Lost On Planet Earth #4: Monsters Of The Human Project

We’re very near the end of Lost Of Planet Earth and this one is a difficult issue. Not cause of the art, that is still a fitting contrast between the beautiful space scenarios and the cartoonish, all emotion and expression characters. And neither cause of the characterization of those, that are profoundly credible, fitting and present some dynamics that drive us towards in the story. But because of the underlying theme of this issue: sexual harassment.

Of course this comic is about so much more. It’s still a criticism of humans placing ourselves in these futurist societies free of prejudice and hatred, as if we were gonna arrive there by some “natural progress” that requires no effort. It’s still a harsh look at organizations searching to colonize (or “discover”) the galaxy. But, in this issue, there’s not one, but two scenes of sexual harassment (one with stances of homophobia too). Which is fitting having in mind harassment is a big theme right now in the comic industry.

The instances of two differently powerful men posing a threat to women in this issue are real, well-paced and, honestly, scary and disgusting. In contrast to an industry that has sometimes normalized too graphic stances of violence against women in the page without weight or a thoughtful intention, this issue places it in the right place, not recreating itself on the violence but in how uncomfortable, sick and demanding of change the characters’ harassing look. Of course, this is a book crafted by queer women creators.

I did miss the rest of the characters that are absent here, and, in retrospect, this issue is one of the weakest in narrative flow, which also is too closer to the end and doesn’t present a lot of exposition. But it’s constantly saved by great art and intense scenes that carry true meaning (also romantic queer intense scenes, not all is suffering!), and I can’t wait to see where the story ends, which I hope goes back to the other characters we left behind.