Mars Attacks #1 Review

Writer: Kyle Starks
Artist: Chris Schweizer
Colorist: Liz Trice Schweizer
Publisher: Dynamite

I am always interested when I see a publisher starting a new comic book series based on an old movie or TV show. I am especially excited when it is based on something that I loved from my childhood. Mars Attacks was a movie that was on in our house quite often when I was a child. My brother and I regularly purchased packs of the Mars Attacks trading cards along with packs of Garbage Pail Kids cards.

I always thought that the movie was weird and so much fun and so obviously, I was unsure if this series was going to be able to capture that affection of my childhood. Take shelter, my friends, because Dynamite have a potential hit with this new Mars Attacks series.

From the start, I fell in love with the simple and odd artwork by Chris Schweizer. I could tell that I was probably going to enjoy this issue simply based on how fitting the artwork is for this strange story. Spencer and his dad’s conversation was hilarious for a lot of reasons but the entire scene of them in Major Carbutt’s room is funnier because of Schweizer’s illustrations. Specifically, the expressions that he put on the faces of these two are perfect for the tone of the issue.

Like I said, the conversation between Spencer and his dad is humorous and the scene gets funnier and funnier. The doctor’s entrance was written so well because he was so nonchalant about something so dark that the entire situation was hilarious. Spencer and his dad’s escape from the nursing home was full of non-stop tiny comical moments. And amazingly, writer Kyle Starks finishes the entire issue with another humorous scene between the president, his daughter, and a scientist.

Each of these moments were so funny because of how dark all of these situations should have been for the characters. The darkness was never acknowledged which perfectly set up the comedic timing every step of the way.

This first issue is absolutely entertaining and if this team can continue what they have done here, then this series will be a success. In a small amount of pages, this issue captures the strangeness and the humor that I expected from a Mars Attacks comic book series.