When it comes to great stories, a big part is having great characters. If you think back to many of your favorite books, movies, or comics, chances are it's the characters that will spring to mind first. BOOM! Studios is preparing to unleash a brand new Sci-Fi miniseries by James Tynion IV (BATMAN ETERNAL, THE WOODS), Noah J. Yuenkel (THE HOUSE IN THE WALL), and artist Matthew Fox (LONG WALK TO VALHALLA) called UFOlogy.
UFOlogy tells the story of two teenagers in rural Wisconsin whose lives are changed after an alien makes contact, very much in the vein of sci-fi thrillers like Super 8 and The X-Files. Becky Finch always wanted a normal life, while Malcolm Chamber was desperate for a destiny. When Becky is marked by an alien, they'll have to work together to discover what her mark means and the reason for the alien's visitation.
Today is actually the last day to for retailers to place their orders for the series. That means you'll need to let them know ASAP that you want it added to your pull list. We will have an early look at the first few inked and lettered (not final) pages. But first, co-writer Noah J. Yuenkel composed a list of his Five Favorite Sci-Fi Duos as a precursor to Becky and Malcolm's team-up in UFOlogy.
If you asked me on a different day in a different month I'd probably give a completely different list of Favorite Sci-Fi Duos, but these guys are definitely floating around in my rankings no matter what. Let's get to it!
Powell and Donovan (I, Robot)
Two smartasses who argue about robots, which is actually a pretty solid description of me and James. Powell and Donovan are funny, intuitive problem solvers, and it certainly helps that they star in some of the best stories out of I, Robot.
I think, more than anything, their relationship served to display Asimov's logical process for approaching robotic reasoning, but hey, even if they are just a means to an end, they're charming and endearing to boot. They bitch and moan and do a great job of being very human humans in a world of Positronic brains.
Klaatu and Gort (The Day the Earth Stood Still)
Can't handle the Klaatu? You get the Gort. Nice and simple. Brain and brawn. One really has to wonder about a guy who comes to Earth with peaceful demands AND a hyper-powerful murder bot, but well, that's aliens for you. All those mixed messages. Space Jesus and his Holy Spirit Gort get on this list for their status as science fiction icons as well as being a great example of how even an alien peacenik can be dangerous to tangle with.
Jesse and James (Pokémon)
Yes, really. Say what you will about total ineffectiveness: Jesse and James are models of persistence and out-of-box thinking. Disguises and devices and dedication, plus a nigh-supernatural ability to get a hot-air balloon filled quickly... like, look, this is what I want out of my henchmen, you know: a real zeal for the work, a drive to impress upper management and a masochistic willingness to endure serious bodily harm. Jesse and James (and Meowth, a' course) are so close to being effective it's surprising they haven't just been reassigned off of the whole rogue/super-powerful Pikachu thing. Imagine what they could do if they weren't following Ash all over Kanto? Giovanni needs to better allocate his resources.
J and K (Men in Black)
Men in Black was one of my favorite movies as a kid. Do you want to know how much merchandise I had? The little guidebook, the plastic toys from Burger King... I think I even had a novelization of the film, if I reckon correctly. The first movie is unimpeachably (UNIMPEACHABLY) good, and a lot of the charm is J and K's dynamic, and sure, it's basically just the Rookie and Old Guy buddy cop template, but whatever. K's total nonchalance and weary resignation to his job, his antiquated slang, all of this really tight character and world building material right in how he speaks, bouncing off of J's shock and relative inexperience... look, they're great. The end.
Kirk and Spock (Star Trek)
What can be said about Kirk and Spock that hasn't been said a thousand times better in one of billions of smooch-heavy fanfics? They are the chocolate and peanut-butter of sci-fi duos. Passion vs. Logic. I just rewatched Wrath of Khan a few days ago and agh, their eternal friendship is just... heart-rending! Spock pledging his friendship to Kirk despite his Vulcan reservations? Kirk sacrificing his own son on a half-chance that Spock is alive in Search for Spock? Clearly they are Best Space Buds forever, and, more often than not, their dynamic is the beating heart of the moral quandaries and debates that make Star Trek so uniquely Star Trek.
Obviously there are a bunch of other Sci-Fi duos. We look forward to seeing this new in UFOLOGY. Here's an early look at the series. This just the inked and lettered pages, not the final version. Don't forget, today is the final day to pre-order the miniseries.
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