Real life: In the 1960’s Communist Russia and the United States were in a race to be the first nation to safely land a man on the Moon.

Nicolas Wetterwald’s latest graphic novel mixes the real life with what-if and serves up an enjoying account of an alternate history: one where the USSR beats the Americans and lands a cosmonaut on the Moon. Based in fact as much as imagination, many readers will be surprised to learn just how close the ‘race to the Moon’ was. The Russians bet everything on a mighty N1 rocket that differed from the American Saturn V by relying on a complicated massive ring cluster of thirty engines, each one dependent on the other in order for a successful launch to occur. Development began on the N1 in 1959 and by 1968 US reconnaissance satellite photographs showed that the Russians were (almost) ready to launch.

Looking at the book cover there is something warmly familiar about Wetterwald’s drawing style. It took me a minute to place it. There is a strong Jean Giraud (Moebius) influence- especially his spacesuit and futuristic designs from his Heavy Metal magazine panels.

The story begins with a crisis and then a flashback in a fine style of writing that serves the form of graphic novels very well. Text ‘balloons’ are clearly differentiated between characters thoughts and conversations. This creates a fitting lonely mood- unlike the Americans, the Russians planned on sending a single cosmonaut to the Moon surface. There is also an ingenious use of text ‘balloons’ with small lightning like points to signify an electronic transmission or radio transmission. Small details like this create an eerie atmosphere and it is easy to relate to the protagonist.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this comic is more documentary than entertainment. It has a brisk pace and the setting of Cold War Russia makes for an almost spy like setting. There are adult themes to be enjoyed here too- and this graphic novel is targeted appropriately towards adults.

There is much to like about Nicolas Wetterwald’s 1969 The Phantom Odyssey especially as we find ourselves celebrating the approaching fiftieth anniversary of the successful first landing of man on the Moon. With all the hype and nostalgia around that landmark event the release of this comic book couldn’t have been planned better. Hard copy recommended and available from Amazon ISBN 9781793906069 or try the Kindle edition for only $7.49 USD. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.