What do you think?
Rate this book
Descender
Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars
Young Robot boy TIM-21 and his companions struggle to stay alive in a universe where all androids have been outlawed and bounty hunters lurk on every planet. Written by award-winning creator, Jeff Lemire, Descender is a rip-roaring and heart-felt cosmic odyssey. Lemire pits humanity against machine, and world against world, to create a sprawling epic. Collecting issues #1-6 of Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth, Trillium) and Dustin Nguyen's (Little Gotham) critically acclaimed, bestselling new science fiction series!
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
About the author
Jeff Lemire
1,357 books3,662 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,935 reviews
April 15, 2020
This is the sci-fi I NEEDED after the failure that was Mass Effect: Andromeda. My skin is cleared. My crops are flourishing.
August 25, 2016
Do you remember the film AI? Yeah. I loved that, too.
What if I could get all the delicious goodies from that film and mix it with a complex galactic empire beset by huge robots called Harvesters that are a lot larger than the Death Star?
Oh yeah. Ohhhh yeah.
But don't stop there! Make sure your heroes are full of pathos and mythic qualities, mix in some good storytelling and fantastic art... and you've got this.
I love SF, but THIS is why I love SF.
Just how many factions, be it aliens, robot haters, robot sympathizers, and robots are we dealing with, here? I'm gonna start loving this series. My only complaint is in waiting for more to come out!
What if I could get all the delicious goodies from that film and mix it with a complex galactic empire beset by huge robots called Harvesters that are a lot larger than the Death Star?
Oh yeah. Ohhhh yeah.
But don't stop there! Make sure your heroes are full of pathos and mythic qualities, mix in some good storytelling and fantastic art... and you've got this.
I love SF, but THIS is why I love SF.
Just how many factions, be it aliens, robot haters, robot sympathizers, and robots are we dealing with, here? I'm gonna start loving this series. My only complaint is in waiting for more to come out!
July 23, 2018
Space opera with an edge as well as a heart - I love it! Lemire explores territory here that immediately brings to mind Star Wars and A.I. Artificial Intelligence, but he infuses it with his own brand of storytelling... and I am a sucker for Lemire's brand of storytelling! To the point that I probably would have enjoyed the story even more if Lemire himself had also done the artwork - which is almost absurd to say, as Dustin Nguyen's beautiful watercolors bring the story to life very convincingly. And yet, I don't know, there is just something about Lemire's writing that seems to call for his own, idiosyncratic, delicate, sweet, melancholic, humanistic, slightly awkward yet very expressive drawing style, and Nguyen's style in that context occasionally feels almost too smooth or slick or pretty. Then again, the surprisingly epic Descender is going for more of a mainstream appeal than most of Lemire's work, so a little slickness probably can't hurt.
PS: I just reread this first volume to get back on track for the rest of the series, and it was even better the second time - I may eventually have to bump it up to five stars. Nguyen's artwork is fantastic! He sketches, paints and colors it all by himself, and it beautifully compliments Lemire's effort to give the story a heart underneath all the cold metal and artificial intelligence. Next to Essex County and Sweet Tooth, this must be the most fully realized Lemire story I've read.
PS: I just reread this first volume to get back on track for the rest of the series, and it was even better the second time - I may eventually have to bump it up to five stars. Nguyen's artwork is fantastic! He sketches, paints and colors it all by himself, and it beautifully compliments Lemire's effort to give the story a heart underneath all the cold metal and artificial intelligence. Next to Essex County and Sweet Tooth, this must be the most fully realized Lemire story I've read.
August 29, 2015
The distant future. The United Galactic Council is attacked out of nowhere by mysterious Galactus-sized robots called Harvesters killing millions of citizens and leading to a massive robot cull. Fast forward ten years. A child companion robot called Tim-21 awakens on a moon mining colony, surrounded by dead bodies, the only survivor. Various factions are alerted who want Tim-21 whose tiny body potentially contains the secrets behind the Harvesters - run, robot Pinocchio, run!
Descender, Jeff Lemire’s latest foray into sci-fi, is as derivative and boring as his last, Trillium. It seems Lemire is incapable of creating anything original. He’s borrowed heavily from Steven Spielberg’s AI, put it against the Star Wars prequels backdrop and mixed in some Prometheus. The strong female character in the book, Captain Telsa, is a complete ripoff of Batwoman/Kate Kane, who’s a tough army lady whose dad is a higher-up in the military - she even rocks the same hairstyle/hair colour as Kate!
The story is very uninteresting. Quon, the guy who created Tim-21 and robots like him, joins Telsa in looking for the kid robot while fighting Scrappers, mercenary aliens who hunt robots. It’s unclear why Tim-21 has a lethal Iron Man-esque power beam embedded in the palm of his hand when he’s designed to be a child companion robot. Wouldn’t that be like mixing arsenic into Play-Doh or including a butcher knife with a Lego set?
A supporting robot character called Driller is introduced who’s, yes, a drill-bot for the moon mining colony. Except why make him sentient? He’s capable of deciding to kill all humans and think for himself. Why? Wouldn’t that be like giving intelligence to a hammer? It’s a tool, you don’t need it to think!
The characters are written as total flatlines and are as unoriginal as the rest of the book. Tim-21 is an annoying kid while the rest of the cast are similarly archetypical. The cowardly brainiac, the strong female asskicker, Some Guy with Gun, Driller the tough guy, and Ugly Alien Villains galore! Am I supposed to be rooting for Tim-21? Because, almost immediately, I was hoping they’d dissect him like a frog!
