Share this
Creative Team – Michael W. Conrad, Nathan Ooten, Kyle Arends & Zane Borrow
Published digitally released by ComiXology and will be followed by Dark Horse Comics in 2025.
TRIGGER WARNING! Before reading Neptune, please keep in mind there are mentions of murder, trafficking, suicide, and gun violence.
Beginning Neptune
Let me start by saying I really had no idea what I was getting into when diving into Neptune. I didn’t realize how raw and riveting Neptune would be. Starting at the beginning, we meet our main character, Corey. After being in prison for 17 years, Corey is having trouble taking in his new found freedom. Still being haunted by the ghost of his past, Corey has a lot of things he needs to internalize and come to terms with before he’s able to carry on with his life.
Corey’s youth was taken from him after he was involved in a robbery that ended with two victims, one of which being his friend. It wasn’t Corey’s fault, but he took the blame because he didn’t want to leave his friend behind after witnessing his death. Of course, this is what sent Corey to prison but he was never alone while incarcerated.
An abundance of mystery
Once he’s out, he learns of his brother’s death that was an apparent suicide. How could this be? Why would he do something like this? Why doesn’t the story add up? Corey sets off on a mission to get to the bottom of his brother’s suspicious death, and in the process, he learns of his brother’s legacy at Neptune. The good, the bad, the despicable legacy his brother created at Neptune Farms.
As I said, I couldn’t believe how raw this graphic novel was. It deals with truly horrific circumstances such as murder, human trafficking, the paranormal, and incarceration but keeps it so very grounded. It also does an exceptional job at keeping you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire novel. While reading Neptune, you truly can’t guess what happens next but you don’t want to move on to find out because you can’t take your eyes off the incredible artwork by Nathaniel Ooten.
The gorgeous juxtaposition of bright colors mixed with the gritty and dark artwork makes each page a feast for the eyes. I don’t know how Ooten was able to create such gorgeous art with a story that was covered in violence and horrific content, but he certainly did. There was so much I liked about Neptune, and the art is probably the top of that list.
All in all, I’d say this was a homerun. It had so many complex elements that were tackled perfectly by the creative team. You find yourself becoming attached to the main character as well as his ghost sidekick, and finding yourself getting emotionally attached the the story itself. It’s easy to lose yourself in this graphic novel. I look forward to seeing what the creative team comes up with next.
I give this a 10 out of 10
This review was written by Megan from Vigilante Vibes: A Marvel Podcast! If you liked my review, be sure to check out my other reviews! Let me know what you think of Neptune, or tell me what comics you’d recommend me trying out! Find me on my socials, and check out my Marvel podcast, Vigilante Vibes, by clicking here!
