Black Science #1 Explained: A Multiverse Sci-Fi Adventure Like No Other

In the vast expanse of comic book science fiction, few issues launch a series with the raw, visceral punch of Black Science #1. Published by Image Comics in 2013, this debut plunges readers into a chaotic multiverse where the laws of physics shatter like glass under the weight of reckless ambition. Created by writer Rick Remender and artist Matteo Scalera, the story centres on Grant McKay, a rogue scientist whose invention—a device known as the Pillar—rips open the fabric of reality. What begins as a family outing spirals into an interdimensional nightmare, blending high-stakes adventure with profound questions about hubris, family, and the infinite possibilities of existence.

At its core, Black Science #1 is a masterclass in world-building compression. In just 20 pages, Remender and Scalera introduce a sprawling multiverse teeming with alien horrors, prehistoric beasts, and surreal landscapes, all while grounding the chaos in deeply human drama. It’s not merely a sci-fi romp; it’s a narrative grenade lobbed into the genre, exploding conventions of linear storytelling and heroic redemption. For newcomers, this issue serves as both gateway and gauntlet—demanding attention while rewarding it with layers of intrigue that unfold across the series.

What sets this comic apart in the pantheon of multiverse tales? Unlike the tidy portals of Doctor Strange or the heroic crossovers of DC’s Crisis events, Black Science embraces the terror of the unknown. McKay’s Pillar doesn’t grant control; it dooms its users to unpredictable jumps through realities, each more hostile than the last. This issue #1 establishes the stakes: survival isn’t about mastery over dimensions but clawing back from the brink of oblivion. As we dissect its pages, we’ll explore the plot, characters, themes, and artistry that make it a cornerstone of modern indie comics.

The Creative Vision Behind Black Science

Rick Remender, known for his work on Marvel’s Uncanny X-Men and Captain America, brought his penchant for emotional gut-punches to Black Science. Frustrated with mainstream constraints, he pitched this as creator-owned freedom at Image Comics, a publisher synonymous with bold visions like Saga and The Walking Dead. Remender drew inspiration from classic sci-fi—think Philip K. Dick’s reality-warping paranoia and H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic dread—infusing them with a punk-rock energy. The result? A series that feels both timeless and urgently contemporary.

Matteo Scalera’s artwork, complemented by Moreno DiNisio’s colours and Rus Wooton’s lettering, elevates the script to symphonic heights. Scalera’s dynamic panels pulse with motion, capturing the disorientation of multiversal travel through jagged lines and explosive layouts. DiNisio’s palette shifts violently between worlds: verdant jungles bleed into fungal nightmares, mirroring the protagonists’ fracturing psyches. Wooton’s sound effects—SHRIEK! CRUNCH!—aren’t mere onomatopoeia; they’re auditory assaults that immerse readers in the frenzy.

Plot Breakdown: From Pillar Activation to Dimensional Chaos

Black Science #1 opens in medias res, thrusting us into a prologue set years before the main action. We meet Grant McKay, a brilliant but disgraced physicist, sketching blueprints for his revolutionary invention: the Pillar, a quantum anvil capable of breaching dimensional membranes. Funded by the sinister Ong robotics company, McKay’s device promises unlimited energy—and unintended catastrophe. This flash-forward hooks us with a desperate escape from a dinosaur-infested world, teasing the horrors to come.

The Inciting Incident: A Family Trip Gone Multiversal

Flashing back to the present, McKay is on a strained holiday in Scandinavia with his children, Nate and Pia, and his ex-wife’s new husband, Raymond. Tensions simmer—McKay’s obsession with the Pillar has cost him his family, and Raymond embodies the stability he lacks. Desperate to prove his genius, McKay activates the device during a storm. Instead of a controlled test, the Pillar malfunctions spectacularly, flinging the group through a kaleidoscope of realities.

The issue’s centrepiece is a breathless sequence of jumps: first, a lush jungle where bloodthirsty natives worship a fungal god; then, a cybernetic hellscape of parasitic machines; and finally, a prehistoric Earth overrun by velociraptors. Each shift is rendered with Scalera’s kinetic fury—pages fracture like shattered glass, characters hurtle through voids, their screams echoing across panels. McKay’s team— including loyal assistant Katsu and ex-wife Evelyn—must navigate these perils while the Pillar’s unstable jumps threaten permanent exile.

Cliffhanger Revelations

As the issue crescendos, betrayals emerge. McKay’s Ong patrons aren’t benevolent funders; they’re cultists harnessing the Pillar for interdimensional conquest. The final pages reveal McKay’s journal entries, chronicling past jumps and hinting at sabotaged test flights. The cliffhanger lands with devastating force: stranded in a world of sentient fungus, the survivors face not just external monsters, but the unraveling of their fragile alliances. This structure—prologue, buildup, frenzy, revelation—propels readers into issue #2 with insatiable hunger.

