BOOM! Studios; $3.99

Things are very serious in Joyride #11. The trio from Earth – Uma, Catrin, and Dewydd – are back together, alive and on the same ship, along with Dewydd’s recently rescued brother, Jorn, and Catrin’s alien friend Weerdrox. So what is this band of rebels up to now? They aren’t headed for a party planet. After coming back from the Void, with certain powers she acquired from the ancient space monster, Uma wants to head back to Earth.

The team follows her lead, apprehensively and begrudgingly, unsure of what to expect. Having been freed of their own bonds, Uma wants to liberate Earth from SafeSky and the Watchful Gaze, or as she calls it “a gun on the moon and a giant wall.” But her methods, which include bringing the Regulators to the doorstep of Catrin’s father, Chancellor Cosanova, may not go over so well.

Joyride has taken on a more serious tone than the fun, adventurous one where it all started, but writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly are still doing a terrific job. There are moments when the story is energetic, moments when it’s sweet, and moments that confront much larger issues. Ideals of peace, equality, and the celebration of individuality are interconnected with the hope for freedom, or, on the flip side, the preference of protection through control.

The art by Marcus To and colors by Irma Kniivila continue to propel the story forward. It’s imaginative, has science fiction elements, mixed with the lighthearted look of a cartoon. Whether the scene is serious, intimate, explosive, or comical, the artists capture the mood of the moment.

It’s been a great ride so far and I hope it continues with all the twists and turns.

-Amanda Sheriff