What to read this weekend: Warm Fusion brings biotech and body horror to a gritty NYC of the future

Callan Wink’s Beartooth is both beautiful and harsh. Everything is described in vivid detail, from the wild Montana setting to sketchy characters and the distinctly unpleasant smell of a dead bear. While the novel is described as fast-paced, it really takes its time to immerse you in all it has to offer. If you love the backcountry, this is definitely one to check out.

Beartooth is about two brothers, Thad and Hazen, in their mid-late 20s who are struggling to get by after their father’s death. Their house is falling apart around them, they’re being crushed by medical debt and they owe more than they can afford in unpaid taxes. Out of desperation, they accept a job illegally harvesting elk sheds (dropped antlers) from Yellowstone National Park. It’s a short, captivating novel that's much more about the characters and their growth and struggles than the heist, and it really struck a chord with me.

It’s taken me a while to get around to any of the titles from DSTLRY, the relatively new publisher of creator-owned comics, but I finally jumped in this week with the series Warm Fusion, and wow are we off to a good start.

Warm Fusion is described as “a dark, sci-fi thriller, mixing the body horror of David Cronenberg with the bleak urban future of Blade Runner.” It’s set in a future version of New York City where it always rains, and birth defects are common in the population due to a medical disaster caused by a pharmaceutical company. The story follows detective Jarrod Hannover and escort Vin Young (aka Snow White) on an investigation into a series of strange and brutal killings targeting brothel workers. At the same time, we’re introduced to the immediately suspicious Nicholas Fleischer, a scientist working on an experimental treatment called Warm Fusion that appears to spur the growth of new limbs where they were previously absent.

This series has so much going for it, from the impeccable cyberpunk vibes to a script that really draws you in. The first two issues have some pretty intense moments, and the pacing strikes just the right balance when it comes to building mystery and clueing us in on some of what’s going on to move the plot forward. Also, Vin’s whole character is just cool as hell, I love her. Issue # 2 came out this week, and the next is scheduled to drop mid-April. Warm Fusion is by writer Scott Hoffman and artist Alberto Ponticell, with colors by Lee Loughridge and lettering by Steve Wands.