REVIEW: ‘Money Shot,’ Volume 1

Money Shot Volume 1 is published by Vault Comics, written by Tim Seeley and Sarah Beattie, art by Rebekah Isaacs, colors by Kurt Michael Russel, and letters by Crank!. In the year 2027, humanity is visited by aliens. However, seeing humanity as a monstrous train wreck, the aliens quickly depart again. Humanity’s attempts to launch interstellar craft prove to be unsuccessful. As with most things that don’t provide instant gratification, space is quickly forgotten by the masses. Then, in the year 2032, one scientist cracks the secret to interplanetary teleportation. Lacking funds for her project, she convinces four of her fellow scientists to use her invention to meet new alien races and film adult films with them, figuring the promise, like no other, will get them all the funding they could ever need. What could possibly go wrong?

Money Shot Volume 1 is a tricky story to wrap your brain around. On the one hand, it’s filled with much crass humor, as the synopsis would suggest. But simultaneously, there are some truly meaningful moments within that crass exterior. The only question is whether or not you find it worth delving through the crass to discover it. Seeley and Beattie provide a narrative that dives into a great many topics. Ranging from how we are affected by our most intimate moments to how political leaders control and manipulate information to hold power over the masses. And if you are surprised that the last line is from a review for a comic called Money Shot, I’m still mildly surprised I wrote it. Pleasantly surprised to be sure.

In the more personal moments throughout Money Shot Volume 1, Seeley and Beattie deliver a huge amount of character growth that runs alongside the larger themes and are greatly informed by them. As the characters are faced with one new situation after another, they learn a great deal about themselves. These revelations feel real and natural. Well, as natural as revelations coming from post-extraterrestrial sex can be, I suppose.

While the writing is cleverly done, with a surprising amount of depth, I was equally impressed with the art in Money Shot Volume 1. Isaacs’s work nails it in two distinctive ways. The first is how the human cast is presented. Every one of the fearless xxx-plorers (the name they came up with in the comic) has a unique look. They stand out amongst each other while at the same looking like five ordinary people. Nothing crazy or over the top, as comics often like to do things. These characters feel grounded like people you might meet in everyday life. This grounding is extremely important as the book series of ever-increasingly bizarre events needs it desperately, or else the serious moments would have been a bit harder to accept.

The other area where Money Shot Volume 1’s art excels is in its aliens. These designs are wild. Some truly unique looks are present in the extraterrestrial lifeforms that inhabit these pages. The fact that Isaacs can manage to be completely out of this world with half the cast and completely grounded with the others is some impressive artistic skill.

So, while I could never say Money Shot Volume 1 is for everyone, it is certainly a lot more than the title might lead you to think. An even mixture of crass humor and meaningful narrative fills the pages of this volume; it is a unique and ultimately enjoyable experience: big alien ball sacks and all.

Money Shot Volume 1 is available on March 18th wherever comics are sold.