THEY FELL FROM THE SKY #1, available from Mad Cave Studios on February 3, 2021, is a new series about a group of boys who love sci-fi shows, hate bullies, and just so happen to encounter a crashed alien spaceship in the woods. Writer Liezl Buenaventura’s story is a pleasant mix of E.T. the Extraterrestrial (1982) and Explorers (1985) with a dash of Lilo & Stitch (2002) thrown in for good measure.
The Details
- Written By: Liezl Buenaventura
- Art By: Xavier Tarrega
- Colors By: DJ Chavis
- Letters By: Joamette Gil
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: February 3, 2021
Was It Good?
Yes. It’s solid, wholesome family fun that speaks to every bit of nostalgia that warms your heart from kid-centric alien adventure films of the 80’s onward.
Tarrega’s art style falls on the cartoonish side, but it’s a perfect tonal match for the story. Again, Tarrega elevates the storytelling through emotive faces that sell each scene.
DJ Chavis’s colors are bold and visually enjoyable. The shading looks great, and it adds drama to some of the more serious scenes.
Joamette Gil’s lettering rounds out the art team with well-balanced word balloon placement, and strong pacing.
Short Story Long
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Tommy, BT and Ted are schoolmates who spend countless hours watching and discussing their favorite sci-fi show, geeking out over the ideas of aliens, spaceships and what it means to be a hero. One night, a mysterious glowing object crashes in the woods near Tommy’s house, and he heads out to investigate.
Through a series of flashbacks, we learn life is not easy for Tommy as he deals with a too-good-for-this-town older sister, a rough bully who plagues him during and after school, and pressure from his father to learn the management of the farm. Buenaventura does an excellent job of introducing a mountain of clichéd tropes into the series without making them feel tired. You know you’ve seen it all before, but the dialog and expressive art keep the setup fresh.
As the flashbacks delve deeper, and most of this issue is flashbacks, we learn Tommy’s sister is flunking school as she’s too focused on big city dreams. The bully plaguing Tommy is a troubled kid with more troubled home life, and Tommy’s dreams for the future don’t align with his father’s wish to pass on the farm, creating a little family rift. Again, you’ve seen it all before, and yet again, Buenaventura keeps it fresh with authentic dialog and excellent character acting from Xavier Tarrega’s art.
Flashforward to the opening scene and Tommy has discovered an alien spaceship in the woods. Ted and BT are egging Tommy on to investigate when he’s surprised by a small, wounded alien with a face like a chihuahua and wearing a 50’s-style spacesuit. The issue ends before we learn whether this alien is friend or foe, and what this discovery means for Tommy.
Final Thoughts
THEY FELL FROM THE SKY #1, available from Mad Cave Studios on February 3, 2021, plucks at your nostalgia heartstrings with a family-friendly story. You’ll find every trope you can imagine and more, but the strong writing keeps the story current, and the art strikes a perfect tone to make this first issue greater than the sum of its parts. I recommend you give this new series a try from a promising creative team.