UFOlogy #1 (of 6)
Created and Written by James Tynion IV & Noah J. Yuenkel
Illustrated by Matthew Fox
Colors by Adam Metcalfe
Letters by Colin Bell
Review by Joey Braccino
“Really? they chose you and you still don’t wanna go?”
Welcome to Mukawgee, Wisconsin… Man, just the name begs you to leave, don’t it?
In James Tynion IV and Noah J. Yuenkel’s new mini-series, UFOlogy, the concept of “getting out” is at the core for our protagonists, Becky Finch and Malcolm Chamber.
For Becky, her parents and her teachers want bigger and better things for her, applying to colleges for her and trying desperately to get her to believe in herself as much as they believe in her.
For Malcolm, it’s the perpetual, nagging need to interact with alien life, especially since something strange happened over a decade ago that left his family broken and mystified.
Yeah, I said alien life. Because this is UFOlogy! It’s in the title!
I’ve been a big Tynion fan since Memetic, another sci-fi infused mini-series from BOOM!. Tynion and his creative partner here, Noah Yuenkel, do some similar work blending a hard sci-fi story (aliens, UFOs, quest for contact, etc.) into an otherwise straight, slice-of-life narrative focused on coming-of-age, family drama, and teenage strife. It’s a delicate mix, but Tynion and Yuenkel do a nice job of presenting our two protagonists and their respective lives. The climax of the first issue brings their two operating narratives into stark conflict, which should produce some interesting storytelling going forward.
Matthew Fox and Adam Metcalfe perpetuate that slice-of-life-meets-sci-fi aesthetic with a gorgeous mix of realism and whimsy. On the one hand, most of the book looks like a colored version of Love & Rockets or Fun Home; as the book progresses, however, and strange, alien things start happening, Metcalfe brings in some vibrant neon colors and Fox gets wacky with his scenework. It’s a visual treat, and I look forward to looking at the rest as the series runs on.
One final note: I love Colin Bell’s lettering in this book. Bell’s mix-cased letters drive home this DIY, suburbian feel—I don’t know why, but it does. And it’s wonderful.
Verdict
Check it! UFOlogy #1 is a promising start for Tynion and Yuenkel’s new sci-fi/coming-of-age mini-series. And it’s a visual treat start to finish.
