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Whether or not the heroine of Image Comics newest series intended to, The Last Mermaid is currently in the frying pan. Stuck on the land isn’t the ideal location for anything aquatic or amphibian, however, that is exactly where she finds herself at the start of this issue. If she can’t find some freshwater soon she may share the same fate as a fish won at the fair.
The Last Mermaid
Story & Art: Derek Kirk Kim
The Last Mermaid opens with an image that will make you insist the story takes place in the Sahara. However, the second page quickly establishes not just the setting but also the sad state of our society. The crumbling facade of The Golden Gate Bridge — the West Coast equivalent of Lady Liberty – no longer welcomes anyone to San Francisco. Instead it is now a reminder of what once was; a world so many wished they could experience. Underneath a mound of sand that once was the Pacific Ocean, a whirring sound is the first indication readers have of any life in this desolate place.
Our first view of The Last Mermaid is of her seemingly lifeless body inside a fish bowl. However, Derek Kirk Kim has designed a device for the young Atlantean that is quite astonishing. The creator of this comic has come up with a really cool way for The Last Mermaid to be part of our world. While it initially looks like a simple aquarium, the machine transforms into both a motorbike and a mech suit. Since she needs water to stay alive it is equipped with enough water to sustain her. During these scenes, Derek Kirk Kim’s use of refreshing blues creates an almost blissful bubble for The Last Mermaid. Seeing her here we can ignore the surface world – with blazing sun and amber sands – right outside her door.
But don’t think for one second that The Last Mermaid is safe inside her fish bowl. Actually, with each second her life – as well as that of her companion Lottie – is in further danger due to the water inside her transport. Similar to the tank in a dentist office, over time the water has filled with harmful nitrates. Now, a LED display provides a grim reminder of the percent of pure water in the tank. Between the isolating yet insulating nature of her transport, The Last Mermaid feels like I Am Legend meets the Panic Room.
Despite the danger she is facing, Derek Kirk Kim’s story still has a sense of serenity. The Last Mermaid herself is quite stunning, a siren with hair and pupils as dark as the Mariana Trench. Meanwhile even with the molten landscape and mangled landmarks it’s impossible to completely give up hope with Lotti around. Ever since I discovered the axoloti via internet videos last year. I was amazed with this muppet-like amphibian’s infectious smile.
With The Last Mermaid, Derek Kirk Kim delivers something akin to the calm sprite in spite of the storm. A reminder of what we are disregarding and what we have to lose. Especially when you consider unknown creatures like axoloti are still being discovered everyday.
While The Last Mermaid #1 doesn’t indicate what environmental disaster or human act lead to this outcome, it was enough to eliminate what once made up over 80% of our planet – water, water everywhere. Now, to survive The Last Mermaid is going to have to find more than a drop to drink.
Score: 9.1
The Last Mermaid #1 from Image Comics 3.99
Overall
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Story/Plot - 9/10
9/10
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Art/Style - 9.2/10
9.2/10
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Overall Entertainment/Value - 9.2/10
9.2/10
Summary
Series Premiere. A lone mermaid roams an endless wasteland on a quest beyond reason. To press ever onward, she must survive the interminable stretches between tiny pockets of water, the roaming bands of cybernetic cannibals, and the fearsome mutant beasts. What propels her forward to take such a risk?
