One of my favorite things about going to comic conventions is that I don’t just get to meet the authors/artists that I know are going to be there, but discovering ones that I’ve never heard of before. I mean there are so many great comics and webcomics are out there that I find it difficult to discover new ones sometimes, but I’ve found cons to be a great place to find them. And that’s how I found out about Cleopatra in Space. Last year I went to Heroescon and when looking at the list of people that were going to be there I found Mike and Cleopatra and was instantly captivated by the comic. The premise is that Cleopatra VII has been transported from 52BC to the far distant future, where ancient prophecies have proclaimed that she is destined to become the savior of the galaxy. But first…she has to survive being a 17 year old teenager, pass military school, deal with crushes, curfews and everything else.

Cleopatra has made her way to a Xerc ship to complete a mission…but it’s gone a bit sideways. At the moment her cat, and teacher, Khensu is trying to open the door so that they can escape before the Xerc’s catch them. And just when it seems like they might get through ok, a Xerc on the other side of door grabs Kehnsu…and Cleopatra’s lazer guns run out of power because she forgot to charge them (hey the girl has a lot on her mind.) But they use some wily thinking and get to the ship and are just about home free when Cleopatra’s taunts cause a Xerc soldier to blow out one of her engines. And when it rains it pours, they’re going to have to land on Hykosis to fix the bike…and it appears more trouble might be waiting for them there.

I think the first thing that caught my attention about the comic was the artwork. There are just so many little details to it that make it standout when looking at it. I love the line quality of the drawings and it really helps create and sell the motion of the characters and bring them to life. It reminds me in some ways of Scott McCloud’s comic Zot! Mike also has a lot of nice little details in the panels, such as on the Xerc’s and Cleopatra’s outfit, that just give the reader something to look forward to. And the nice thing about the print edition of the comic (vs reading just online) is that Mike shows us how he creates his artwork, which I love. It gives the reader a better understanding of not only the time and work that goes into creating a comic, but just how the work was created. What I love the most about Mike’s work though, is that even though he uses a computer to produce the final version, everything starts off in pencil’s and its clear to see this in the way Cleopatra and Khensu are drawn.

What I think I like the most about this comic though is that Cleopatra isn’t a dainty, sit on her hands queen. Nope, instead she’s a kick ass, gun wielding, energetic kinda gal that likes trying to do things on her own. Granted it doesn’t always work, but hey she’s only 17. And the age factor I think is also important. It makes it easy to relate to her and understand why she does what she does. We’ve all been in similar situations, well…at least being the teenage part…so we understand the flux of emotions and hormones and trying to prove to others that we can do anything we put our minds to. And I enjoy that. The one small downside to the comic is that there isn’t enough of it. So far Mike has posted the second chapter and is at work on the third chapter…but just hasn’t gotten it posted yet. And the waiting is driving me nuts! I want to know what happens next. But I’m sure Mike will reveal all in good time.

Even though the series is progressing slowly, this is a comic that I really enjoy and would recommend to fans of sci-fi, star trek, and adventure. I really look forward to seeing where Mike goes next with the storyline and look forward to reading more about Cleopatra. ( )