 Rex
Libris #2
by James Turner
Slave Labor Graphics
BW, 32 pgs
$3.95 CAN / $2.95 US
To the library!
by Chad Boudreau
We here at comicreaders.com are considering re-naming our online store to the
Rex Libris store. We've sold 48 copies of the first issue and are well
on our way to selling an equal amount of the second. Interestingly, but not
oddly, a good number of these issues were sold to librarians. Why isn't that
odd? Well, Rex Libris is the story of a long lived librarian who travels
through space and time to retrieve overdue library books.
The premise sounds so simple, but the execution is anything but. Take this
second issue, for example. Our librarian protagonist, Rex, has been asked to
travel to the planet Benzine V to retrieve a copy of Principia Mathematica from
the planet's overlord, Vaglox. In order travel so far so quickly, he must use
a teleportation crystal, but those have to recharge before use, so he has a
few hours to wait. During his wait, he visits his own apartment, located deep
beneath the library, and in doing so, we learn a bit about the history of the
character. We also learn how teleportation works and why within the library
people and things from literature appear on occasion. Teleportation and these
odd events are connected. Creator James
Turner explains to us the how and why of it, and even though it is the fiction
of the writer's mind, it makes sense. It does so because Turner has created
his own science upon which the mechanics of Rex Libris work. It is
thorough and well presented, and one cannot help but be in awe of the breadth
of his creativity.
Rex Libris #2 is more than Turner explaining the mechanics of the
world and time he has created. It's also a chance for him to present an array
of ideas on the topics of philosophy, history (and pseudo history) and art.
These are delivered during a conversation Rex has with his bird roommate, Simonides.
(He was turned into a bird by Circe, who is the same Circe from Greek mythology.
Apparently, she enjoys turning men into birds because mythology tells us she
turned Picus into a woodpecker for refusing her love. She now works in the library
itself, having been given a job by Rex. This, of course, has cause Simonides
great distress, though he continues to plead his case that she should turn him
back into the man he once was.) Turner drops names of philosophers and artists
and brings up all manner of topics for discussion, almost daring us to hit the
library ourselves to learn more.
See, not so simple, hey? Rex has to travel to Benzine V, but instead of moving
from point A to point B, Turner takes us down many a side street. He revels
in his own smarts, and so do we. At no time does Rex Libris seem pretentious.
It's smart, yes, but it is accessible all the same because its core concept
of a librarian charged with retrieving overdue library books reads like a tale
of high adventure. All the heady discussion is simply icing on the cake, a thoughtful
reprieve before the next episode of action and adventure.
4 of 5
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