There’s nothing else like Ultrawild. It’s a new, oversized book packed with bold plans to revive every city on the planet again, and ridiculous, scientifically-founded inventions aimed at changing the city’s landscape. This is a more important book than ever, as it requires a very scary and very serious global problem of global warming and reduces it to solution-based learning. Is Steve Mushin’s idea outrageous and above? Yes, but as this book proves, thinking big may be the only way to save humanity from environmental disasters.
Ultrawild is a very book for everyone, but its lightness feels like it’s for middle and high school students. After all, the book inspires future engineers and scientists that a solution can be found for strange and outstanding ideas. Mushin is adamant how Einstein’s anti-cation has already been transformed into real-world scientific rules and solutions. For myself, we know that Sci-Fi, like Star-Fi, has encouraged people to invent technology from fiction.
The book is organized in 14 chapters, followed by a prologue and an epilogue. It is neatly laid out and has an oversized format that points using every inch of the page. The big idea working here is to re-run cities on Earth to slow and reverse global warming. Very clearly, Mushin opens the book by explaining that there were more creatures early on, and that they were huge. What does this mean? More fertilizer by feces, and more cultivation of the land under their feet. These two things could quickly build a jungle, and therefore the first invention of this book was born: a compost cannon!
Graphic Universe
Yes, cannons that film poop is the beginning of this book. From there, Mushin expands to large scales, overturning the greenhouse effect based on plausible, but sometimes impractical techniques. Mushin makes it clear that these ideas don’t happen overnight, but thinking outside the box could inspire new technologies and approaches to help us all stay a little longer.
Visually, I am pleased to see this book. This is explained not only through traditional left-to-right comic book storytelling, but also features impressive and highly detailed vehicle and environment renderings that explain it all. It is as useful as it is visually appealing. There is also a multi-double-page splash that conveys technology well and appeals to non-technical eyes. As a longtime comic reader, Mushin does things with new and exciting layouts, creating a pleasant book without even reading openly.
If this all sounds fantastical and a bit positive, don’t be afraid to spend Chapter 11 and discuss how incredible it is to fix the planet, and how fossil fuels don’t stop immediately, given how bad it is already. This section conveys the dark and calm nature of the topic, with all the grooves and panels being black and the text and drawings being white. This adds some weight to the overall production and reminds us that this is a very scary topic that doesn’t take lightly.
Ultrawild is a great read, as if where is Wald for all of us inner scientists. It is a dazzling artbook, both a manifesto for radical thinking, and reminds us that it may only come if a solution to the climate crisis allows it to guide an understanding of science. Mushin’s job is to prove that dreaming can be the first step to surviving the future.
“Ultrawild: A Bold Plan to Re-raising Every City on Earth” should be in the library of all future engineers
Ultrawild: A bold plan to re-raising every city on Earth
Ultrawild is a great read, as if where is Wald for all of us inner scientists. It is a dazzling artbook, both a manifesto for radical thinking, and reminds us that it may only come if a solution to the climate crisis allows it to guide an understanding of science. Mushin’s job is to prove that dreaming can be the first step to surviving the future.
Impressive oversized visuals and original layout.
It attracts younger readers without alienating adults.
Particularly in Chapter 11’s calming turn, it balances humor and seriousness.
A lighthearted tone may underline the urgency of some adult readers.
Some concepts feel that they are too unrealistic and risk mistrust.
