BIKER BANDITS

A day in the life of an interplanetary postman becomes a comic, galaxywide romp.

Bob has ascended the Planetary Post ranks after his first, successful adventure (The Postman From Space, 2020). But today he’s given just one measly letter to deliver, and he’s forced to train a new postal carrier, Marcelle. The delivery should be simple, but a series of mishaps sends the duo to the other side of the galaxy. On the way, they pick up a musical hitchhiker and visit several delightfully unusual planets, all while being pursued by the Biker Bandits, a gang of thieving outlaws. So much for a routine day as a space postman! Originally published in French, this interplanetary adventure follows a familiar reluctant-hero arc. The action is propelled by well-paced panels and humorous dialogue. Whimsical planets populated by quirky characters are created with pastel and earth tones delineated by rounded linework. Fanciful and fun, the story is brought to an abrupt end by the eleventh-hour arrival of the bumbling Planetary Police. There are missteps: Bob’s weight is lampooned by others, and Bob blames Marcelle’s appetite for getting them into trouble. Additionally, multiple illustrations show chopsticks stuck vertically in a bowl of food, an impropriety in many Asian cultures. Most humanoid characters, including Bob and Marcelle, have light beige or pink skin. One police officer has brown skin. The nonhumanoid ETs vary in appearance.

A visually captivating (if a bit culturally backward) outer-space escapade from France.