Review - Homecoming #1

It's inevitable that humanity will reach space. Colonize planets, see the stars and all that other jazz. It's also equally as inevitable as something in space will reach humanity. Alien invasion, we come in peace and all that jazz. If you want a story of the latter, then Aspen's got you covered with Homecoming #1.

The story is by David Wohl and Scott Lobdell, with pencils and inks by Emilio Laiso, colors by Brett Smith and Stefani Rennee and letters by Josh Reed.

Hunter Wilson is a junior at Hillcrest High and he's essentially a nerd. He's got his running crew, nights playing video games online and a hot, naked chick in his pool. The last bit typically doesn't come with the high school experience and that's because she's not from this planet.

Celeste is the Daughter of Turrigus and she used to live in the same house as Hunter ten years ago, before she and her mother mysteriously disappeared. Somehow, she ended up back there with no memory of the previous decade. She also managed to spend time with an alien race that made her hot, because that helps her cause.

Hunter gets her enrolled in his high school, where she goes through the joys of the institution one more time. Throw in an alien called a Striker, a possible love interest in Jay Anne and some sort of alien healing technology and you've got yourself a coming of age alien story.

The story is very basic and straightforward. In fact, it's almost like something you'd see in a movie or TV show. Celeste brings a Weird Science feel to the proceedings, while Hunter comes across as both awkward and cool. All the information about the aliens is still a little fuzzy, but it's expected that information will be fleshed out as the book progresses.

Laiso's art is actually pretty good. Since he's both illustrating and coloring, it's probably true that he really knew what he wanted to do, which helped the end result greatly. The Striker is illustrated with menace, while the students are illustrated with Abercrombie looks.

The story of alien abduction is tried and true. Where Celeste has been all this time does raise some questions and gives the reader a hook to latch onto. It seems the reader will be along for the ride as her memory returns and it looks like it could be a fun ride. There's nothing that really stands about the issue, but at the very least it looks like it's building up something interesting.

Homecoming #1 is in stores August 15 with interiors below.