Roland’s gambling debts lands him into indentured servitude aboard the space cruiser, Lost Vegas. But he plans to bust out with the help of a plucky croupier, an oddball mechanic, and a shape-shifting alien. Think he’ll do it? Place your bets, now!
I didn’t realise I’d read another Jim McCann comic before – Mind the Gap – otherwise I’d have steered clear of Lost Vegas. Because, like Mind the Gap, McCann’s storytelling is utterly incompetent.
Roland has this intricate plan to escape which involves disguises, playing certain games, and utilising various people but it’s never clear when reading how that plan is supposed to play out – it’s too convoluted. One minute he’s got a disguise, then he doesn’t, then he’s captured, then he’s free. Suddenly a dancer and her talking, standing-upright giant deer is important, then there’s a gladiator fight, then part of the ship blows up. IS it supposed to be a heist? What is happening!?
Part of the problem is the limited space with McCann trying to unsuccessfully cram everything into a mere four issues – I feel like he could’ve done better with more space. The characters are Star Wars derivatives – Roland is Han Solo, Loria is Leia, giant deer guy is Chewy – and their backstories further underline this similarity to no effect (Loria’s home planet is blowed up, Roland’s caddish ways get him in trouble with alien gangsters).
I didn’t care for Janet K. Lee’s art either. It’s very blocky and static and generally wasn’t very pleasant to look at. The giant deer design was interesting but mostly it was unimpressive stuff.
Lost Vegas aspires to be a thrilling space heist adventure and Jim McCann bungles it totally, turning it into dull, overcomplicated boredom.
Lost Vegas
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