• The Glass Scientists by S.H. Cotucno (Razorbill Graphic, 2023)

By Warner Holme: S.H. Cotucno’s The Glass Scientists is a fascinating start to a series.

Using public domain concepts and combining them is certainly nothing new. All the same, it seems Cotunco has simultaneously gone deeper and also lighter than many of the examples one could easily cite. Some characters change in adaptation of course, though even in that the changes serve clear narrative purposes as much as providing a way to weld the ideas of the volume together.

The lead is one Doctor Henry Jekyll, a scientist by way of alchemy who seeks to help other “mad doctor” types live productive lives while also putting together an air of respectability

The art is angular and delightful, with character models that are carefully thought out. The use of similar facial and body structures for Jekyll and Hyde help to remind a reader of the many performances where they are played by the same individual even as the changes to hair and manner are done in a way that matches the best masters out there. Some other models, like Frankenstein’s creation, seem more than a little obvious yet work well enough in context as the huge hulking strange creatures that they are. The inclusion of more and more references to Victorian science fiction and fantasy only make the story better for the depth they bring. Reimagining a number of them as people of color and even changing genders will startle some who are purists, but the tone and style of this piece was unlikely to appeal to them anyway.

Chapter divides come in the form of full page illustrations which evoke comic-book covers more than intertitles or traditional frontispieces. The possibility that this is a result of the originally serialized natures of the book is obvious even to a new reader, although the structure certainly works for a straight read through.

This volume is extremely inclusive, touching upon race, gender, police brutality, class struggles, sexual orientation and more without ever quite painting sides as strictly black and white. While Robert Louis Stevenson might have been shocked or horrified by some of the views expressed within, the core understanding of fragile people dealing with self loathing is an excellent reflection of the original work.

Very much not a finished book, this volume instead details the proverbial setup, with a noticeable cliffhanger that makes the story feel incomplete. This will throw some readers, as an impressive array of extras and back matter make it all but impossible to realize going in blind that not even a complete story arc is contained within. The extra material from detailed author afterwards to short stories and sketches, are quality of course, and well worth a read even if they cause the lack of an ending to surprise.

The Glass Scientists seems incomplete because it is. Any reader must go in expecting later volumes. Nonetheless it feels like a good read for YA audiences who would enjoy Girl Genius or other long for Victorianized science fantasy. There are neat original characters, reinterpretations, and more. A reader should go in expecting a fun clever reinterpretation, and won’t be disappointed.