Skyward: My Low-G Life by Joe Henderson, Lee Garbett, and Antonio Fabela

Reviewed by Ambrea

Willa Fowler has spent her life living in low gravity.  After G-Day—the day when Earth’s gravity shifted—Willa grew up in a world where people can float through the air and literally leap buildings in a single bound.  Granted, if a person jumps too high they can literally float off into space, but that’s never been much of a problem for Willa.  But when she’s caught up in a secret plan by her father to restore earth’s original gravity, she may just realize that living in a world without gravity is just as dangerous as it is exhilarating.

I happened to see Skyward:  My Low-G Life by Joe Henderson, Lee Garbett, and Antonio Fabela on the OWL website.  Initially, I liked the cover art:  bright, eye-catching and intriguing, it looked like just the kind of thing I would read.  I happened to be in the market for a good superhero comic—except it wasn’t a superhero comic and I fell completely prey to judging a book by its cover.  Luckily, Skyward is a great comic, even if it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.

The comic opens with G-Day and those first, fatal seconds of low to no gravity.  Fast forward twenty years, we meet a grown-up Willa and discover the world is a much different place.  Suddenly, readers encounter a planet where street signs are unrecognizable relics, penthouse views are the norm, and magnetic shoes are all the rage among the wealthy.  I was particularly intrigued to see what happens to rainstorms, as well as how people adapt to new circumstances and how social dynamics reformed to accommodate an upside-down world.

I also loved the main character.  She’s quick, she’s tough, she’s feisty, and she’s unbelievably smart.  She doesn’t appear to be afraid of anything, but she also recognizes when she can rely on her friends and when she needs to make a strategic retreat.  She has a complex background that involves loss and tragedy that shapes her in unexpected ways—place secrets from her father’s life that will continue to shape her future.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Skyward.  The story is quick, action-packed and enjoyable; the panels are colorful and well-drawn; the pace is superb, creating a whirlwind ride that can leave you a little breathless.  Although it can seem a little wild and, you know, “out there,” given the lack of gravity, but it’s an interesting science fiction concept that I’ve never really encountered.   Personally, I’ll be excited to catch the next collection—Here There Be Dragonflies—when it comes out in February 2019.