The
Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite
Reviewed by Rihga
Writer/Creator: Gerard Way
Artist: Gabriel Ba, James Jean (covers
only)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Johnny would have done the review, but he was too busy wondering if it was okay for him to be aroused by the cover art (see left). So, while he's pondering the vast psychological implications of that, I'll be sharing some thoughts on this colorful little graphic novel.
First, let me say that I really like the art. It has a very distinctive, stylized quality to it. The Gabriel Ba isn't just drawing regular people, but instead she's drawing her own world. I always find that more impressive than your average “this is what a man looks like” comics. Secondly, don't be put off by the fact that the story is written by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance semi-fame. Turns out he can spin a pretty good story when he has the mind to.
And that's exactly what Apocalypse Suite is: a pretty good story. Set in a near future that feels more fantasy than sci-fi, it tells the story of seven children taken in by the Monocle, a madly rich rat-bastard genius who has decided to turn these unique babies into super heroes. Well, he turns six of them into super heroes. The seventh just stays at home and plays her violin, feeling left out and angsty. And while we do get one short story about the kids fighting evil, that's not really what this is about. After one dies and another disappears, the Umbrella Academy breaks up, the remaining five going their separate ways... until the death of the Monocle brings them all together again, and incites an attack of – you guessed it – apocalyptic proportions.
Maybe it goes without saying since this comic was written after 1980, but our superhero kids all grow into decidedly fucked-up adults. The interactions between these troubled 30-year-olds serves as the backbone of the story, mostly because it kept me connected when everything else felt so damned surreal. There are a lot of plot moments that had me going, “Really? You're gonna go with that? Really?” And overall the story felt rushed, as if Way wanted to make a long series but decided to cram it all into a single volume instead.
Still, like I said, the character interactions are delivered with a blend of emotional cynicism and tenderness, and I couldn't help but sympathize with nearly all of them. More importantly, they were interesting. They made me want to read more about them. And, with The Umbrella Academy now a series, it looks like I'll be getting exactly that.
----------------------------------
Best
“Really? Really?”
Moment: The
kids' adoptive mother appears to be a mannequin stuffed with human
organs. Make of that what you will.
What's
in a Name?: A
lot, apparently, as each Umbrella member has a whopping three names
apiece (their number, their code name, and their real name). I gave
up on figuring out who was who by name early on, and decided to just
stick to their very distinctive character designs instead. Thank you
for that, Ms. Ba.
Final Grade: A solid story that could have had better pacing and maybe a few less improbabilities, but the world has great potential, and the complexities of the Umbrella adults make it a good read. I'm curious to see more. B
~R