres of science fiction and mystery.
The look of this book is a great driving force as Andy Belanger presents the art with Lee Loughridge on colors. The book has this cool, hip, indie feel to it without it coming off in any way as pretentious. Belanger's art does a great job catching the characters in singular moments, which we normally don't see as often in comics, like Alex holding her head up while talking to someone. I know that sounds a little bit nutty to say that's something great, but it lends credibility to the moment. Sometimes, it's the simplist of things that make art great.
As per usual, Loughridge provides some solid color work to help make each scene pop. His palate seems perfect for each scene, and I really enjoyed the work he did when Alex and the Captain are looking at the Gravity Drive, with a yellow glow reflecting off their faces.
The Bad
Starting off a new series that doesn't take place in the real world can be a little rough. Here, SOUTHERN CROSS does what it can to set up the world of the future, where people are working on Titan and space travel is a relatively normal thing, but there's a lot of information for the reader to take in with this first issue, with world-establishing as well as establishing the story, so at times, it's almost too much, but it is a necessary evil to keep readers coming back. In the long-run, it'll be a good thing for the series.
The Verdict
SOUTHERN CROSS shows a lot of promise and this issue gives the reader just enough to keep them roped in for future issues. However, this issue drops a lot of information on the reader to set this world up. It's a necessary evil for the book, and in the long run, it will do the series justice, but some may find it a bit much. Regardless, this is a series I'd highly recommend checking out if you like your science fiction a bit more grounded with a dash of mystery.