The Collected Fantasies, Vol. 3: The Airtight Garage by MœbiusMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Airtight Garage is an asteroid that contains a pocket dimension of three levels. Major Grubert, the creator, is being pursued by Lewis Carnelion for reasons unknown. But what does that have to do with Engineer Barnier wrecking a cablebox and the very fabric of the Airtight Garage threatening to unravel?
Fuck if I know.
I'm a big Moebius fan and The Airtight Garage is touted as his quintessential work. The art is nothing short of spectacular, drawn in Moebius' intricate clean line style. The story was originally told in 4-6 page installments in Metal Hurlant. Moebius decided to clean up any continuity errors that cropped up in future installments, giving the book a disjointed, almost dreamlike feel.
At a high level, the story isn't that complex. Barnier is running away from the consequences of destroying the cablebox. Lewis Carnelian is pursing the Major, and I'm not exactly sure what the Major is trying to accomplish. Anyway, it becomes a grand, sweeping adventure with monsters, aliens, and robots. In the end, the Airtight Garage is saved. Poor Lark is stuck in the old west but eggs and omelets.
There is no hand holding in the narrative. Very little is explained outside of the dialogue between the characters. I'm tempted to read this again immediately and see if I get more out of it. It's still a satisfying read, as semi-coherent as it can be at times.
The Airtight Garage is a beautiful, fever dream of a graphic novel. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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