Station Grand has really unique space isolation story with maybe something else aboard the ship and some truly great artwork.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for the ARC.

Who knew a Graphic novel could be so subtly, creepingly, terrifying?! A solo astronaut on a 225-day orbit of Venus slowly discovers the nature of loneliness and aloneness, both psychological and existential, with unimaginable outcomes. The spot-on illustrations vivify the intensifying terror.

My thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advance copy of this graphic novel about a man having problems sleeping, facing problems at work, something stealing his oxygen, and no one to share his problems with but the computer on his space station that is out of contact with mission control for almost 300 days.

I have always had a hard time sleeping. Getting to sleep, staying asleep, even sleeping itself with dreams that seem so real, that upon being awoken or sometimes jolted by my own body awake there is a sense of confusion. Do I have to go to a funeral for family, people I haven't seen in years. Others find solace in naps and sleeping. I find it a chore, put off as long as possible until finally I have to give in. Though my problems are not as bad as the character in this story. At least I am on Earth, not floating around a planet, out of touch and alone. Or supposedly alone. Station Grand is written by Craig Hurd-McKenney and illustrated by Noah Bailey and tells the story about an astronaut in trouble, dealing with many questions, fears, and things that he has fled as far as a person can go to get away from.

Dr. Michael Kinney is returning to his project, monitoring the terraforming of the planet Venus. To do so, Kinney must spend 272 alone in orbit around the planet as it transitions from night to day. Kinney's days are first spent fixing the place from the last person there, and noticing problems with the hydroponics that supply oxygen to the ship. Kinney has a history of sleep problems, and the orbit is known to mess with the body's natural circadian rhythms. Kinney asked the computer to monitor his sleep, and let him know when it is less than 2 hours a night. Kinney also has a history of mental issues, and these add to his sleep problems. Soon he is barely sleeping, but there are worse problems. The computer has noticed that there are problems with hydroponics, an oxygen loss, as if someone else was on the ship. Which would have to be impossible, except that Kinney keeps seeing something between sleeping and waking. Something that reminds him of his past.

A mix of both psychological horror, science fiction, good old paranoia and how we deal with thoughts we can't understand. Questions of what we are, what we dream about, and why. Can memories be trusted, and what does trauma sometimes manifest as. There is a bit going on, and I liked the way the story unfolded itself. The length is perfect, almost a novella length in graphic novel terms, which helped the story. Any more would lead weigh the story down. The uncertainty and the mystery really add to the tale. The art is really good. A mix of the movie Alien, the ship looks lived in, a bit dirty in a way that shows reality and how Kinney is probably thinking. The characters look good, the technology is well drawn, and I liked how the art added to the mystery. In addition is a follow-up story about the artists and writers problems with sleep, specifically sleep paralysis, and lucid dreaming. This was a nice addition and again added to the story.

This is my first experience with both creators and I enjoyed what I read, and will look for more works by both of them. A nice spooky story, that shows that our inner space might be far deadlier to us than outer space ever will be.

Station Grand was dark, reflective, and thought provoking. I really loved the art and the atmosphere it created. It's a climactic read that I can absolutely recommend.

This book should be reviewed in two parts. I really enjoyed Station Grand and its haunting narrative of a man going through the effects of insomnia in space. It was suspenseful, eerie, and the art was great. I think the ending left lots to be desired, but I could look past that for how much it offered. Station Grand showed how past trauma can affect your sleep and work in the present.

The second story in this book is referred to as "In All Your Mystery, I Am at Your Mercy" in the Author Note. This was a whole different vibe from the title story. It's still dark, but much more real and understandable. It's told in a three-part perspective and is derivative from the authors' and illustrators' pasts. I deeply understood this part, it is brave to show the hurt inside of you and I appreciated reading it on the page.

As someone who suffers from insomnia, this was really tense for me. I can relate to getting so bad just from not sleeping that I feel like I'm losing my mind. The ending was chilling, too. I liked the graphic style and felt it increased the feeling of being alone and paranoid.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this