In THEY FELL FROM THE SKY #2, available from Mad Cave Studios on March 17th, 2021, Tommy Murphy takes on the role of caregiver to the injured alien he found in the woods. As wounds heal and routine sets in, Tommy’s new “pet” starts drawing the wrong kind of attention.
The Details
- Written By: Liezl Buenaventura
- Art By: Xavier Tárrega
- Colors By: DJ Chavis
- Letters By: Joamette Gil
- Cover Art By: Xavier Tárrega
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: March 17, 2021
Was It Good?
Yes, in a predictable sort of way. Nerdy kids finding an injured alien and the shenanigans that follow as they try to hide the alien’s existence from prying adults is not a new one. You’ve seen this story before, so it falls to the writer to build some emotional stakes into the relationship. Buenaventura is largely successful in that effort by establishing a solid bond between Tommy and the alien.
The art is pitch-perfect for the source material. It’s very kid-friendly, family-friendly art, so the art is consistent with the audience. Bright, simple characters and settings make for a pleasant reading experience.
Take a peek at our THEY FELL FROM THE SKY #2 preview to look inside the issue.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
We pick up the next day after the events of issue #1 (read our THEY FELL FROM THE SKY #1 review to see how it all started). Tommy brought the injured and stripped alien to a vet for treatment, passing it off as a dog.
If there’s one down point in this issue, it’s the idea that a vet would ignore the fact that this being is clearly not a dog. Dr. Wu (the vet) even remarks this is the strangest dog she’s ever seen. If it’s not a dog like anything she’s ever seen, how did she know how to treat it? Yes, it’s a kids story but this point didn’t sit right at all.
Moving on, Tommy is given clearance to take bandaged and cast-wearing Orion (the alien) home after a couple of days. His parents would be none too pleased with a strange animal in the house, so he arranges to keep it in his treehouse.
While Tommy and his friends spend time with Orion, they repeatedly fail to communicate with it in any meaningful way. As time passes and wounds heal, Tommy’s father raises concerns about his “pet” being around the livestock.
It’s refreshing to see a strong father and mother figure in this story. They’re tough but fair, not overbearing. It would have helped beef up the emotional connections with the family if there were a few panels showing how Tommy’s parents react to Orion when they first see him. As it is, the parents are simply portrayed as accepting Orion is present. It’s not a big down for the issue, but you get a “how do they know about Orion?” moment that would have benefited from some explanation.
One evening, Tommy comes up to the treehouse to find Orion taking apart his laptop to build a communicator. It works, and we finally get a little bit of exchange between Orion and Tommy that further solidifies their bond. It’s mixed with a little humor as the translation isn’t quite perfect.
Without giving away too much, Orion’s ship needs a lot of work, cows can help out on the farm more than Tommy and his father realized, and a nosy neighbor arrives to ruin everything.
Final Thoughts
THEY FELL FROM THE SKY #2, available from Mad Cave Studios on March 17th, 2021, takes the “nerdy kids plus lovable, stranded alien” story to the next logical step. The story is headed in the right direction, and there’s enough uniqueness about this story, coupled with the preview of the next issue’s cover, that promises an exciting adventure to come.
Score: 8/10
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