Resident Alien Omnibus Volume 1
by Peter Hogan (Author), Steve Parkhouse (Illustrator)
Synopsis:
Living undercover as a semi-retired, small-town doctor, a stranded alien’s only hope is to stay off humanity’s radar until he can be rescued. When he’s pulled into a surprising murder mystery by the town’s desperate mayor and struggling police chief, “Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle” learns more about the human condition than he ever wanted to.
This omnibus collects Resident Alien Volumes 1 to 3.
Review:
When I saw the trailers for Resident Alien starring Alan Tudyk, I got really excited for the series. Then, I heard it was based on a graphic novel series, and immediately bought the first omnibus. A murder mystery with an alien? Sounds like it was made for me! Of course, some minor things are changed for television. The comic version of Harry isn’t as odd. And the characters seem more exaggerated on tv. But I’m already obsessed with these graphic novels.
Harry is a sweet man with a penchant for mysteries. He just happens to be an alien. While his arrival on Earth didn’t go unnoticed, they have yet to track him down. He appears as a mild-mannered, small-town doctor. Though it seems children can see his true form. Throughout the series, we see bits of dialog from his life before he came to Earth. But as of this first set of volumes (1-3), we still don’t know why he came here, other than he shipwrecked a few years ago. Each volume is a standalone story, but digs deeper into the character of Harry and those around him.
The artwork is fantastic, and adds to the noir feel. And the look of Harry is the quintessential alien – large, dark eyes, elongated ears, and gray skin. I loved everything about this set of stories – from the mysteries to the interpersonal relationships. With plenty of suspense, humor, intrigue, and heart – this series should appeal to mystery and scifi fans alike. I read quite a few comics, but this is now one of my all-time favorite series. I mean, it’s Diagnosis Murder, if Dick Van Dyke’s character was an alien-in-hiding – what’s not to love?