Dustin Nguyen’s art isn’t bad but the Star Wars prequel look and the Kate Kane rip-off was difficult for me to get past and enjoy. That and Lemire’s relentlessly bad script made reading Descender (not sure what that title means either - unless it’s a wink at being a descendant of the various sci-fi works Lemire’s imitating) a tiresome experience.
Descender, Volume 1: Tin Stars is an uninspired and poorly thought-out patchwork comic of popular sci-fi movies. Nguyen’s art is pretty but Lemire’s writing once again shows his limitations when it comes to this genre, not least for his breathtaking lack of imagination! The first volume doesn’t make me want to return to the series for the next part - not at all recommended reading!
Descender, Jeff Lemire’s latest foray into sci-fi, is as derivative and boring as his last, Trillium. It seems Lemire is incapable of creating anything original. He’s borrowed heavily from Steven Spielberg’s AI, put it against the Star Wars prequels backdrop and mixed in some Prometheus. The strong female character in the book, Captain Telsa, is a complete ripoff of Batwoman/Kate Kane, who’s a tough army lady whose dad is a higher-up in the military - she even rocks the same hairstyle/hair colour as Kate!
The story is very uninteresting. Quon, the guy who created Tim-21 and robots like him, joins Telsa in looking for the kid robot while fighting Scrappers, mercenary aliens who hunt robots. It’s unclear why Tim-21 has a lethal Iron Man-esque power beam embedded in the palm of his hand when he’s designed to be a child companion robot. Wouldn’t that be like mixing arsenic into Play-Doh or including a butcher knife with a Lego set?
A supporting robot character called Driller is introduced who’s, yes, a drill-bot for the moon mining colony. Except why make him sentient? He’s capable of deciding to kill all humans and think for himself. Why? Wouldn’t that be like giving intelligence to a hammer? It’s a tool, you don’t need it to think!
The characters are written as total flatlines and are as unoriginal as the rest of the book. Tim-21 is an annoying kid while the rest of the cast are similarly archetypical. The cowardly brainiac, the strong female asskicker, Some Guy with Gun, Driller the tough guy, and Ugly Alien Villains galore! Am I supposed to be rooting for Tim-21? Because, almost immediately, I was hoping they’d dissect him like a frog!
Dustin Nguyen’s art isn’t bad but the Star Wars prequel look and the Kate Kane rip-off was difficult for me to get past and enjoy. That and Lemire’s relentlessly bad script made reading Descender (not sure what that title means either - unless it’s a wink at being a descendant of the various sci-fi works Lemire’s imitating) a tiresome experience.
Descender, Volume 1: Tin Stars is an uninspired and poorly thought-out patchwork comic of popular sci-fi movies. Nguyen’s art is pretty but Lemire’s writing once again shows his limitations when it comes to this genre, not least for his breathtaking lack of imagination! The first volume doesn’t make me want to return to the series for the next part - not at all recommended reading!
December 18, 2019
Another great series from Jeff Lemire. In a hard scrabble federation of planets where robots have been outlawed, Andy's childhood friend Tim-21, the last of his model has been found. Dustin Nguyen has made a visually stunning universe with his painted water color art.
September 6, 2021
5.0 Stars
This is one of the most compelling science fiction graphic novel I have read since Saga. The story starts out strong with a gripping first issue that setup a terrifying and mysterious future for humanity. The characters in this story are all distinct and well fleshed out. I was particularly drawn to the lovable android protagonist. This graphic novel is a good mix of action and story development. The artwork is absolutely stunning. I read this digitally and really want to get a physical copy so I can fully appreciate each panel. A fantastic start to one of my all time favourite series.
This is one of the most compelling science fiction graphic novel I have read since Saga. The story starts out strong with a gripping first issue that setup a terrifying and mysterious future for humanity. The characters in this story are all distinct and well fleshed out. I was particularly drawn to the lovable android protagonist. This graphic novel is a good mix of action and story development. The artwork is absolutely stunning. I read this digitally and really want to get a physical copy so I can fully appreciate each panel. A fantastic start to one of my all time favourite series.
January 28, 2019
It's here, people: the intergalactic "oh-shit" moment.
These giant robots (9 of them) have appeared next to every one of the core planets of The United Galactic Council. One terrible attack later, billions are dead and the gigantic robots simply vanish with nobody knowing how they did it any more than why.
Thus commences a time of civil unrest, of rivalry resurfacing after hundreds of years, the robots get rounded up and destroyed.
Almost 10 years later, a companion robot named Tim-21 wakes up. Something went horribly wrong in the mining colony where he lived as the companion to the son of one of the miners. When he tries to call for help, he finds out what's happened but him being in the system attracts the attention of the authorities (and other beings) and thus his flight begins.
Why one child-like robot is so damned interesting to everyone? Good question - read the comic if you want answers! ;)
From people still liking robots, not blaming them for what the big guys did, to the ones melting them down - a few very interesting social questions were raised. The structure of the UGC, how quickly it all pretty much fell apart after the attack, the people going after Tim-21 ... all very interesting viewpoints in this vast universe. Of course, it helps that Tim-21 is darn cute and his companions (the mining robot Driller as much as dog-like robot Bandit) are funny.
And, of course, there is a deeper mystery to it, as is hinted upon in Tim-21's dream(s).
At times, the story had relatively generic elements (the ugly bad guys for example). However, how the overall story is written is wonderful and the stunning watercolour art underlines that brilliantly.
Speaking of which: it may have something to do with me not having read many comics yet, but I've never come across a comic with art like this before. I'm reading the digital versions and the colours and details, the whole look thanks to the watercolours used ... it's amazing!
So I'll be continuing with volumes 2 to 5 straight away. :)
These giant robots (9 of them) have appeared next to every one of the core planets of The United Galactic Council. One terrible attack later, billions are dead and the gigantic robots simply vanish with nobody knowing how they did it any more than why.
