The Good
There's always a joy in being able to read a comic that doesn't fall into the typical categories. Starting off with the main character, Tomas, he isn't your average comic book hero. He's an ordinary and perhaps boring guy, working at a gas station in the desert who spends his free time smoking pot and talking to the occasional critter that comes his way. Then he discovered there were aliens in his small town. Thankfully for Tomas, he's met a mysterious man named Nate that just might be his only hope is surviving this discovery.
We do get some answers here. Who are the aliens? What do they want? James Robinson fleshes the characters and situation out, giving it a nice feel without coming across as something we've seen many times before. There's also the feeling of not knowing exactly what's coming up.
J. Bone's art sets the tone for the story. There is a classic feel to it and he's captured the small town feel with aliens in hiding perfectly. It's interesting to see the different settings in this desert town and it'll be fun to see what he unleashes next issue as we're about to see some changes.
The Bad
There's still some questions that will be answered as the story continues to unfold. While we do find out more about Nate, there's still the matter of what exactly his intentions are and how Tomas will fit into it all. The decision to flee to a different area and the aliens guessing exactly where they're headed felt a little convenient. It could be it was the most likely direction but felt like a lucky guess.
I dig the black and white for the series as it does contribute to the overall tone and feel. I can't help but wonder sometimes what it'd look like if the art was colored.
The Verdict
Leave it to James Robinson to create a new series about aliens in hiding that feels fresh and exciting. By giving us a story with an unlikely main character, it doesn't fall into the typical stories we've often seen in this genre. J. Bone's art compliments the story in giving it a classic feel while also making it stand out from other comics. There's no telling what Robinson is planning for this comic and you'll want to experience it all for yourself.
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