Every now and then, a comic comes along that starts as one thing and ends as something completely different, catching the reader off guard in the best way possible. Jared Throne’s Bridge Planet Nine is exactly that kind of ride. On the surface, it presents as a gritty sci-fi heist set in the far reaches of space, but it quickly evolves into a tense character drama infused with seriously dark, cult-driven horror. It is a dense, rewarding read that demands patience and pays it back in full.
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The Characters of Bridge Planet Nine
The story follows four people who have basically been chewed up and spit out by the system. There’s Garrett, a former corporate big-shot who lost everything after he was framed for a massive crime. Then there’s Pearl, a pilot who got kicked out of the military because of an injury and is now desperate to get her son out of state custody. Finally, you’ve got Wes, a tech genius who’s struggling with addiction and feels like society has just forgotten about him.
The plan is simple: sneak onto Planet Nine, which is an automated refueling station, and steal a priceless shipment of ore. Garrett thinks they’ll be totally alone because the place is run by robots. Of course, it’s not that easy.
The tension ramps up when they realize the planet isn’t actually empty. It turns out a corporation firebombed a colony years ago to cover its tracks. The survivors have turned into a weird, dangerous cult led by a woman named Del, who sacrifices people to stay alive. What started as a robbery quickly turns into a survival horror movie.
The Partna Corporation: A Dark Look at Corporate Greed
The biggest takeaway here is the ever-expanding danger of corporate greed. The company in the book, Partna, is basically the ultimate evil corporation and by the end, you can see why. They lie about planets being uninhabited just to save money, and they don’t care who gets hurt as long as they get their insurance payout.
You really feel for the characters because they’re people trying to take back a tiny piece of what was stolen from them. Pearl’s story is especially tough to read; she’s so desperate to help her family that she’s willing to risk everything on this suicide mission, anything to get her son back.
Industrial Art Style and the “Space Western” Aesthetic
The art style is very lived-in and industrial, with most everything looking like it was borrowed or found in a junkyard. The colors (or lack thereof) are a huge part of the mood, too. The decision to publish in black and white gives the book a sort of space western vibe that plays perfectly into the cult action. And I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight the lettering, especially the charming Etta, a modified parking bot that Wes uses for hacking. Her dialogue is hilarious and eerie because she still talks like a machine. While the crew is fighting for their lives, she’s chirping things like, “Your time has expired!” or “Payment required.” It’s a great touch that adds a bit of dark humor to the stress.
Final Verdict: Is Bridge Planet Nine Worth Reading?
Bridge Planet Nine is a great read if you want a heist story that actually has some meat on its bones. It’s fast-paced but also makes you think about how society treats people who aren’t “useful” anymore. If you like gritty sci-fi and deep characters, you should definitely pick this up.
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‘Bridge Planet Nine’ Review: Jared Throne’s Gritty Sci-Fi Heist with a Horror Twist
Bridge Planet Nine is a great read if you want a heist story that actually has some meat on its bones. It’s fast-paced but also makes you think about how society treats people who aren’t “useful” anymore. If you like gritty sci-fi and deep characters, you should definitely pick this up.
