Cixin Liu The three body problem is the first installment in a complex science fiction series that explores not only the search for extraterrestrial life, but also various theorems and technologies. There’s a lot going on, and the novel involves physicists and scientists experimenting with explainable things right from the start. Now that the first volume of The three body problem The comic adaptation of XuDong Cai, Jin Cai, Silver, Twilight Lu and Xiao from Yen Press is out, it’s fascinating to see how it helps illustrate what people are experiencing throughout the story. While I’m not sure this is my favorite adaptation, I’m glad it’s here.

Editor’s Note: There will be some minor spoilers for the first volume of The three body problem cartoon below.

Things in the comic adaptation set things up with Wang Miao as the protagonist in Beijing. Even if he doesn’t experience anything bad initially, he is connected to people who do. He is quickly encountered and picked up by Captain Shi Qiang and brought to work on a formula and investigation of an organization called Frontiers of Science for the government project due to his work with nanomaterials. In the confusion and whirlwind of information, he learns that Yang Dong, another physicist he admired, is one of several scientists linked to the group who committed suicide for an inexplicable reason. To find out more about what’s going on, he joins Frontiers of Science.

Given the weight of the story, one of the first advantages of this format is having visuals to break up the text. Being able to see the characters’ portraits and environments makes it easier to digest. The translation and adaptation are also tactfully done, with an introduction that quickly grabs the reader’s attention.

It’s once Miao meets Ding Yi that I feel The three body problem the comic is really starting to make sense. Indeed, when Miao and Yi use the game of pool to also discuss particle collisions, physics, and a collision experiment, it really illustrates how well the story can adapt to a visual medium. This helps with storytelling.

This becomes even clearer once Miao begins to see the numbers on the photos he took, along with the line that appears on the developed photo and the negative. Seeing the introduction and implementation of the countdown in this way is incredibly effective. Especially if you’ve also read the book and watched the show, so you can compare. This makes it easier to understand additional details.

The contrast is that sometimes I find the comic book version of The three body problem a bit harder to follow than the show or book. Everything is presented clearly. The art is well handled. The same goes for how it is organized to best serve the story around it. However, because there’s so much there and it’s so heavy, I feel like sometimes it doesn’t always convey things as well as the book or live-action adaptation.

Always, The three body problem volume 1 is a promising perspective and a way to explore the story in a new way. This story attempts to use the medium to its advantage to illustrate what is happening as we read. Given the weight of the story, it might even help make it more accessible to some. However, I wonder if this is perhaps better as supplemental material, rather than the first source you turn to, given the strength of the original novel.

Volume 1 of The three body problem the comic is available nowand Yen Press will release volume 2 on February 18, 2025. The live-action adaptation is available on Netflix. Tor Books took care of the English release of the novel.