Density of Trondheim, Stan & Vince a weightless finale at Delcourt

Chloé is a young French woman happy to be on vacation in the United States but her life turns upside down when she meets alien refugees seeking asylum on Earth. Even stranger, this encounter gives him the power to modify his density. Initially lost, she gradually masters her new talents which is good because more and more massive threats are arriving on our blue planet. She will be the Superwoman humanity needs. Density is therefore the story of an independent woman who does not ask for help from men. Sure of herself, she makes more and more decisions alone.

But Chloe is not isolated in Density, as this volume follows two parallel narratives. Gilles, his brother, was for the moment the least reckless. Fleeing danger so far, he must act alone to recover hostages. He storms the base of a mafioso. To succeed, he will have to go out of his way… and much more. Even if he assumes his destiny as an autonomous adult, Chloe remains the most powerful. By controlling its density, it can be lighter than air or heavier than a stone. This gift allows it to fly very high in the atmosphere or to sink very deep into the earth. It can also pass through walls as a wall-pass. The screenwriter is completely out of realism because Chloe never seems to breathe or feel the different temperatures, pressures or atmospheres. The more the reader advances in Density, the more limitless his power seems. Lost in space and without possible reinforcement, Chloe discovers a new power that is the consequence of the first gift. Becoming even denser, it turns into a black hole and can therefore teleport. By immersing himself in the superheroic genre, screenwriter Lewis Trondheim follows in the footsteps of Stan Lee because, as Spider-Man's uncle says, "great power, great responsibility". Not only does it have to fight against human criminals, but it is also humanity's only defense against an alien invasion.

Lewis Trondheim, Stan and Vince have wanted to work together for some time. It is around this tribute to superheroes that this project has succeeded. Density is part of the comics fabrics label at Delcourt whose goal is to create comics but by French. This can be seen by the smaller format than a comic. Like American comics, the influence of genre films is strong in the scenario of both action blockbusters and B movies. Indeed, the opening of this last volume resembles a Japanese disaster film. Chloe has just knocked out a kaijū, a giant monster that could be Godzilla's cousin. The sharp cutting and speed reading are also reminiscent of American collections.

Density mixes the story of a superheroine who discovers her powers, science fiction by an alien invasion but especially a lot of humor through Chloe's alien mentor. He is certainly a scholar with knowledge… but an unprofessional protector. He wants to destroy an invasion as soon as possible to watch a TV series. A fan of fiction, he only agrees to help Gilles because he threatens to destroy HBO's premises. Julia Pinchuk's very pop colorization reinforces this smiling tone.