Thus commences a time of civil unrest, of rivalry resurfacing after hundreds of years, the robots get rounded up and destroyed.
Almost 10 years later, a companion robot named Tim-21 wakes up. Something went horribly wrong in the mining colony where he lived as the companion to the son of one of the miners. When he tries to call for help, he finds out what's happened but him being in the system attracts the attention of the authorities (and other beings) and thus his flight begins.
Why one child-like robot is so damned interesting to everyone? Good question - read the comic if you want answers! ;)
From people still liking robots, not blaming them for what the big guys did, to the ones melting them down - a few very interesting social questions were raised. The structure of the UGC, how quickly it all pretty much fell apart after the attack, the people going after Tim-21 ... all very interesting viewpoints in this vast universe. Of course, it helps that Tim-21 is darn cute and his companions (the mining robot Driller as much as dog-like robot Bandit) are funny.
And, of course, there is a deeper mystery to it, as is hinted upon in Tim-21's dream(s).
At times, the story had relatively generic elements (the ugly bad guys for example). However, how the overall story is written is wonderful and the stunning watercolour art underlines that brilliantly.
Speaking of which: it may have something to do with me not having read many comics yet, but I've never come across a comic with art like this before. I'm reading the digital versions and the colours and details, the whole look thanks to the watercolours used ... it's amazing!
So I'll be continuing with volumes 2 to 5 straight away. :)
April 9, 2018
Descender tells the story of a robot kid named Tim-21, his creator, and the crew that is sent to find him after he wakes up from a dormant 10-year long sleep. In this world, robots have sort of been outlawed during Tim’s sleep, since during those ten years, every planet of the galaxy was confronted by a giant-planet sized-robot, who attacked and then, as quickly as they came, disappeared. This created a big distrust between robots and humans, which led to their eradication, and an even bigger rift between the different planet’s ruling governments, which were already not on the best terms. Therefore, everyone wants a piece of Tim, they want to know what he knows, who he is, and why he is so darn important to the mystery of the giant attackers. Plus, it is blurbed by Brian K. Vaughan.
As always, Jeff Lemire manages to bring forth a wonderful story that keeps all entertained. In the past year he has brought forth Plutona, a comic about a superhero and the kids who find her body, All-New Hawkeye, a follow up to the best rendition the character ever got with Matt Fraction, Green Arrow, whom he saved after a disastrous run by other writers, Moon Knight, whose first issue was brilliant, all without including the masterpieces he has published throughout his career.( Which I will write here too because it is a recommendation of his awesome skills as a writer and artist: Lost Dogs, Animal Man, Essex County, all which I’ve read and loved + Trillium and The Underwater Welder, which I haven’t but are on my list because I know I will love them.) So it was no surprise this was going to be a hit, it even has been motioned to become a film by Sony Productions, which I am extremely excited for.
It is a series that will end at around 40 issues, and here we get a glimpse of the prelude to the story, it is an obvious beginning to a series, setting up the nice and trusting kid character, the robots willing to help him at all costs, the creator that send him to his family, the daughter and officer that is sent to rescue him and her companion, the evil villains that hold grudges and want to conquer the world, and the mystery of a maybe robot-controlled planet. I am ready to see these characters grow in a proper Lemire fashion.
The art is by far the best thing. Dustin Nguyen’s art is watercolours, and that is hard to do right when it comes to comics. We are shown a contrast between dark and light, with extensive pastel tones, and it is simply, a delight. I wanted to have some of his panels hanging from my wall, the mixture of eye popping colours and white/light make for a visual experience.
A wonderful thing done in one of the issues was using each side of the page to tell a different story. The pages to the left are depicting what is currently happening to the main character, Tim 21, while the right side is recounting the memories Tim 21 has of his creation and life with his family in the outpost colony.
Anyways, what I knew was going to happen happened. Lemire procured an absorbing story that led me to pre-order the second volume, and Nguyen’s art gave me wonderful dreams. I hope everyone gets the same feeling as I did, it is a truly wonderful work of science-fiction.
P.S. I AM SURE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA WAS WATCHED BY LEMIRE, THERE ARE VARIOUS SIMILARITIES.
As always, Jeff Lemire manages to bring forth a wonderful story that keeps all entertained. In the past year he has brought forth Plutona, a comic about a superhero and the kids who find her body, All-New Hawkeye, a follow up to the best rendition the character ever got with Matt Fraction, Green Arrow, whom he saved after a disastrous run by other writers, Moon Knight, whose first issue was brilliant, all without including the masterpieces he has published throughout his career.( Which I will write here too because it is a recommendation of his awesome skills as a writer and artist: Lost Dogs, Animal Man, Essex County, all which I’ve read and loved + Trillium and The Underwater Welder, which I haven’t but are on my list because I know I will love them.) So it was no surprise this was going to be a hit, it even has been motioned to become a film by Sony Productions, which I am extremely excited for.
It is a series that will end at around 40 issues, and here we get a glimpse of the prelude to the story, it is an obvious beginning to a series, setting up the nice and trusting kid character, the robots willing to help him at all costs, the creator that send him to his family, the daughter and officer that is sent to rescue him and her companion, the evil villains that hold grudges and want to conquer the world, and the mystery of a maybe robot-controlled planet. I am ready to see these characters grow in a proper Lemire fashion.
The art is by far the best thing. Dustin Nguyen’s art is watercolours, and that is hard to do right when it comes to comics. We are shown a contrast between dark and light, with extensive pastel tones, and it is simply, a delight. I wanted to have some of his panels hanging from my wall, the mixture of eye popping colours and white/light make for a visual experience.
