The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1

Sometimes you have to listen to your kids. I’d never heard of Dark Horse’s UMBRELLA ACADEMY until my daughter mentioned one day she’d like to read it. So I saw it at my local comic shop and picked it up for her. She still hasn’t read it yet, but I thought it looked interesting, so I gave it a go. And I’m glad I did. Created and written by Gerard Way with art by Gabriel Ba, THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY is based on the idea that one day, thirty years ago, forty-three children were born at the same time, many of them to women who had no idea they were pregnant. All but seven of these mysterious children died. Those seven were adopted by Sir Reginald Hargreeves, “world-renowned scientist and wealthy entrepreneur.” When asked why he chose to adopt the children, he answered, “To save the world, of course.” Hargreeves trained the children and raised them to be super heroes as each was endowed with a special power of their own--all but one, number 7, Vanya, who appeared to be completely ordinary in every way. The children made their debut ten years later when the Eiffel Tower, under the control of zombie-robot Gustave Eiffel, attacked. The children ended the reign of terror and their legend was born. Flash forward twenty years and the children haven’t spoken to each other in a while, each going off to live their own variation on “a life.” They only reconvene at their old home for Hargreeves’s funeral. And the old rivalries return. Unfortunately, they must set aside their differences because now, after so long, is the thing they’ve waited for so long. The world is about to end and the children of the Umbrella Academy must save it. This first volume, “Apocalypse Suite”, collects the original six-issue run of the series in one book and it’s definitely worth picking up if you like comics, humor, science fiction, fantasy, absurdity … basically, if you like anything at all, THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY is going to make you smile. Way’s writing is like the work of someone who’s been writing comics all his life. His pacing, his use of dialogue and flashbacks and captions and suspense, it’s all there. While the book focuses primarily on only a few of the members, everyone is developed enough that you get a feel for who and what they are in the grand scheme, and Way even manages to use what’s NOT said in helping to establish enough background detail that we can fill in the blanks and create an entire backstory for them. I can only imagine how entertaining the script alone must have been for artist Gabriel Ba, who also shines here. His sense of drama and tension and panel layout all coalesce into this perfect thing that grabs your attention and sweeps you along, and before you know it, you’re looking at the last page wondering how the hell did I read that so fast? And why does it have to be over? I wasn’t expecting much going into this book, to be honest. I know she mentioned it, but didn’t really elaborate and I only got it because I spoil her, but I’m glad she did because I really feel my general well of knowledge is improved by having experienced THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY. My only wish is that more people got it. I know this book’s got tons of great reviews, but I’ve read a few negative ones that make me wonder if they read the same book I did, because this made perfect sense to me, it made me laugh, it made me feel, and it shocked and surprised me many times. For me, THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY: Apocalypse Suite is 100% recommended.

This series is supreme. The characters are fleshed-out, the action is very well-done, and the art is wonderful. The drawings were very polished, the color palette was extremely unique, and the story is immersive. The violence is a bit graphic, with blood spattering occasionally, but nothing a 13-year old can’t handle. There are two cuss words, but not repeated. There are about three pages with “suggestive” content in the background, but they serve a purpose in the story. This graphic novel/comic book is for everyone who loves action, adventure, and some violence. I recommend this to everyone 13-14 years old and up.

