Of the comic books announced for release early in 2024, Moon Man is one I’ve been looking forward to. Obviously having one of the biggest musicians in the world in Kid Cudi as one of the creators gives this series immediate mainstream attention. Kid Cudi pairing up with Kyle Higgins makes Moon Man a comic book to be excited about. Higgins has been delivering some of the best comic books around with his work on the Massive-Verse. I got the chance to check out an early copy of Moon Man #1. Find out how it turned out with our advance review.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writers: Scott Mescudi and Kyle Higgins
Artist: Marco Locati
Colorist: Igor Monti
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
SOLICITATION
“Superstar musician SCOTT “KID CUDI” MESCUDI makes his comics debut alongside Eisner Award nominated co-writer KYLE HIGGINS (RADIANT BLACK) and breakout artist MARCO LOCATI in the extra-length first issue of the biggest book of 2024!
Ramon is ready for a quiet life. Whatever went wrong on that failed moon mission, whatever happened in the missing minutes the cameras didn’t capture, all he really wants is to settle down back home. But those missing minutes hold an Earth-shattering secret—and, with all eyes turned to him, Ramon will soon find himself becoming something the world has never seen before” – Image Comics
REVIEW
Becoming famous is not something everyone dreams of achieving. That is certainly the case for Ramon, the lead of Moon Man #1. Even after having a spectacular seven-minute outer space experience Ramon just wants to get back to his daily life. How Ramon deals with his sudden fame and what that means for the world is where Moon Man #1 finds its magic.
The mystery around the seven unknown minutes Ramon and his crew were lost in space is an intriguing main story driver. Kid Cudi and Kyle Higgins make the most of how this type of event could impact the world. Specifically, in a world like ours where corporations are running everything. Having these real-world elements helps ground the story around Ramon even after having such a fantastical experience.
What makes Ramon stand out even more is the fact he doesn’t want the fame he gets. Ramon is a guy who got into science and space exploration because that is his passion. The fame it could bring him someday is not something that crossed his mind. You immediately get that with how Ramon acts to the media and the world’s interest in answers to the seven lost minutes of his space adventure. The attention he gets further spotlighted how Ramon just wants to be a normal guy living his life without getting attention.
At the same time, it is driven home that there is more to why Ramon doesn’t want to talk about his experience. It’s not just because he is an introvert by nature. He had a life-changing experience that even as a lifelong scientist is hard to comprehend. There is a clear trauma that he is dealing with. It’s a trauma that adds to why it is hard to talk about the seven lost minutes everyone is asking about.
While Ramon’s story is front and center of Moon Man #1 there is also a lot of world-building being done. The world of Moon Man is one that has gone fully corporate. That has led to a world where the next generation does not have the hope Ramon grew up with. That is made clear by Ramon’s interaction with a key person in his life. These interactions are made stronger by what goes down in the final pages of Moon Man #1 that forces Ramon into action.
When it comes to the art in Moon Man #1 Marco Locati’s artwork is at best with the sci-fi elements. Locati, along with colorist Igor Monti, does a lot of cool design work to get over the larger-than-life experience Ramon went to. The artwork is a bit flat when it comes to the dialogue-heavy scenes. There is some detail lost with certain elements looking blocky in the character designs. Some moments are also rushed when there are more than a few characters in the same panel or page. These are aspects that Locati can hopefully get better at with more experience as a comic book artist.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Kid Cudi and Kyle Higgins get off to a very good start to their new series with Moon Man #1. Ramon is given a lot of layers as a lead character. The mystery around his unexpected hero’s journey complimented the world that we were presented with. For those looking for a new sci-fi story to pick up Moon Man #1 is one to check out.
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10