By Larry Jorash — Experimental is the only way to describe what Jesse Lonergan has done with the new Hedra one-shot, published by Image Comics. What we have here is a somewhat unorthodox 48-page contained comic story about space travel and nuclear holocaust. This book is void of dialogue, yet still finds a way to communicate its message, theme, and story in expert fashion. The color palette is minimalist and comforting to the eyes, and multiple reads of this book with its incredibly simple story evoke thoughts of a fine wine — rich in flavor with a thought-provoking aftertaste.

“Hedra,” is a Greek word referring to the side, or face, of a geometric solid. A cube for instance would be a hexahedral; containing the prefix, “-hex,” or six, denoting the number of sides on a cube. Readers of this title will find literal and metaphorical references to this definition within our story. The art style graces us with an incredibly vivid, yet simple, view of the solar system and beyond. As our protagonist navigates the vastness of the cosmos, so too do we as readers feel ourselves weightlessly soaring through emptiness and wonder. There are many moments throughout this story where the lack of context for a scene is easy to ignore because of the dazzling beauty of the immersive pages. Saturn’s rings dance for us while our brains struggle to grasp the narration. All of this is to simply say that shapes play a large role in this namesake tale.

I read this story several times. After putting this title down once, the questions posed will force continued neuron flaring. Hedra’s 48 pages may mark the end of the page flipping but it does not mark the end of the mystery. How did we find ourselves in this predicament to begin with? What did we learn? Could this happen in our own lives? Answers do not come easy, and new questions form with each answer found. Jesse Lonergan has presented himself as a literary scientist with Hedra, and this fresh take absolutely deserves its place on shelves this July.

As beautiful and thought provoking as this epic is, some readers may be put off by the complexity of the concept. There will also be those who dislike the lack of dialogue and written words. This book will also be unkind to those unwilling to dissect the story over and over; unlocking the small nuances missed upon earlier read-throughs.

Overall: Hedra is a story that rewards patience and the appreciation of small details. For those who take this deep dive, there is plenty of emotion, imagery, beauty, and inspiration to be found in these pages. 8/10

Hedra One-Shot Review

Hedra 
Writer/Artist: Jesse Lonergan
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $5.99
In a glorious exploration of the comics medium with echoes of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Flash Gordon, Chris Ware, and Moebius, a lone astronaut leaves a world ravaged by nuclear war in search of life. What she finds is beyond all explanation.
Release Date: 7/29/20
Buy It Digitally: Hedra One-Shot

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Larry Jorash resides in Central Florida managing a comic book shop and coaching youth sports. In his spare time he enjoys watching ice hockey and reading. You will almost never find his hand vacant of coffee. Find him on twitter: (@theREALlarbear)