A wonderful thing done in one of the issues was using each side of the page to tell a different story. The pages to the left are depicting what is currently happening to the main character, Tim 21, while the right side is recounting the memories Tim 21 has of his creation and life with his family in the outpost colony.
Anyways, what I knew was going to happen happened. Lemire procured an absorbing story that led me to pre-order the second volume, and Nguyen’s art gave me wonderful dreams. I hope everyone gets the same feeling as I did, it is a truly wonderful work of science-fiction.
P.S. I AM SURE BATTLESTAR GALACTICA WAS WATCHED BY LEMIRE, THERE ARE VARIOUS SIMILARITIES.
January 2, 2020
A stunningly beautiful book.
One day the people of Niyrata, home of the nine Embassy Cities that represent the core planets of The United Galactic Council, live in relative peace and luxury,
the next they‘re attacked by planetsized robots.
The losses are substantial and not only result in economic downturn but also lead to mistrust towards their own robots and basically robot genocide.
Ten years after the attacks TIM-21 awakes on the moon of Dirishu-6, base of a mining colony, where he served as a companion bot for the child of one of the colonists.
Soon he realizes everybody else is gone. So he tries to uplink with the data network to find out what had happened. But by doing this he's also giving away his presence and soon a small group is sent out by the UGC to bring TIM-21 back to Niyrata.
But the people of The United Galactic Council are not the only ones that noticed the signal. And they’re certainly not the only ones looking for TIM-21, for the little bot is very special.
What follows is good guys, not so good guys and really bad guys butting heads over the little robot, and it was very entertaining.
But the main reason I love this comic is that Lemire with his writing and even more so Nguyen with his fantastic artwork really made me care about the poor little bot.
So I was invested in the story and its characters while at the same time I was constantly in awe of the truly gorgeous art.
There’s also a rather huge universe here with a lot of different factions, a lot of different species and conflict aplenty. I really like the worldbuilding.
Curious to see what happens next.
One day the people of Niyrata, home of the nine Embassy Cities that represent the core planets of The United Galactic Council, live in relative peace and luxury,
the next they‘re attacked by planetsized robots.
The losses are substantial and not only result in economic downturn but also lead to mistrust towards their own robots and basically robot genocide.
Ten years after the attacks TIM-21 awakes on the moon of Dirishu-6, base of a mining colony, where he served as a companion bot for the child of one of the colonists.
Soon he realizes everybody else is gone. So he tries to uplink with the data network to find out what had happened. But by doing this he's also giving away his presence and soon a small group is sent out by the UGC to bring TIM-21 back to Niyrata.
But the people of The United Galactic Council are not the only ones that noticed the signal. And they’re certainly not the only ones looking for TIM-21, for the little bot is very special.
What follows is good guys, not so good guys and really bad guys butting heads over the little robot, and it was very entertaining.
But the main reason I love this comic is that Lemire with his writing and even more so Nguyen with his fantastic artwork really made me care about the poor little bot.
So I was invested in the story and its characters while at the same time I was constantly in awe of the truly gorgeous art.
There’s also a rather huge universe here with a lot of different factions, a lot of different species and conflict aplenty. I really like the worldbuilding.
Curious to see what happens next.
January 31, 2022
Frequently I will talk about the writing or setting of a comic book, address the themes and style, how a character is developed and portrayed, and then add that I liked the art.
Let me begin here by saying that the artwork was exceptional. Illustrator Dustin Nguyen is credited with this work and his watercolor and sketchpad style was noteworthy. Beautiful.
Jeff Lemire’s cool and understated science fiction is also epic in scope as a group of gigantic robots called harvesters have attacked and damaged much of civilized space, but this is really about TIM-21 a companion bot who is empathetic towards humans. And dreams.
And – wait a second – did Nobel Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro gain inspiration from Lemire? There seems to be some similarities between Ishiguro’s 2021 Klara and the Sun and this 2015 collection of comic books by Lemire. Both have a companion robot intended to accompany and assist (and be friends with) a child. Both have expanded sentience.
This has a lot more going on, GREAT world building, some very fun backstory and DRILLER! He’s a killer.
Let me begin here by saying that the artwork was exceptional. Illustrator Dustin Nguyen is credited with this work and his watercolor and sketchpad style was noteworthy. Beautiful.
Jeff Lemire’s cool and understated science fiction is also epic in scope as a group of gigantic robots called harvesters have attacked and damaged much of civilized space, but this is really about TIM-21 a companion bot who is empathetic towards humans. And dreams.
And – wait a second – did Nobel Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro gain inspiration from Lemire? There seems to be some similarities between Ishiguro’s 2021 Klara and the Sun and this 2015 collection of comic books by Lemire. Both have a companion robot intended to accompany and assist (and be friends with) a child. Both have expanded sentience.
This has a lot more going on, GREAT world building, some very fun backstory and DRILLER! He’s a killer.
October 18, 2020
Very nice start to a series! The first volume of graphic novels does not always draw me in, but Descender did a pretty good job of hooking me for the long haul!
My first impression was that this was going to be an odd one so I worried that it would take me a while to get into. When I read another sci-fi title, Saga, I ended up enjoying it, but it was so unusual that it did not click for me right away. It was not until vol 2 or 3 that I was hooked. With Descender vol 1, the writer and artist did a fantastic job of giving backstory, introducing characters, and world build in short order without causing too much confusion.
I really enjoy what they have done with the art here. It is impressionistic – fuzzy lines, incomplete images, etc. - room for your imagination to run wild even with some of the imagery defined for you. Sometimes I don’t care for impressionistic art in graphic novels, but it really works and is very well done here.
