The Umbrella Academy Volume I

Volume I
Written and created by:Gerard Way
Artist: Gabriel Ba and Dave Stewart
Published by: Dark Horse Comics

Read if:
1) You believe in the power of simple eye masks to hide your true identity
2) You've ever felt like an outcast
3) You are prepared to be decently surprised

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The chance

    Now if you are not already aware, Gerard Way is the lead singer of My Chemical Romance. I know this might play a factor in your decision to read the series (either to rush right out and pick it up because MCR makes you cry because they express all of the emotion you yourself are incapable of expressing OR to stay as far away from this series as possible because MCR makes you cry for entirely different reasons.) I myself was skeptical about picking this up, truthfully my expectations were low but in the end I was pleasantly surprised. So either way, I suggest giving it a chance.

The Gist

    Sir Reginald Hargreeves, famous? Check. Entrepreneur? Check. Alien? .....Ok, check. Yes, the man is an actual alien living on earth disguised as an entrepreneur. Anyways, once you get past that fun little fact, you discover that he has adopted seven young children who at birth were discovered to possess super human powers. As they were growing up he trained them and prepared them to protect the world from an evil we have yet to discover.

The children grown

    Because of a controversy as children, the group disbands but they reunite once their adoptive father passes away. Although a lot of tension remains between them, they all agree to fulfill their fathers wishes and carry on his plan to save the world.

    I'm excited to continue reading this series. The story is fun and intriguing, the characters are quirky and certainly original, and the artwork is refreshing. It has sort of a Royal Tenenbaums feel to it so if that's your thing, read it.