Interview: 'Roche Limit' Creator Michael Moreci

AiPT: Today I have the pleasure of talking to Michael Moreci. Thanks for taking the time. I enjoyed reading the first volume of Roche Limit and was especially intrigued by the philosophical issues you discussed. I also thought it was interesting how you combined the different genre types of detective fiction, science fiction, and a zombie apocalypse with each other.

MM: Well, let's get to it.

AiPT: In Roche Limit: Anomalous you used multiple storylines and then brought them all together by the end, what made you decide to go with this style for this particular comic? Do you plan on using this same style for Clandestiny?

MM: A big part of the first volume is multiple investigations that are happening. On the thematic level, you see it in the probing into religion, society, and existence. There's a lot going on with all of those things. The plot mirrors that in a cool way, which I enjoy. There's all these investigations happening, with Alex looking for Bekkah, Moscow looking for the Recall recipe, Watkins looking for the soul. Everyone is looking for something, searching, and that's important to the book (as Langford explains in his monologue and we pick up on in Clandestiny). 

AiPT: The process of the soul being separated into pieces by contact with the anomaly is extremely unique, are there any specific influences for this idea?

MM: Thanks! Though it's probably something I stole off of Dick or Bradbury and don't even realize it. That piece of the book's puzzle came in really late and unified everything--I needed something that would tie these characters together, and brings them closer, physically and philosophically. 

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Comic Book Review: Roche Limit Vol. 1: Anomalous TPB

Roche Limit Vol. One: Anomalous combines philosophy, science fiction, detective fiction, and yes a zombie apocalypse. Is it good?

The opening sequence of Roche Limit reminds me a lot of the original Bioshock. A wealthy man with a larger than life vision sets out to change the world and along the path it all goes wrong. The similarities end there. Where Bioshock examines the philosophy of human organizations, Moreci examines the ideas of fate, identity, and our perception of the world around us.

Each book except for the last one begins with the founder of Roche Limit, Langford Skaargred, breaking the fourth wall through an audio/visual recording where he addresses many of the aforementioned high-brow topics. However, he does use a number of the main characters to also address these topics and there is a significant plot line dedicated to self-discovery and what it means to be human.

Outside of the philosophy, Moreci and artist Vic Malhotra build a compelling world full of drug dealers, addicts, a protective Madam, and even a mad scientist. The world is seedy with good people few and far between. Even the characters who are relatable have been affected by the violent culture on Dispater, the planet where the colony of Roche Limit is located. One of the best examples of the unruly and rough culture is during an interrogation at the local watering hole.

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Affiliate link: Click here to get your copy of Roche Limit Volume 1.

Comic Book Review: Project Superpowers Blackcross #2

The supernatural occurrences ramp up in the town of Blackcross. Is it good?

Warren Ellis continues to use multiple storylines, but where it succeeded in the first book it falls flat in this one. The first book succeeded in creating immense terror and horror. It didn’t need to tell a story or build up the characters. The horror aspect carried it. However, this second issue is missing the horror. I’m not running downstairs to check that my door is locked, covering my mirrors, or applying bars to my window. It just isn’t there.

Instead, there are a couple moments that are pure shock factor. They leave you more confused than before. It is quite difficult to figure out what is happening let alone why it is happening. This does have the effect of creating a huge mystery except there doesn’t seem to be any clues.

The characters themselves are a mystery as well. The ones Ellis introduced in the previous issue are all present in this one, but since the issue is so compact and there are about six different storylines, he doesn’t have enough time to properly develop them and in some cases the events that unfold don’t give him the opportunity to do so.

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Affiliate link: Click here to get your copy of Project Superpowers: Blackcross #2.