It’s a Gas!

It’s a Gas! is the third installment in the junior graphic novel series “Rover and Speck” written and illustrated by Jonathan Roth which follows the titular robot characters in another outer space adventure. In this book, Rover and Speck begin speeding past a planet that Rover designates as not worth exploring as its status as a gas giant means no human or animal life forms will exist there. Speck questions this logic and gets a lesson on the different gas layers of a gas giant, some of which are very cold and others which are very hot. Speck points out that in Goldilocks fashion that would logically mean the middle layer of the gas giant is “juuust right” and may support life. Rover agrees to test this hypothesis, and the two turn around to explore the planet.

In preparation for exploring the gas giant, Rover replaces his wheels with “hover spheres”, i.e., beach balls inflated with helium. Rover patiently explains to Speck that, by changing the level of inflation in each balloon, they’ll be able to ascend and descend accordingly on the gas giant. Speck also has to retrain themselves on how to use their propeller in the alien environment of the planet. Once the two have the hang of their tools, they descend onto the planet, first passing through a section of cold gas. After passing through that layer, the two arrive in the Goldilocks Zone, i.e., where the gas is just the right temperature to support life.

Gas storms initially impair the duo’s ability to scan for life, but eventually they are confronted very menacingly with life forms in the very specific shape of “gassy glowing sharks shooting out sparks”. Immobilized by a lightning strike, Speck is forced to carry Rover, fending off further shark attacks with their propeller. When Speck’s propeller unintentionally punctures one of Rover’s inflated wheels, Rover quickly plunges toward the lower gas level but is rescued by landing on what appears like a giant yellow jellyfish. The creature introduces itself as Jelli and admires Speck’s bravery in fending off the sharks and defending their friend. Jelli is also amazed at the thought of anything existing beyond the upper gas layer which they call the “Uppermost Lands”.

Rover wakes up but seems to have lost their memory in the reboot. Speck, for once, acts as the serious companion, ignoring Rover’s laughter at Speck’s use of the word “gas” while they inflate a spare wheel from Rover’s storage compartment. With the newly added wheel, the pair are able to move about freely again and follow Jelli back to where their group of other jellyfish creatures live. The jellyfish are, at first, repulsed by the solid nature of the two invaders and become even more skeptical of the pair when they mention that there is something above the Uppermost Lands. Jelli debates if they can truly trust these two strangers but eventually agrees to follow the pair to see with their own eyes the truth of the universe beyond their gas giant.

Jelli is amazed by the view from above and all the things they do not know about the universe, but their amazement quickly shifts to fear as they spot a gas storm heading toward their friends from their bird's eye view. The three quickly rush to warn the jellyfish and spot several glowing spheroids, the same ones that had appeared before their previous shark attack. The three work to move the jellyfish from harm but are interrupted as the glowing spheroid sparks and crackles, eventually releasing a brood of baby lightning sharks. The group realizes that the shark attacks are merely the adult sharks protecting their babies from the assumed threat of the jellyfish. In the confusion, Rover is electrocuted by a lightning strike and again falls through the gas layers, having lost their balloon wheels. Rover is once again saved by a jellyfish, but this time it is the entire group of jellyfish banding together, now trusting the outsiders they were once afraid of. The jellyfish, as a group, ascend the upper layer of the gas giant to return the two adventurers to their ship and get their first glimpses of the world beyond their planet. On their ship, Rover’s memory is restored so they can once again appreciate why “gas” is so funny.

Roth maintains the silly camaraderie of the previous books in the series, with the two main characters’ odd couple dynamic and playful banter making the scientific background of the story interesting and digestible. Roth also intersperses the tale with relevant “Fun Science Facts”, explaining the natural phenomenon on show in the story in terms simple enough for young readers to understand. The illustrations, combined with images of real planets and atmospheres, also aid in the vibrancy of Rover and Speck’s interstellar adventures and allow the reader to explore entirely new environments along with the characters.