Writer: Liezl Buenaventura (@labuenaventura)
Penciler/Inker: Xavier Tárrega (http://xaviertarrega.blogspot.com/)
Cover Artist: DJ Chavis (@djcolorscomics)
Letterer: Joamette Gil (@JoametteGil)
Back in December of 2020, I reviewed the first issue of They Fell From The Sky #1 (https://www.thepullbox.com/2020/12/reviewstheyfellfromthesky1/) and I always say the measure of a new comic is if I want to pick up the next issue or no. In this case, I just waited for the entire Vol 1 to be released.
The basic story is this: Tommy Murphy is just an ordinary kid– he goes to school, hangs out with his friends, and fanboys over his favorite TV show. But when a chance encounter in the woods thrusts him into an unlikely friendship with an otherworldly creature, he is forced to navigate bullies, family squabbles, and tween woes… all while trying to prevent an interplanetary war!
The comparison to movies like Goonies, Super 8, and Stranger Things holds up throughout the entire arc. The three nerdy best friends come together to fight of a force of invading furballs from space with the eventual help of the town bum, the bully from the beginning of the story, and Tommy’s hot older sister. It’s a tried and true formula that doesn’t fail across medias. I especially liked that none of them have that superhero moment when they do something physically impossible, or highly improbable. Like the chubby kid who has a moment of herculean strength. All the human characters are believable and recognizable, especially if you’ve ever lived in a small town. Personally, I grew up around these characters. Other than a name change, I can place all the human characters as people from my childhood.
Writer, Liezl Buenaventura, nails dialog for the book. As a self-professed. “…love letter to the 80s and 90s kids adventure genre” you get the feel of a person who wanted to see Monster Squad on the big screen when it was originally released. She is able to meld together the storytelling wonder of years past and the modern age and produce a tale that is both charming and subtly terrifying at points. I hope Mad Cave Studios gives Liezl a chance to tell more They Fell From The Sky stories because I just have a feeling she’s got more to tell.
Artist, Xavier Tarrega, brings a considerable skills to bare. In my last review I marveled at his ability to bring the small town feel to each panel. After reading the story in it’s entirety, I marveled at his ability to create that small town feel and then blow the crap out of it! As much as you feel the loss of life in the story (can’t have an alien invasion with a few losses) you also feel the loss of property, of the town that feels so much like home. In addition to the environment, Xavier does excellent work with the characters. Going between a Disney level of cuteness to an almost rabid level of personality for the fuzzy aliens is a joy to look at.
Bottom line is They Fell From The Sky is the perfect smoothie of a comic book. The creators took all the best ingredients from various genres, popped them in a blender, and the result is one sweet tasty story that leaves you wanting a little more.
Grade: 10/13