Key Characters: Flawed Heroes in Infinite Peril

Grant McKay anchors the ensemble as the quintessential flawed protagonist. A mix of Tony Stark’s bravado and Doctor Frankenstein’s folly, he’s driven by a god complex that masks profound insecurity. Remender humanises him through paternal failures—his kids view him as an absent dreamer—making his redemption arc compelling from the outset.

  • Pia McKay: The teenage daughter, sharp-tongued and resilient, embodies youthful defiance. Her bond with father strains under his neglect, setting up poignant growth amid survival horrors.
  • Nate McKay: The younger son, wide-eyed and vulnerable, heightens stakes; his innocence contrasts the multiverse’s brutality.
  • Raymond: The stepfather foil, pragmatic and resentful, injects tension. His clashes with McKay underscore themes of fractured families.
  • Katsu and Evelyn: Assistants turned reluctant comrades, they add layers of loyalty and regret, hinting at backstories ripe for exploration.

These characters aren’t archetypes; they’re pressure-cooked by circumstance, forcing raw authenticity. Remender’s dialogue crackles—terse in action, lacerating in quiet moments—while Scalera’s expressive faces convey unspoken turmoil.

Multiverse Mechanics: Science Fiction Grounded in Speculative Terror

The Pillar isn’t magic; it’s pseudo-science rooted in quantum mechanics and string theory. Remender consulted physicists to craft plausible jargon: the device exploits “evergreen rifts” in the multiversal membrane, propelled by “anomalous matter.” Jumps are randomised by entropy bleed, evoking real theories like the many-worlds interpretation of quantum physics.

This issue introduces “black science”—forbidden knowledge that corrupts. Each world pulses with unique biomes: symbiotic fungi that hijack hosts, robotic swarms enforcing hive minds. Comparisons to Manifold by Warren Ellis or Paper Girls arise, but Black Science distinguishes itself with unrelenting hostility—no friendly alternates, just Darwinian gauntlets. Culturally, it reflects 2010s anxieties: globalisation’s fractures mirrored in dimensional borders, unchecked tech mirroring Silicon Valley hubris.

Artistic Mastery: Visual Storytelling at Its Peak

Scalera’s style is anarchic poetry. Double-page spreads devour the eye— a raptor attack spans panels in a frenzy of claws and blood. DiNisio’s colours amplify mood: sickly greens for fungus realms, fiery oranges for jungle chases. Lettering integrates seamlessly, with McKay’s journal scrawls overlaying action for introspective depth.

In a medium crowded with polished CGI aesthetics, Black Science revels in hand-crafted grit. Influences from European bande dessinée shine through in fluid anatomy and atmospheric depth, positioning Scalera as a peer to Fiona Staples or Sean Murphy.

Themes Introduced: Hubris, Family, and the Cost of Curiosity

Issue #1 plants seeds for the series’ philosophical core. McKay’s ambition echoes Prometheus—stealing fire from gods, only to be devoured. Family dynamics dissect modern dysfunction: divorce’s scars amid apocalypse force reconciliation or rupture.

Broader strokes probe infinity’s indifference. Multiverse tropes often glorify choice; here, they terrify with consequence. Remender weaves in existentialism—Sartre’s bad faith in McKay’s denials—while critiquing corporate overreach via Ong’s cult.

Reception and Enduring Legacy

Upon release, Black Science #1 sold briskly, earning praise from critics. Comics Beat hailed it “a sci-fi epic with heart,” while IGN lauded its “breakneck pace.” It garnered Harvey Award nominations, cementing Remender and Scalera’s indie cred.

The series ran 43 issues, influencing multiverse media like Loki and Everything Everywhere All at Once. Yet #1 remains purest distillation—untarnished by later arcs, a blueprint for ambitious storytelling. In today’s comic landscape, amid superhero fatigue, it reminds us why we read: for worlds that challenge, thrill, and transform.

Conclusion

Black Science #1 isn’t just an issue; it’s a declaration of comics’ boundless potential. Rick Remender and Matteo Scalera craft a multiverse adventure that marries spectacle with soul, hurtling flawed souls through infinite peril while probing the human condition. From its explosive opener to lingering revelations, it demands rereads, rewarding scrutiny with fresh horrors and hopes. As McKay’s family fights for home across realities, we’re left pondering: what worlds lurk beyond our own? Dive in, and let the Pillar pull you under—there’s no turning back.

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