If you enjoy sci-fi and graphic novels and you have not tried this one, I think you should. I am really glad that I did and I am looking forward to checking out more volumes.
My first impression was that this was going to be an odd one so I worried that it would take me a while to get into. When I read another sci-fi title, Saga, I ended up enjoying it, but it was so unusual that it did not click for me right away. It was not until vol 2 or 3 that I was hooked. With Descender vol 1, the writer and artist did a fantastic job of giving backstory, introducing characters, and world build in short order without causing too much confusion.
I really enjoy what they have done with the art here. It is impressionistic – fuzzy lines, incomplete images, etc. - room for your imagination to run wild even with some of the imagery defined for you. Sometimes I don’t care for impressionistic art in graphic novels, but it really works and is very well done here.
If you enjoy sci-fi and graphic novels and you have not tried this one, I think you should. I am really glad that I did and I am looking forward to checking out more volumes.
January 2, 2021
7.29 on CAWPILE.
May 20, 2018
Edit: 2nd Read. This is top quality sci fi.
My first Jeff Lemire book. I'm now a big fan.
I really enjoyed this, full of surprises and twists, I'm looking forward to reading more.
The only gripe id say about this gn is the inking. Quite bad actually. Some characters left uncoloured or scratched. I prefer neat colours myself.
My first Jeff Lemire book. I'm now a big fan.
I really enjoyed this, full of surprises and twists, I'm looking forward to reading more.
The only gripe id say about this gn is the inking. Quite bad actually. Some characters left uncoloured or scratched. I prefer neat colours myself.
December 17, 2023
Robbies, humes, United Galactic Council, Harvesters, scrappers.. the worldbuilding in this seems surprisingly generic and derivative.
You get the chance to put your own stamp on the space opera genre, and pretty much every element feels like the first thing that would pop in your head, "yeah, that'll do". You don't have to reinvent the wheel, but put some effort in.
I do like Nguyen's art, although even there the alien and robot designs are all very Star Wars.
Let's see where this goes.
You get the chance to put your own stamp on the space opera genre, and pretty much every element feels like the first thing that would pop in your head, "yeah, that'll do". You don't have to reinvent the wheel, but put some effort in.
I do like Nguyen's art, although even there the alien and robot designs are all very Star Wars.
Let's see where this goes.
November 24, 2019
I really loved this first volume of Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars. The art is great - watercolor and ink - and the plot is fascinating. I am looking forward to seeing where they go with this. The characters are interesting - especially the Driller!
The story starts with a massive robot killing off seeming everyone on a spaceship...with one survivor, Tim-21. We meet the major characters of this 6-volume series and are introduced to his particular dystopian universe with machines and AI pitted against humans (somewhat reminiscent of Dune), but with a different, and less esoteric for now, cast of characters. The enigmatic - and in later volumes fatal - the appearance of a new character at the end is what propels us on towards Descender Vol. 2.
The story starts with a massive robot killing off seeming everyone on a spaceship...with one survivor, Tim-21. We meet the major characters of this 6-volume series and are introduced to his particular dystopian universe with machines and AI pitted against humans (somewhat reminiscent of Dune), but with a different, and less esoteric for now, cast of characters. The enigmatic - and in later volumes fatal - the appearance of a new character at the end is what propels us on towards Descender Vol. 2.
March 8, 2017
This was really good! It took me a little to adjust to the art style as I'm used to harder lines, but the art is fantastic once you get into it. I really like Tim-21 so far, and think the series will just continue to get better! Can't wait to get my hands on the next volume!
February 24, 2020
Update Read On 2/24/20 - Upon re-reading it I enjoyed it more and bumping it up to a 4. I really felt for Tim this time and appreciated the world more.
Descender is a series I've owned for awhile but never read. Not sure why. I'm not big into space stuff.
This was good though!
So Tim 21 is a robot. You get little bits and pieces of his past, how he was made, what he was made for, while the other portion of this book is about other people hunting him down. In this very quickly paced volume you get just enough of the supporting cast of this world but it's main focus is Tim and his survival (is it survival when you're a robot?) and how he can make it through and who really is on his side or cares about him.
Good: LOVE the art. It's very atmospheric and gloomy yet still shines like a dream like feel to it all. I also like Driller the killer. Dude (Robot-dude) will fuck your shit up. The best parts of the story for me is Tim 21's past and learning about what he was made for and who he lived with. Loved all that. The ending also sets up some good sequel shit.
Bad: I didn't love the very very heavy exposition. I get it, it's a big world, and they have to set it up. Still, could be overbearing at times. I also thought the other supporting cast wasn't as interesting as Tim's main story.
Overall a good solid first volume. Not over the moon about it but I think this series might grow on me. Buying volume 2-4!
Descender is a series I've owned for awhile but never read. Not sure why. I'm not big into space stuff.
This was good though!
So Tim 21 is a robot. You get little bits and pieces of his past, how he was made, what he was made for, while the other portion of this book is about other people hunting him down. In this very quickly paced volume you get just enough of the supporting cast of this world but it's main focus is Tim and his survival (is it survival when you're a robot?) and how he can make it through and who really is on his side or cares about him.
Good: LOVE the art. It's very atmospheric and gloomy yet still shines like a dream like feel to it all. I also like Driller the killer. Dude (Robot-dude) will fuck your shit up. The best parts of the story for me is Tim 21's past and learning about what he was made for and who he lived with. Loved all that. The ending also sets up some good sequel shit.
Bad: I didn't love the very very heavy exposition. I get it, it's a big world, and they have to set it up. Still, could be overbearing at times. I also thought the other supporting cast wasn't as interesting as Tim's main story.
