Twelve gems

Depicting a contemporary cosmic odyssey, Twelve Gems features three disparate characters hired to locate mystic gems scattered across the galaxy. This ragtag group includes a superintelligent winged dog named Dogstar; a gorgeous space Amazon, Venus; and a pig-nosed bounty hunter behemoth named Furz. Each brings an invaluable skill set to the mission, and writer Milburn puts them all to the test as the trio traverse space in a desperate search for the elusive stones. The entirety of the story is depicted in black-and-white ink drawings of a similar style to Harvey Pekar or Robert Crumb. The tone, the farcical nature of the plot developments, and the over-the-top depiction of alien societies also liken it to Heavy Metal magazine and the stories found there. Verdict A valuable gem to add to any collection focusing on independent comics and alternative storytelling with its avant-garde narrative voice, classical art style, and brilliantly paced sense of adventure.-Alger C. Newberry III, Genesee Dist. Lib., Flint, MI (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.