Joshua Malbin

Ministry of Space was originally published in three installments from 2001 to 2004, really far too extended a schedule for a limited series. It’s just been collected and reissued as a trade paperback by Image Comics. I’m not sure why now except maybe Warren Ellis has gotten so popular that some people will buy any old thing with his name on it. Including me.

The comic lays out an alternate history in which it was the British rather than the Americans who spirited home Germany’s rocket scientists at the end of World War II, giving England an edge in space exploration and leading to a glorious new British Empire in space.

There are two main problems with it. First, speculative history and sci-fi are usually used to make some comment on actual politics, history, or human nature in the world as we know it. I don’t see Ellis even trying to do any of these. It’s a thought experiment without a result.

Second, there’s a supposed big mystery all the way through surrounding the secret origin of the funds used to launch the Ministry. Except that anyone with any knowledge of the Holocaust will guess the answer as soon as the question is raised, making the big reveal at the end no revelation at all.

I love Warren Ellis, but this was not his best work.

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