Overview

Freefall is a long running (since 1998) strip format hard science fiction webcomic starring an anthropomorphic wolf and a larcenous squid alien spaceship captain

setting

A recently settled colony world (“planet Jean”) with a small human population and millions of sentient robots.

Plot

The squid alien Sam Starfall swindles his way into obtaining a competent engineer to fix his dilapidated spaceship. The engineer in question, Florence, is a biological artificial intelligence, a  genetically engineered humanoid wolf created by the famed Dr. Bowman. Bowman’s wolves are prototypes and as such very rare. Florence’s destination was another star system, but Sam’s trickery had her defrosted and left behind by the colony ship she was travelling with.

Characters

Florence: Bowman’s wolf. Engineer. Good dog.

Sam Starfall: Alien kleptomaniac squid, starship captain. Grand Felon.

Helix: Robot. Gentle soul.Sam’s partner in crime.

Sawtooth Rivergrinder. Terraforming Robot. Amateur detective

Qwerty and Dvorak, robot nerds

Winston Thurmad. Vet. Florence’s love interest.

Mr Kornada. Middle management. Antagonist. Idiot.

The mayor. No nonsense politician. Non stupid antagonist.

Edge and Blunt. Overzealous robot recyclers. Semi-antagonists.

Artwork

Freefall’s style is simple, unpretentious. Flat colouring, simple shapes, stereotyped poses and expressions, no unnecessary flourishes getting in the way of the story.

Schedule

Generally updates M-W-F like clockwork. One of the longest running, more reliable strips.

Science fiction comedy

Despite the “soft” look of the artwork, Freefall is probably one of the hardest science fiction comics you’ll ever read, from orbital mechanics to neural architecture, every single concept that is brought to bear is handled with systematic rigour. Despite this, the comic is anything but dry, maintaining a light tone throughout, even while discussing complex issues of philosophy or physics.

Artificial intelligence and 3-laws style robotic safeguards are one of the major themes of the comic, as Florence discovers a conspiracy behind an attempt to control the enormous robot population on the small colony world.

Freefall is a highly entertaining  read that will make you smile and think at the same time.