Set in a future where the environmental ruin of Earth has sent the populace fleeing to the stars, in Venus Rises, the haves live in luxury on Mars and the have nots survive a harsh existence and punishing work environment on Venus.

It’s a great set up with some incredibly impressive world building; there’s an awful lot of detail to fill in the history of Venus Rises, helping the setting of the story to feel authentic and almost tangible.

That’s helped by Bora Orcal’s art, which is presented in highly detailed monochrome pencils, with splashes of colour over certain elements. It’s a very effective aesthetic choice.

That’s in stark contrast to the full colour prologue, numerous pages of historical details and character profiles that are doled out between chapters, adding impressive layers to an already pretty densely sketched future history.

Despite the grand scene setting, the story of this first volume is relatively small scale, zooming in on a small cast of desperate and slightly disparate characters being pursued by the authorities, trying to get by and earn themselves a living by somewhat dubious means.

Writer JG Birdsall really has imbued the setting with so much life, with Orcal’s art featuring incredibly compelling and believable designs, everywhere from fashion to buildings and spacecraft.

Even the face paint worn by a certain faction of characters has a properly thought through, in world justification.

You know how films such as Blade Runner and Outland feel like they’re shot in tangible, physical spaces that actually exist; spaces where it feels like countless stories are happening just beyond what we can see?

I got that same sense when reading Venus Rises; it’s an incredibly good story, set in a scarily plausible future, with tons of political and social tension bubbling under, just beyond our field of view and sometimes coming right into our line of sight.

I was blown away by the level of detail and the intelligent, layered artistry on display in both the writing and artwork throughout.

A Kickstarter campaign for the first volume of Venus Rises is launching on the 11th of March; in the meantime, check out the official website here.

Many thanks to creator JG Birdsall for reaching out and providing me with a review copy of Venus Rises Volume 1.