Overall a good solid first volume. Not over the moon about it but I think this series might grow on me. Buying volume 2-4!
November 3, 2015
I liked this quite a bit. I like Lemire's work, generally, though I like his earlier, edgier Essex County and Sweet Tooth stuff, with his own rough, sketchy drawing, but I liked the fairy tale romance Trillium, and most times (unless it is his superhero writing, which I dislike), I am inclined to like his work. What seems central to much of Lemire's work is the abandonment of the son by the father, or parents, but usually the father, and the search for reuniting them. Empathy, vulnerability, a certain melancholy sweetness are all central descriptors of his work, so this story fits that mold. As others will tell you, this is a science fiction story, a space story with debts to Star Wars, to Spielberg's AI, to Asimov. It's a genre, so I have no problems with it's being resonant of other stories. Vaughn's Saga also is a tribute to Spielberg and Lucas, trying to get back that magic in the still cynical post-superhero comics era, so even though I am not a particular Lucas-Spielberg geek, I appreciate the moves.
The main character is TIM-21, a boy companion robot who has been asleep on a moon for about ten years, wakes up, repairs a little barky dog bot, and begins tinkering with a computer, so people from other worlds become aware that this bot is alive, and for some reason can solve a problem they are having, a problem that doesn't really interest me. I had a hard time getting into the intergalactic crisis aspect of the book, which is why it is something like a 3 to 3.5 for me. It feels pretty generic in a lot of ways, I suppose. The inventor of Tim-21 is a nerdy loser fraud of a scientist, so even he is a kind of stereotype. There's a large Driller bot (from a mining company) who always yells he is a Killer…. ugh. It's all meant to be cute and Lucas-like….though there is one super violent moment in it that moves it out of ET category, that's for sure. Happens to the Inventor guy, so be warned.
Still, I liked it quite a bit. I like Tim-21, which is what Lemire cares about. It has this Star Wars-Luke innocence to it. That Lost Boy, aw, let's give him a hug quality. It works pretty well, though! And Nguyen's art is good, a kind of cross between generic superhero art and Lemire's scratchy art, so it's a good compromise as I see it. And Nguyen finally is a more accessible artist than Lemire, so there's that.
The main character is TIM-21, a boy companion robot who has been asleep on a moon for about ten years, wakes up, repairs a little barky dog bot, and begins tinkering with a computer, so people from other worlds become aware that this bot is alive, and for some reason can solve a problem they are having, a problem that doesn't really interest me. I had a hard time getting into the intergalactic crisis aspect of the book, which is why it is something like a 3 to 3.5 for me. It feels pretty generic in a lot of ways, I suppose. The inventor of Tim-21 is a nerdy loser fraud of a scientist, so even he is a kind of stereotype. There's a large Driller bot (from a mining company) who always yells he is a Killer…. ugh. It's all meant to be cute and Lucas-like….though there is one super violent moment in it that moves it out of ET category, that's for sure. Happens to the Inventor guy, so be warned.
Still, I liked it quite a bit. I like Tim-21, which is what Lemire cares about. It has this Star Wars-Luke innocence to it. That Lost Boy, aw, let's give him a hug quality. It works pretty well, though! And Nguyen's art is good, a kind of cross between generic superhero art and Lemire's scratchy art, so it's a good compromise as I see it. And Nguyen finally is a more accessible artist than Lemire, so there's that.
April 17, 2020
This was quite well-executed, but as someone who has read and viewed lots of science fiction I can't say that it seemed to be bringing anything new to the subgenre, and there are some pretty obvious borrowings. The characters are all felt familiar and stock.
I may read the next one to see if it moves in an unexpected direction. The "dream" element was sort of intriguing.
I may read the next one to see if it moves in an unexpected direction. The "dream" element was sort of intriguing.
June 1, 2020
So good I bought the hardcover omnibus the very next day. Honestly one of the most well-written graphic novels I've ever read.
June 4, 2016
The artwork of this comic is incredible. I truly love the style of watercolour and I envy those who have real flair and talent with that medium (as it's a tricky one) and this comic not only embraces the style, but does so beautifully.
The story of this series is about a young robot called TIM-21 who is the only remaining robot in a solar system years after a galaxy-wide catastrophe. There are no other robots as they have been outlawed, and when TIM comes back online suddenly he's instantly the focus of many different groups and people who want to find out what he knows.
TIM is a loveable character right from the start, both in the way he is drawn and the way he acts. He's sweet and kind, and makes friends quickly. However, he's also rather trusting and this does get him and the other 'good guys' into a bit of trouble sometimes.
I feel like the story has only just got going by the end of this. The first few issues are set up and introduction and even though they are beautiful it takes a few to truly understand the nature of the worlds these character inhabit. With that said, I do think by the end few issues we're really into the start of a story and it's a very fun and exciting one.
On the whole, I think if you like Sci-Fi and you enjoy water-coloured imagery then this is a wonderfully put together series. I will certainly be buying the second Volume when that is out, 5*s overall :)
The story of this series is about a young robot called TIM-21 who is the only remaining robot in a solar system years after a galaxy-wide catastrophe. There are no other robots as they have been outlawed, and when TIM comes back online suddenly he's instantly the focus of many different groups and people who want to find out what he knows.
TIM is a loveable character right from the start, both in the way he is drawn and the way he acts. He's sweet and kind, and makes friends quickly. However, he's also rather trusting and this does get him and the other 'good guys' into a bit of trouble sometimes.
I feel like the story has only just got going by the end of this. The first few issues are set up and introduction and even though they are beautiful it takes a few to truly understand the nature of the worlds these character inhabit. With that said, I do think by the end few issues we're really into the start of a story and it's a very fun and exciting one.
