Sunday, September 26, 2010

Umbrella Academy: Dallas TPB

Gerard Way keeps things odd in the second installment of the Umbrella Academy. I don't totally remember where the first series left off, but I do like seeing the family trying to deal with the betrayal from the first series. That's actually my only big complaint, I read so many comics I was a bit lost trying to remember more about this world. Chimps are as smart as people there, right?

This story focuses on Number 5, the tough, time-traveling kid with ties to a pretty dangerous law enforcement organization. I think it is interesting that so many comic series have focused on time cops. What is it about enforcing the rules of time that people find so interesting? I would say the dinosaurs, but there weren't any in this one!

I do appreciate that Way has time travel is such an imprecise process. When most of the fam (including the most super-heroic, Kraken) try to go back in time to stop Number 5 and Rumor, they have to do a few rough years in Viet Nam first. It's a neat idea seeing a quick strike mission turn into years of rough living. It certainly lays some fantastic character development. Speaking of character development, I couldn't help but be amused by Hazel and Cha Cha. Sure, they look ridiculous and sort of act like the Joker, but those masks are pretty dang awesome.

Gabriel Ba has such an interesting artistic style. He's half Mike Mignola and half Michael Avon Oeming. That's a good hybrid, the cartoony art carries a lot of menace when it has to, even with fun elements like giant animal masks.

Fair

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