First off, the quality of this version is excellent! It's a large, beautifully printed book with a built-in ribbon bookmark, and a velvety matte cover. Many people are comparing this to the Netflix series and finding themselves either disappointed or confused, and that's because the tv series took a very different approach with the material. The core plot beats are there, but the world-building, characters, and overall design got chopped up and tossed around like a fruit salad because the Apocalypse Suite arc is short and probably did not have enough content to fill a 10-episode season. The comic for Apocalypse Suite is wild, as the world-building and tropes lean way heavier on the sci-fi / superhero aspects of those kooky concepts that harken back to the 50's and 60's of comic ideas, with a touch of noir. The tv series pulls way back on a lot of this, either for budgeting reasons or style approach. It's not until S3 of the tv show where you're really starting to feel more of the same tone alignment with the comics, but the tv series is basically its own story now. The characters are also different to some degree, both personality-wise and in their design. In Apocalypse Suite, Luther is direct and has a stronger leadership presence. I find him to be WAY more palatable in the comics. Allison & Klaus are also different to their tv counterparts. Allison has an overt passive-aggressive ruthlessness to her in this arc. Klaus is super chill, not afraid of his powers, nor does his 'recreational activities' seem to hamper his connection to them either. Mileage may vary with people on whether they find that to be a good or bad thing. Vanya (comic) has a way more dynamic design near the end, and the use of the violin as the material component for their powers should have stayed in S2 & S3 of the show because that would have made Viktor (tv show) way more balanced and interesting on the power scale. Number Five is probably the only character in the group that maintained a relatively consistent transport from comic to tv show, both in character design and personality. In Apocalypse Suite, he's more of a harbinger of the apocalypse plot as opposed to the entire driving force like in the tv show. The Umbrellas are all pulling their weight in some capacity, which balances out Five's involvement in teaming up with Pogo as more of the strategist duo for the team. I would have to say that, personally, the comic definitely beats the show's S1 only because the characters are way better balanced. The arc is short, and there's not a lot of time for everyone to muddle around wallowing in their trauma. Their family issues crop up fast to keep up with the pace of the panels. The dysfunctional family aspect is still there, but all of the characters are actively working toward the same goal, just in a hodgepodge cliquish sort of way: Luther teams up with Allison, and Klaus. Diego goes it alone. Five is working with Pogo on the science and strategy issues, etc. As far as Apocalypse Suite the COMIC is concerned, I enjoyed it. Because I went in knowing it was not going to be the same experience; and it wasn't. I appreciate both the comic and the show for different reasons because they are different experiences.

I tried. I really tried...but no matter how many story angles I slide in and out of to gain a foothold on this beautiful, melodic jam of funny pictures, at the end, it's hard to steer clear of musical comparisons when talking about Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá's The Umbrella Academy. In the first place because the trade collecting the first six issues of the series is sub-titled, Apocalypse Suite; next, because one of the heroes turned main evil dudette is a living, lethal musical instrument hellbent on destroying the world with her music; and lastly because Gerard Way is the lead singer of My Chemical Romance. But it doesn't stop there. When you stop sucking in the story in separate layers of pictures, words and color, and really let the thing coalesce in your noodle, what is heard high above the campy noise of pseudo-steampunk-end-of-the-world-heroics is how well the creative team riffs off one another. That near perfect jam is so rare in comics, it's worth getting this collection to witness it, even if you're not a fan of doomsday storylines. To begin with, consider Gabriel Bá's artwork. Clearly taking stylistic cues from Mike Mignola, Bá takes what could have been one-dimensional characters created to invoke the ludicrous nature of superhero teams and turns in character designs and sequentials that grab you sometimes by the shirt collar (if not your cojones) and at others by your funny bone. Either way, his linework is clearly in the service of his storytelling mojo and they don't let go. And honestly, you don't want them to either, which is why this story works so well as a graphic novel. The artwork in black and white is stunning. But it's not until Dave Stewart joins in the storytelling that the characters and the emotional undercurrent begins to rise. Stewart is an accomplished colorist, and really, an artist with few peers. Hellboy stories, for example, owe plenty to Stewart's genius for translating emotional tension into color. But he isn't an artist because he can use Photoshop really, really well. In The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, Stewart blends his brand of magic to extend Bá's kinetic linework. Take a look at any action scene in the collection and you'll see that Stewart doesn't simply lay down flats that are color-appropriate to the scene. He goes far beyond the production work to draw with the color, echoing and amplifying Bá's line. And if you think that's Stewart just doing what he always does, you'd only be half right. As a counter measure, take a look a his work on Hellboy: Darkness Falls. It's just as powerful, but he let's Duncan Fegredo's complex and nuanced linework take lead. In TUA, Stewart is front and center with Bá in transforming the high concept into an emotionally resonant story that gives credence to Way's tight script and characterization. Which leads me to consider the story itself. Being a newbie, you'd forgive Gerard Way if he had taken himself too seriously in this first story arc and tried to convince us with a straight face that it's a story of aliens born through human female hosts and trained from birth to save the planet. The rest of the book is so strong in art, color and lettering (kudos to Nate Piekos for knowing how to treat words as art without pushing Bá and Stewart offstage to get all the attention), it would still have been worth buying. But Way didn't go there. Instead, Way seems to stand confidently under the spotlight (as surely he is used to) and with the mash-up allure of a lead singer channeling P.T. Barnum, tells us his outrageous premise through characters that seem to have backstories to fill ten graphic novels -- characters so fully formed and relationships so exquisitely dysfunctional, you want to buy into the spectacle, for it's one grand show. Way, Bá, Stewart and Piekos have achieved something rare in comics. In an industry that models itself around "production lines", this bunch of beautiful anarchists have managed to create a work that transcends all of them. It's not perfect, but you want to see and hear more. Get me a lighter. Anybody got a lighter? Suddenly, I feel the urge to be a groupie. Anyone...anyone? Ommus Editor, Indiepulp.com Editor's Note: As we finished sprucing up this piece for publication, it was announced at the San Diego Comic-con that The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite won the Eisner Award for best limited series. Dave Stewart won for best colorist. Gabriel Bá and his twin brother, Fabio Moon won for best anthology, 5.

*WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOTH COMIC AND SEASON ONE OF THE TV SHOW* So, I have to admit, I was strangely surprised when I bought this. Having watched at least seven episodes of Umbrella Academy season one, I was expecting it to be almost exactly like the show. That was only my fault, as I didn’t realize until I re-read the packaging that the Netflix series is only BASED on the comic. My bad. However, even with the TV show still in my mind, it was an AMAZING read, and now I have to buy Volume Two. After watching the show, it was a bit of a shock to see the difference in how the characters looked, for instance: Diego is blonde in this, Allison has purple hair in this, and Klaus is so pale it looks as though he’s seen a ghost (pun intended). The personalities haven’t changed much, though, and the general plot line is the same, an apocalypse with Vanya as the instigator. Five is still an adorable little psycho, Klaus still a witty junkie, and Luther still has a hero-complex. The art is superb, it’s crisp and clear, and I just WISH I could draw that well. It would probably be a even better read with My Chemical Romance playing in the background, or even some somber violin solos. All in all, it’s amazing whether you’re new to the Umbrella Academy or if you’ve watched the TV show, but if you’re looking for something that’s exactly like the TV show, you won’t find it. Remember that the TV show is only BASED off the comic, so of course it’s going to be different. I don’t understand the people who say “Oh, the TV show is better, this isn’t as good”, because they are both incredibly beautiful in their own way. So if you’ve watched the show before you’ve read the comic, keep that in mind, and if you haven’t seen either and are reading the comic first, remember that their will be a few significant changes in the show. I love it, and am now holding metaphorical guns to all of my friends and trying to get them to read this. Will have to buy Volume Two now!

Gerard Way, the writer and part illistator of this book is my hero. When i found out that not only is he the lead singer of my favorite band, My Chemical Romance, that he has also wrote a comic book I HAD to read it. After I ordered the book and eagerly waited for it to come I did a little research on it on Google, it helped much after i read the book because it was slightly confusing. When the book arrived I immedeately began reading. It only took an hour or so to read, it is short but definately worth rading. The book itself is by far one of the best comic books i have ever read, The uniqueness of the story and the illistraions makes it very individual and a must have for all fans of odd yet amazing stories.

At first I was skeptical about the Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, and had no idea what to expect; though, I didn't expect much from a graphic novel written by a pop star. But upon reading the thing I was utterly blown away. It seems like Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba were destined to make something this beautiful together right from the start. Way's amazing storytelling abilities and edgy eloquence compliments Ba's hauntingly gorgeous, stylized artwork perfectly... And vice versa. I read this book in one sitting and was left with a hankering for the sequel, I absolutely loved it. The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite is the best thing since Moore and Lloyd's V for Vendetta.

After reading Killjoys and Sp//dr by Gerard Way, I was anxious to dive into his main and largest work The Umbrella Academy. Gerard writes amazing, colorful, and insightful lyrics for MCR so I wanted to see what his writing skills were. Umbrella academy is a crazy ride into a world where Planet of the Apes meets X Men (in a way). Gerard does a great job telling the story and giving each character a heart, personality, and reason for being. I'm reading Dallas now, and can't wait to see what he does in Umbrella Academy 2.