On the whole, I think if you like Sci-Fi and you enjoy water-coloured imagery then this is a wonderfully put together series. I will certainly be buying the second Volume when that is out, 5*s overall :)
October 13, 2017
Descender is a great sci-fi story. Taking place in the future, humanity has spread across the stars. With the use of advanced robotics from the mind of Dr. Quon the future looks bright. Until a titanic robot showed up and destroyed the planet-killing billions. That's really where Descender starts. I will not give up too many details as this is a great story. It is epic in scope.
As the story develops we find out about a robot named Tim-21 and the possibility that he may have some kind of connection with the titan robot (called a Harvester). The Harvesters have disappeared but humanity is terrified that they may return. Some planets have become anti-robotic. They destroy any robots they can find. Tim-21, Dr. Quon, Telsa Nagoki and a motley group of characters are all struggling towards an epic conflict. The story is told in a current time and with the use of flashbacks to show history or back stories-the story develops slowly. But it is well worth it.
I would say more-but no spoilers. If you like a great sci-fi story filled with interesting characters -then I think you will like this series quite a bit. The artwork isn't bad. It seemed to grow on me as I read more of the story.
So far I am going to keep with this story-I am a big fan of epic sci-fi stories. If you are too, then I recommend Descender.
As the story develops we find out about a robot named Tim-21 and the possibility that he may have some kind of connection with the titan robot (called a Harvester). The Harvesters have disappeared but humanity is terrified that they may return. Some planets have become anti-robotic. They destroy any robots they can find. Tim-21, Dr. Quon, Telsa Nagoki and a motley group of characters are all struggling towards an epic conflict. The story is told in a current time and with the use of flashbacks to show history or back stories-the story develops slowly. But it is well worth it.
I would say more-but no spoilers. If you like a great sci-fi story filled with interesting characters -then I think you will like this series quite a bit. The artwork isn't bad. It seemed to grow on me as I read more of the story.
So far I am going to keep with this story-I am a big fan of epic sci-fi stories. If you are too, then I recommend Descender.
March 27, 2022
Tim-21 is a robot boy in a world in which all robots have been outlawed. This is Tim-21’s attempt to stay alive in the world of bounty hunters. I enjoyed the story, but was less impressed by the accompanying images. I have loved some of the other works Lemire and Nguyen’s, but this one fell short of expectations. I am overly picky about the importance of words and images coming together in these novels, so please give it a try.
September 15, 2016
This was beautiful.It's kind of like Spielberg's A.I., only better.
November 3, 2015
4.5 stars rated up
I received this copy of Descender through the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The "Read Now" section on NetGalley is probably one of my favourite things in this world, especially when there is a bunch of new comics and graphic novels all uploaded at once. The second I see anything by Image Comics in the "Read Now" section, I automatically request and download it right away. The first thing that caught my attention about Descender was its lovely cover art. In the simplest of terms, it is beautiful. I had never heard of either the author or the illustrator before, but the fact that it was released by Image Comics and the fact that it was blurbed by Brian K. Vaughan, I knew I had to scoop this one up while I had the chance.
I've been in a real "space" mood lately. After reading up on what Descender was all about, I knew it was something I needed to read. There are already a few stories with similar plot lines to that of Descender, but while parts of it felt familiar, Descender did a good job in making its version of this story unique.
Jeff Lemire has built a wonderfully intricate world consisting of 9 core planets within the United Galactic Council. We only get to see a few of these planets within this first volume, but the ones that we do get to see were very well developed. At the end of this volume, there is a small Atlas that describes the 9 core planets which provides a great sense of what we may be able to see in future volumes!
I love the character of TIM-21, one in a series of "companion" robots that were created to keep humans company, but this is where things start to feel a bit familiar as Tim-21 has very human-like feelings and he begins to become attached to his human family and wants to be human like his "brother" Andy. Although this feels familiar, it is only a small aspect in a larger story.
We learn about Tim-21 and his human family in a series of flashbacks as TIM-21 is restoring his memory hard drives after they have been damaged. This volume of the series definitely does a great job in setting the story and getting the reader familiar with the characters and setting.
The artwork by Dustin Nguyen is beautiful and is done mostly in water colour. This provides a softer, more pastel-like tone to the imagery which is different from any comic series I had read previously. It's beautiful to look at and suits the story perfectly.
Descender is now added to the endless list of comics published by Image Comics that I absolutely loved. I will definitely be adding a hard copy of this series to my collection as soon as possible.
I received this copy of Descender through the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The "Read Now" section on NetGalley is probably one of my favourite things in this world, especially when there is a bunch of new comics and graphic novels all uploaded at once. The second I see anything by Image Comics in the "Read Now" section, I automatically request and download it right away. The first thing that caught my attention about Descender was its lovely cover art. In the simplest of terms, it is beautiful. I had never heard of either the author or the illustrator before, but the fact that it was released by Image Comics and the fact that it was blurbed by Brian K. Vaughan, I knew I had to scoop this one up while I had the chance.
I've been in a real "space" mood lately. After reading up on what Descender was all about, I knew it was something I needed to read. There are already a few stories with similar plot lines to that of Descender, but while parts of it felt familiar, Descender did a good job in making its version of this story unique.
Jeff Lemire has built a wonderfully intricate world consisting of 9 core planets within the United Galactic Council. We only get to see a few of these planets within this first volume, but the ones that we do get to see were very well developed. At the end of this volume, there is a small Atlas that describes the 9 core planets which provides a great sense of what we may be able to see in future volumes!
