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Silver and the Periodic Forces is a fun science fiction comic with its roots in the style of cartoons from the eighties. I was a little taken aback by the name of the comic, at first. However, there is more to this comic than simply being an eighties tribute with an offbeat name.

Silver and the Periodic Forces has great, varied character design which really fits the overall concept. There are different sizes, alien body types and special powers, but they are much more sensible from a modern perspective - as opposed to an eighties view. There are little twists included that you might not catch at first glance. For instance, the alien is usually the sidekick (like Chewbacca) but in this comic he’s the main character that the other revolve around.

Silver is named so due to his silver skin, which is nearly indestructible. He has other powers but the most important is that he possesses a glove, which allows him to call on the periodic elements to assist him. He is also helped by the soldiers of the EPF (Earth Protection Force,) of which he is a member. Maggie, one EPF soldier assigned to Silver, is impulsive and often finds herself in trouble, constantly getting thrown in the brig or demoted. Having said that, Maggie’s impulsiveness has saved both the day and her comrades. Lastly, Lao is a very strict soldier and always tries to mold the troops into better soldiers. Together, they fight the Cadre Catastrophe, a group bent on destroying the Earth. One characteristic I especially enjoy is that while there is a certain story formula followed, the endings are not formulaic.

I love the commercial breaks, which normally would be distracting. They are, instead, handled very well and you can tell they weren’t just thrown in at the last minute. The commercials are very well thought out and are closely in line with the overall concept. There are ads for some of the authors other comics in there as well, but the toy ads are really fun.

The update schedule is somewhat unique. When an episode is complete, the comic is released daily. This lets you catch right up with what is going on and complete a story. You don’t have to return daily or weekly to finish the story. As of this writing, there are two completed episodes to enjoy.

What you end up with is an interesting comic, told in a way that uses only the best, most enjoyable parts of the eighties style. The name Silver and the Periodic Forces will become one of your favorite things about the comic.

Silver and the Periodic Forces
by Jerzy Drozd and Sara Turner
Make Like A Tree Comics

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