Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula cover image

Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula is a 2019 comic book published by Candle Light Press (CLP).  It is written by CLP stalwarts Carter Allen (story) and John Ira Thomas (script/letters) and drawn by Allen.  This comic book focuses on a group of monster fighters:  Ectyron, a giant-sized chicken; Jake and Iowa of “Sustenatione Stabilitas Base,” and AtoM.I.K.E.

Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula is the third book in the “Ectyron” series.  All three books employ certain elements of particular Japanese science fiction sub-genres.  There is “kaiju,” a term used to describe a genre of Japanese films that feature giant monsters, and the term is also used to describe the giant monsters themselves.  [Godzilla is an example of a kaiju.]  AtoM.I.K.E. is “tokusatsu” which includes the “mecha” or giant robot superheroes.  [The American franchise, “Power Rangers,” is based on tokusatsu.].

Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula opens on Main Street in an unnamed American small town.  The country is in an uproar over America's “kaiju problem,” and American's favorite faux news and reactionary-corporate propaganda network is the most uproarious.  When his power warns him of an impending kaiju attack, AtoM.I.K.E. does more than talk, as he takes to the skies.

Meanwhile, in the Great Basin Desert at the “Sustenatione Stabilitas Base,” a convoy of black SUVs arrives carrying a squad of black-suited men that look like MiB agents.  When the agents try to infiltrate the base, Jake and Iowa try some penetrating of their own with laser pistols and mecha.  With our heroes hands full on two fronts, the question is where is Ectyron?  Guest stars include Maddy Coil, Mectyron, and Ogon' Podsolnukh.

THE LOWDOWN:  Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula is, thus far, my favorite Ectyron title.  It easily surpasses the previous releases, Ectyron: Rise of Nemehiss (the second) and Ectyron Against Lagaxtu (the first).

Once again, cartoonist, designer, and comic book creator, Carter Allen, fills one of his comic books with Godzilla-sized creations, which includes monsters, beasts, machines, contraptions, and heroes.  It is all pure comic book fun.  This time, however, he draws the story entirely in pencil; with the exception of a few chapter heads slash faux-covers, this comic book is pencil-art glory.  A skilled illustrator, Carter uses his pencils to create shades, textures, and gradations that are finer than a welfare check on Christmas Day.  The underbelly of Mectyron's armor and the peacock-like wonders of Ecytron's feathers are simply beautiful examples of inking and “feathering.”

Writer John Ira Thomas delivers some of his most sparkling dialogue, communicated to us via his classic lettering fonts.  This is truly a funny comic book, but Thomas' script also offers a deft mix of action and adventure that will keep readers glued to the story.

Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula certainly strikes me as something that would make excellent source material for either live-action or animated television and film and also for a novel.  Best of all, this comic book seems to be the perfect realization of Ectyron, so I hope we get more like it.  I heartily recommend Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula to those who read Godzilla and Power Rangers comic books and are in need of some real kaiju and tokusatsu comic book power.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers hungry for kaiju comic books will want Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula.

A+
10 out of 10

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