Graphic Novel Review: 'The Metabarons' by Alejandro Jodorowsky & Juan Gimenez

'The Metabarons', written by Alejandro Jodorowsky and illustrated by Juan Gimenez, first published in 1992, is a science fiction, space opera comic series that tells of the lineage of the ultimate warrior, The Metabaron, first seen as a minor character in Jodorowsky's 'The Incal', as narrated through two abandoned robots left in the impregnable 'Metabunker' for maintenance issues.

The first in this eight part series introduces Othon von Salza, the first Metabaron, on the planet of Marmola, and after a freak accident, how the revelation of epiphyte - a secret anti-gravity substance - becomes the catalyst for an all out war above the planet for the substance, and with the creation of the Metabaron.

As well as introducing Othon, Volume One also reveals the origins of the code of principles that runs through the Metabaron bloodline, their cybernetic implants, and why the only way to become the next Metabaron is for the son to defeat his own father in a mortal combat. 

This is classic Jodorowsky. Weird, crazy, and at times intriguing, with a mix of violence, sex, a good dose of deus ex machina to speed up the narrative, paper thin characters, some dodgy sci-fi and the use of 'Paleo', 'Techno', 'Meca' etc as prefixes to make it sound futuristic can be a bit annoying at times. The art by Gimenez is the highlight of this series for me though. The space battles, violence, characters and more are beautifully rendered by his artwork. Nice big panels capture all the action in loving detail, and a lot of detail there is to admire!

It's not as engaging as 'The Incal' was, but there is still enough there to keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next, and how the Metabaron legacy continues as they battle against forces corrupted by greed, power, and terror throughout the galaxy. If you're a fan of Jodorowsky or Gimenez, then this is essential reading.

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