In Earthdivers volume 1 (collecting issues 1-6), readers are introduced to an apocalyptic world and a group of Indigenous survivors trying to save it. They find a time traveling cave and send someone back to the “discovery” of America to stop Columbus with the hope that altering that moment in time will stop the apocalypse. Other survivors also travel back to different moments in time, and volume 2 reveals where one of these characters went. 

 

Volume 2 (collecting issues 7-10) is a fast paced and action packed instalment. It follows Tawny, a mother searching for her missing children. When she enters the cave, she’s sent back to the Ice Age. This volume plays with archaeological theories about the peopling of the Americas as Tawny is confronted by a group of settlers who have arrived too early. Tawny is a smart character and her observations of the settlers makes for great commentary. She uses her knowledge of history to survive and thwart the colonizer’s efforts. Themes of motherhood, grief, and hope are touched on, but I wish they were given a bit more depth. The action and fast pace took away from the emotional moments and I think the story needed more room to breathe. That said, this series still feels bold and exciting and I look forward to reading more. 

 

This graphic novel releases on February 27, but the single issues collected in this volume are available now wherever you buy your comics. My thanks to IDW Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC to review.