I am a huge movie buff, as can be ascertained by my previous postings. One of my favorite movies of all time is All The President’s Men, where an intrepid pair of reporters uncovers a huge conspiracy, involving shredding and government employees. Many movies, tried to capture the same intrigue, as this classic film, the most recent being, Kill The Messenger, but none have even come close. That search, ended with Strange Nation, which plays about upon similar machinations but in a fun and suspenseful way.
The comic centers on Norma Park, a former investigative reporter, who lost her job when she uncovered corruption involving politicians. Now she is on her own, still pursuing the same story with the help of a weird sidekick. This has got be one of the weirdest conspiracies, involving aliens, doomsday cults and ape men, thus accentuating the “strange” of Strange Nation. One that any tabloid would be happy to run, which is the reason why Norma got fired.
The story delves into Norma’s personal history as well as personal life, revealing multilayered protagonist, one of the better developed female lead characters I have ever seen. The story also has all the quintessential tropes of a good crime noir novel, allowing murder mystery to occupy the same space as aliens. Eventually, Norma meets Dr. Milo, the main antagonist, and finally finds that truth for which she almost lost everything for. The story arc ends with the revelation of an impending war.
Overall, a fun story that makes light of tabloids and has all the fun quirks of a great Doctor Who episode. Paul Allor’s story is a fun trip down the supermarket aisle where all these creatures exist in those tabloid newspapers. The art by Juan Romera provides enough texture and allure to enhance the noir-ish style story the collaboration is aiming for. Ultimately, this story is a fun mix of Roswell and Manchurian Candidate, definitely worth a read.
Story: Paul Allor Art: Juan Romera
Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9 Recommendation: BUY
IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review