Science Fiction Comedies are certainly not an uncommon thing to find in literature.  There have been some classics in this genre, such as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.  However, there has never been a book that goes into the realm of comic books and superheroes with the intent to make you laugh.  However, that has all changed.  Brian Clevenger (of "8-Bit Theater" fame) has FINALLY, after the long wait, brought us his larger than life book, Nuklear Age. 

Many people have tried to compare Mr. Clevenger’s book to other authors or other books.  I would like to point out right from the beginning that you can’t do that.  This is the first of its kind.  There has never been a book with this subject matter.  While it is influenced heavily by other comedies and outside sources, Mr. Clevenger has successfully blended all of his influences together to create a new and unique voice all his own.  The only real comparison would be to his earlier work on his online comic strip "8-Bit Theater."  That is, it is a nerdy humor, yet one that non-nerds can understand.

Mr. Clevenger’s style is very unique.  His brand of humor is very off-the-wall, yet sharp and witty at the same time.  A good chunk of the humor is geared towards his fellow dorks and nerds, and so some of the general public may not quite get it right away.  However, do not let that stop you from reading.  Most of the humor will have anyone in stitches.  You could open the book to any random page and find a line that makes you laugh out loud.  Very few books have this trait.  The best part is that none of the humor detracts from the main plot. 

A good plot is something that any book should have, and Nuklear Age is no exception.  The story revolves around Nuklear Man, superhero extraordinaire, and his sidekick, Atomik Lad.  They are your typical heroes in the stereotypical superhero city of Metroville, where evil villains roam free and make new plans of world domination every day (think Gotham City, Metropolis, and Townsville all rolled into one).  However, it would probably help if Nuklear Man had more mental capacity than a dinosaur.  He is lazy, vain, and completely oblivious, and the only one keeping him in line is Atomik Lad.  The plot follows our heroes as they face off against their arch-nemesis Dr. Menace, an intrinsity-field (don’t ask) monster named Superion, a giant crab creature from the sea, and many more.  It is actually more like a run of comic books, as instead of chapters there are “issues,” and each mini-story flows into the other.  Each encounter builds on the last, layering the characters into very believable people, ones that you can’t help but feel a connection to. 

How engaging is the plot and its characters?  While reading parts of the last encounter, I almost cried.  It gets so emotional toward the end that if you feel anything for the characters, and you get into the story like a good reader should, you will fight back tears.  This is high praise coming from me, as it takes something special for me to get that into a book. 

Mr. Clevenger not only uses humor, but he can get very serious as well, as evidenced by my above statement.  Not only does the plot get deadly serious in the end, but he also makes very sharp observations about popular culture, society, religion, the human condition, and even reality itself.   For instance, one that really stands out is how he constantly makes reference to how isolated we humans are from each other.  One character, who is a telepath, speaks of how lonely the world is, and how “The very fact that they are alive produces an impossible divide that can never be bridged. (Clevenger 480)” Another example of this is how Atomik Lad’s “Atomik Field” (an energy field that protects him) isolates him from those he loves, as nothing can get through it.  These looks into what we are may not be shocking or new to some readers, but they certainly give you a reason to put down the book, pause, and think about what you just read.

However, the book isn’t flawless.  There are a few minor editing mistakes, with some words being misspelled.  This is a minor setback, as there is only one every 75 pages or so.  Also, perhaps the biggest turnoff for readers is that a few characters speak with strange accents, and as such it is harder to read their dialog.  The reader must sometimes read their speech out loud to get the full meaning of what was said.  Again, it is only a minor problem, one that some people wouldn’t even consider a problem.  However, if these things bother you while reading, than this book is probably not for you anyway.

Brian Clevenger has created a whole new subgenre with his amazing work, Nuklear Age.  Not only is it the first and best Superhero Comedy, I would go so far as to say that it is the best Science Fiction Comedy ever written.  Move over Douglas Adams, you have been dethroned.  Nuklear Age gets my highest recommendation.  While it is a large project for most readers at 652 pages, you will remember the story, the ideas, and the characters for the rest of your life.  Buy it.

StretPharmacist is a lot like the Undertaker:  A gimmick that should have never gotten over, but was taken to unbelievable heights.  Also, he is constantly injured.