Umbrella Academy

I’m a big fan of the small series. Things that have an established beginning, middle, and end. I like stories like this because they free me of investing in arbitrary volumes dedicated to super heroes fighting struggles I sometimes don’t care about.  I either like it or I don’t.

Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba’s Umbrella Academy is one of those comics that sits on the shelf, in my store’s case it’s the bottom shelf, and waits for you to notice it. Once you do, I think we can both agree that it’s hard to put down.

Here are 3 reasons why I love Umbrella Academy:

The Art

Visually stunning! In keeping with the times and the mood, the cover art immediately sets the tone for what you are about to get into. Dave Stewart really takes advantage of what color can do for comics. It adds depth and conveys lighting better than some Batman issues do.

Gabriel Ba, the artist for Matt Fraction’s Casanova, does not disappoint. Even expressions from afar are defined and unique. The action is fluid and organic, it ‘s easy to follow from one panel to the next. It’s Gerard Way’s writing that will keep you lingering. The backgrounds are also used well, but there are elements of busy work (bodies profusely strewn around, walls of small TV’s projecting news footage). Come on guys, give the reader’s imagination some credit!

Once you’ve seen the covers you may find yourself compelled to peek inside, this is normal.  The trick is to buy the first issue, the rest just works itself out.

The Writing

In the current issue run, we start when the team is at its weakest. Having split apart, we are taken through the shattered remains of the fateful day Apocalypse Suit ended. I jumped on in issue #1 Dallas (the second run of the series, a third is soon to come according to Gerard Way from the 2009 San Diego Comicon).

Gerard Way Writer of Umbrella Academy, Lead Singer for My Chemical Romance

The mystique of these characters coupled with their dynamic, is provocative. The team is capable of performing interesting feats: stepping in and out of time, pre-verification (your word is law), and a guy that lazes around the moon in a giant hydraulic ape suit just to name a few. Like in Watchmen, however, you will see tragic flaws and some larger than life plot points involving the destruction of everything.

The Villains

The forces of good and evil are not always clearly defined in Umbrella Academy, and evil does not always mean the end of the world. Sometimes evil is a reaction to a harsh word, or the action of turning one’s back.  Complicated and human moments like these can be touching.

That’s where a couple of licorice eating cartoon mask wearing crazy guys can really liven things up. Why bother with  PHD’s in experimental physics, or getting good with a gun when you’ve got 20 bucks, suitcase nukes, knives and directions to the nearest liquor store?  What I’m really trying to say is Hazel and Cha-Cha like to get up close and personal while causing massive amounts of chaos and fear.  This combination makes for hilarious moments of psychotic rage.     

My Conclusion: Read It

As I see it there are two types of people, those who read Umbrella Academy and those who don’t. If you do, how long did it sit on the shelf before you finally picked it up? For those that haven’t, what’s stopping you? It’s got time travel, and let’s be realistic here, when done properly time travel rocks! Did I mention there is a hardcover out that comes with a cool little figure and fills you in on the previous story? Oh, fun fact, Gerard Way is also the lead singer of My Chemical Romance! Until next time, happy reading!

Rich Bashara
Rich@comicimpact.com