A Look at BustArtist’s grOw/cinema “The Ever-Expanding Universe” Episode 1

BustArtist’s grOw/cinema “The Ever-Expanding Universe” is an ongoing series, with nine issues so far, written and illustrated by Bust Artist. The first part, Episode I: The Big Banging, was released in mid-February, 2017, and the most recent, Episode IX: Grab-tit-tational Blueshift, on December 3, 2018. Individual issues, during the current sale, range in price from $4.95 for the first episode up to $10.95 for the sixth to the most recent episodes. Alternatively, the complete series can be had for $83.55 at the following link, http://bustartist.com/store/comics/gcin1/index.html

The grOw/cinema line is a relatively new format for BustArtist composed of a single wide panel/single image per page. Text is displayed at the top and bottom spaces above the single panel, in order to leave all artwork completely unobstructed. This is in contrast to his cOmic format in which multiple panels of different sizes are used and dialogue is within those panels.

As you can see in my Top 10 Illustrated Erotic Giantess Growth Stories, I’m a big fan of BustArtist.

Our protagonist, Carl, gains godlike powers due to the sudden appearance and subsequent explosion of an outer space anomaly.

The energy released due to the anomaly’s explosion enables Carl to shape the women around him in fantastical fashion, and thus will allow the author to explore multiple fetishes. However, it also robs the story of any tension or conflict. Whatever the protagonist wants he gets, without the need to exert himself or convince others to support him. That robs the story of excitement.

The panel above depicts my biggest dislike. That is personality alteration. Other people have no agency or will of their own. When they do not behave like Carl wants, he warps their identities and robs their freedom of choice. Therefore, there are no interesting characters because their actions and motivations are dictated to them. Ergo, people act like semi-autonomous robots vice human beings.

To be fair, the episode’s description clearly states that it contains “Personality Alteration” themes. Furthermore, the story line has not finished so perhaps this will be taken in an interesting direction.

A similar theme of an omnipotent protagonist was featured in Breast Expansion Story Club’s “Stranger than Fiction” written by DSojourn and released in 2008. That is a story, much shorter than The Ever-Expanding Universe, primarily focused on breast expansion, but also featuring women turning into mini-giantesses. Stranger than Fiction’s protagonist, Doug, eventually frees his girlfriend’s mind and permits her to notice the changes in reality. Furthermore, the protagonist was already in a relationship with his girlfriend before he gained his powers.

Perhaps in future episodes, Carl will experience guilt due to his actions or encounter someone else with similar abilities. Carl could free his new girlfriend’s mind at some point. However, then she might have serious questions about his previous actions, and she might go back to her previous boyfriend.

At least, the Ever-Expanding Universe should have a happier ending than The Twilight Zone’s 1961 episode “It’s a Good Life” in which a young boy has godlike powers. This was also remade for 1983’s Twilight Zone: The Movie.

This review is protected under Fair Use copyright law.

All Rights Reserved.