Homecoming #1
Publisher: Aspen
Writer: David Wohl (with Scott Lobdell)
Artist: Emilio Laiso (cover “A” by Michael Turner)
Colors: Brett Smith (with Stefani Renee)
High School can be full of drama, good times, bad times (yes, that’s a music reference), and even aliens. Well, at least in Homecoming, the newest offering from Aspen Comics, it is! In this sci-fi/adventure book, we get to see the mixture of everyday life for a high school kid, but then throw a beautiful girl with otherworldly powers in the mix, add in some extraterrestrial being that wants her dead, and you have a winning combination that David Wohl and Scott Lobdell have created!
The teen angle is one that is always great for a new story, and this one delivers. You get a peek at the back story along with some action right out of the gate. There are a few moments of humor, too, and the timing is perfect. A brisk pace really sets the tone for the entire book, and will hopefully be kept throughout. The characters all have their own personalities that resemble your typical high school crowd, and that is key. Too many books of this genre are simply either out of touch with this age group, or so over the top they’re unbelievable. Not this one, at all. The writers have a solid grasp on what they want and how they are going to portray it.
From the perspective of artwork, this book looks pretty solid. The first few pages had a lot of big bang moments, and they looked quite good. A huge blast incinerates an alien enthusiast, and it looked awesome to say the least. Vibrant colors galore, added to the overall sharp panels. There was only one panel that looked slightly off, where the lead character was bending over an unconscious girl, and his eyes looked a bit odd. Other than that, everything was certainly above average, if not great. The four choices of covers are just absolutely gorgeous, too. The “B” cover (below) by Mike Debalfo, is sweet, as are the two Michael Turner covers, and the Emilio Laiso SDCC exclusive cover. Give this book a shot, because not only is it good, but you’ll be taking a chance on Aspen Comics, and that is something everybody needs to do! Rating 4/5
Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net