I love the character of TIM-21, one in a series of "companion" robots that were created to keep humans company, but this is where things start to feel a bit familiar as Tim-21 has very human-like feelings and he begins to become attached to his human family and wants to be human like his "brother" Andy. Although this feels familiar, it is only a small aspect in a larger story.
We learn about Tim-21 and his human family in a series of flashbacks as TIM-21 is restoring his memory hard drives after they have been damaged. This volume of the series definitely does a great job in setting the story and getting the reader familiar with the characters and setting.
The artwork by Dustin Nguyen is beautiful and is done mostly in water colour. This provides a softer, more pastel-like tone to the imagery which is different from any comic series I had read previously. It's beautiful to look at and suits the story perfectly.
Descender is now added to the endless list of comics published by Image Comics that I absolutely loved. I will definitely be adding a hard copy of this series to my collection as soon as possible.
April 15, 2020
You should read this if you like: light sci-fi stories, artificial intelligence, I,Robot movie, robot/human dynamics, emotive robots.
Vol 1 of the Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars series does such a great job of introducing us to the central characters and conflicts. The premise is pretty much what you get from the description. What was unexpected was just how much I'm already love our little Tim-21 boy bot, his little bot dog, and his Driller companion.
The artwork is stunning. The watercolor plays beautifully with light, shadow, and depth. Softening characters and sharp edges, it brings out a kind of solemnity to the characters that immediately endear them to me. Or maybe that's just my love of watercolor art speaking. I could look at these panels for days.
3.5 Stars for a fantastic beginning. I would highly recommend this series if you are are looking for some light sci-fi stories to get into the genre. Of course, for long time fans of sci-fi this is just a visual treat although so far we don't have enough plot for this to be really creative and set itself apart from other stories in the same genre. I, for one, am excited for things to come.
Vol 1 of the Descender, Vol. 1: Tin Stars series does such a great job of introducing us to the central characters and conflicts. The premise is pretty much what you get from the description. What was unexpected was just how much I'm already love our little Tim-21 boy bot, his little bot dog, and his Driller companion.
The artwork is stunning. The watercolor plays beautifully with light, shadow, and depth. Softening characters and sharp edges, it brings out a kind of solemnity to the characters that immediately endear them to me. Or maybe that's just my love of watercolor art speaking. I could look at these panels for days.
3.5 Stars for a fantastic beginning. I would highly recommend this series if you are are looking for some light sci-fi stories to get into the genre. Of course, for long time fans of sci-fi this is just a visual treat although so far we don't have enough plot for this to be really creative and set itself apart from other stories in the same genre. I, for one, am excited for things to come.
April 14, 2017
LOVE that this was all done in watercolor.
I had a feeling this was special.
I had a feeling this was special.
February 7, 2018
So eine tolle Graphic Novel! Der Zeichenstil ist außergewöhnlich, aber sehr passend und die Story ist einfach gut gemacht. Ich freue mich auf Band 2!
September 21, 2015
Jeff Lemire...
MOTHERFUCKING ROBOTS...
Dustin Nguyen...
MOTHERFUCKING ROBOTS...
Yes, please!
Loved it. Of course I did... *cough*JeffLemireFanboy*cough*
Sooo...its the future - life is great. There's prolly jetpacks, holodecks, colonized planets, spaceships...all science-fiction and shit.
There are robots too.
I love robots.
Annnnnyways...Badass robots show up and basically wipe out humans and just as suddenly as they appear *snap* they're gone.
Knee-jerk reaction - all robots and artificial intelligence are immediately destroyed and banned. Like, seriously. Get rid of all 'dem robots!!
And so life goes on. For a long ass time.
Until of course...Tim-21.
Tim is a companion bot who has been
Descender is his story. And the story is awesome! There are some great feels with Tim-21 and the confusion he is faced with upon his awakening. Alongside our protagonist, we have a great ensemble of side characters as well. Some friendly and some not so friendly. ITs just a fun sci-fi/fantasy romp. I love this shit. It's like candy sprinkled with crack for me.
the art is wicked sweet as well! The watercolor artwork really matches Lemire's writing style. It's all so fun and innocent one second and then all of a sudden people are getting blown up.
Five stars - Easy. Take them all Jeff and Dustin. Jest keep giving me my crack-candy.
January 7, 2022
We meet with Dr Quon and he is a robotics guy on a planet called Niyrata, the hub of the UGC until they are attacked by big robots called Harvesters and majority of the population is wiped out and 10 years later again we pick with him and learnt what happened. Species hate AI and they are discarded. And then we meet TIM-21 a series created by Quon and then follow his adventures from escaping the mining colony, the scrappers, meeting with Dr Quon and Telsa, the UGC official and learn of the secret of where those big Harvester Robots came from and they have to deal with mercenaries and we learn the real truth of Dr Quon and the the stuff that follows on the Planet Gnish and all that awaits these people! Its a good start to the series and has great potential and is a cosmic space opera and the art is gorgeous and TIM-21 is an interesting addition. There are so many mysteries though the world building can feel heavy but the characterizations are spot on.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Reread: 07/01/2022
What an epic read and I love the way the writer explores Tim and tells us about the world and establishes the mystery of the Harvesters right away and then the stakes are established well. I love the other robots like Bandit and Driller, reminds you of R2-32 and c-3P0 except more macho. The art is just perfect for such a sci-fi series.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Reread: 07/01/2022
What an epic read and I love the way the writer explores Tim and tells us about the world and establishes the mystery of the Harvesters right away and then the stakes are established well. I love the other robots like Bandit and Driller, reminds you of R2-32 and c-3P0 except more macho. The art is just perfect for such a sci-fi series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,935 reviews