Strayed already holds a tight clench on my my heartstrings. It’s only two issues in but I already consider Lou part of my brood. This intense attachment to a fictional feline has also garnered even more frustration towards his hoomin. Girdle your heartstrings feline and sci-fi fans, this comic is comin’ for yah.
Meet Lou, a ginger kitty with the ability to astral plane through space. Kiara, his human, had also created a communication device so she and Lou can understand one another. This has to be one of the coolest yet confounding scientific discovery. As a pretty solid feline mama to three wildly different felines, I would rather not understand what their complaining about.
Back to the comic: this direct communication between astral traveling cat and human is now being monitored and manipulated with the space military. Despite already meeting their objective to find a planet to colonize, Lou is still being sent on more missions to find more plants. This constant traveling has increased the chances of fatal physical changes. Despite her solid concerns, Kiara is forced to comply with the military orders or risk losing any hope of keeping Lou.
If that alone is enough to grab any within arms reach and riot towards NASA, then this comic will hook you in real good. Strayed depicts not only the bond but also the mannerisms of cat that just twangs the protective and loving heart strings. From what we can gather in this issue, Kiara really has no political power to sway the system to let her and Lou go. She has this beautiful analytical mind to create this communication device but she lacks the foresight to realize that once the military get theirs hands on a weapon, they will never give it up willingly. It also makes you wonder what exactly is keeping her from escaping? Why not ask Lou for help in finding other beings that can save them or at least save Lou?
For it is very clear that whatever the reason, there are some definite heartless methods that the military is utilizing in colonizing these planets. It should come as no surprise that it is with utter forceful alien-genocide.It is truly sad to see the beautiful scenes of family units and alien lifestyles just going about their lives. Then whoosh! Immediate planet side destruction of firepower. Some of those aliens were so cool. The blotchya blobby alien one was my favorite and also hurt the most when they were obliterated.
This is such a typical military villain trope with their mindless, unflinchingly goal of pure destruction. However, Strayed #2 does reveal the possibility of a shadowy, lurking presence that appears to be calling the shots. This may a be a slow reveal if this is the path but we do know, thanks to the “Thank you page”, that we will definitely see a powerful character that has given us absolute hope that something good will happen.
Despite the deep gloom of the the military methods, the issue does the delightful illustrations of a felines viewpoints upon seeing other cultures. Lou may be following orders but he definitely has some thoughts on other cultures. It is pure joy seeing these sequences of Lou being a cat and watching. He’s in space but there is that ever disdainful observations of the world that every cat caretaker can recognize. Just like seeing a cat sit on a windowsill, hind leg sticking straight up for maximum cleaning, while watching it all. How can human or cat not enjoy this sequence? The art easily transports you into a gorgeous tapestry of space art with its vividly ethereal color palettes and fascinating alien designs that are so soothing to the sci-fi eye.
Beautiful space and a cat. There really shouldn’t be anything keeping you from checking out this comic. Check out how Lou is truly indeed a good cat with Strayed #2 which is out now at your local comic book retailer.
For more info in Strayed: Check our Dark House Comics
Creator: Carlos Giffoni
For more on Carlos Giffoni:
Website: https://carlosgiffoni.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlosgiffoni
