V #9

                                                     

     If you were a kid in the eighties there's no doubt you saw V the miniseries on NBC. It was huge and the sequel while not as good, was still epic for fans who watched the original miniseries. I was such a fan of the show I bought the tie in book and managed to get my hand on a Visitor action figure. The figure had a false human face that you could take off to reveal the lizard face underneath. There were also a continuing paperback series that higkighted various resistance groups. What wasn't to like about the show? You had the lizards taking over earth and a group of resistance fighters waging war to free themselves from the alien take over. DC comics  put out an 18 issue comic that took place before the television show. I read a few issues as a kid but couldn't really remember if they were good or not. I didnt really care all that much about the writing, nor did I care if it was any good. All I wanted was a comic that allowed me to continue following the adventures of not just the Visitors but the resistance as well. Did they ever truly win their war against the aliens? Now reading these back issues I can tell you from the few issues I've read, it's really well written and holds up pretty well.

       The follow up television series only lasted one season and ended on a cliff hanger because everyone assumed the show would return. The comic writers knew the show was going to end so this allowed them to ties up some loose ends in the final issue, but we're getting ahead of ourselves. This is only issue 9 and I have to admit that as a fan, it's just as good as I remember. What's interesting is the visitors in the show look far different in the comic and look far more horrifying. Seeing them throughout the comic in their original form shows you just how sinister these aliens really are. Cary Bates does a great job of shifting the focus between the Mike and Julie in New York and the growing tension between Lydia and Diana. It's balanced well and written in such a way to keep you engaged in the story. The art here is decent but if you've seen the show you'll notice none of these characters look who they're supposed to be which is to be expected. There was an effort here to create something unique, something that would keep fans reading but of course people slowly lost interest in all things V, but still, I love this comic, and I like how it's presented. The power struggle here is an apect of the comic that continues to grow and you know at some point things are going to explode.

      In New York the mayor has no interest in the resistance coming to her city. The lizards aren't interested in New York anyway since the red dust was spread, there's more visitor activity in warmer climates where the dust was ineffective against the aliens. In V The Final Battle the red dust was a poison that had no effect on humans, but it was quite deadly for the visitors. There's a reason why the mayor has no interest in Mike's proposal and we see soon enough that New York isn't as safe as you would think. Diana of course is a smart, vile woman who is always plotting while Lydia it seems is more concerned with destroying Diana. It's an interesting angle and plot line that allows the comic to remain interesting and fresh. This is a great issue that shows cracks beginning to form while the resistance may not be wanted in New York there's clearly people that want them there and are willing to fight back. We're not just given action here and the writing reflects a desire to build characters that you want to continue to read about.

       Despite so much back story that goes beyond the comics it's not too hard to pick up this issue and know what's happening. You get some plot hints that allow you to enjoy the story as it unfolds which shows that for a while, the creators of the comic were giving readers a chance to enjoy V even if you'd never seen the show. Just picking up this issue without reading any of the prior issues or seeing the miniseries isn't going to prove frustrating or make you feel as if you're dropped in the middle of a story arc that's just about to wind down. The writing here makes you want to go back and read the first nine issues as well as the rest of the series. It's unfortunate that the comic ended nine issues later but at least we had a decent comic. Most writers would have just phoned this one in but the creative team here wanted to create something interesting, somethinhg that would propel the story forward. V the comic is a good solid read that is a great addition to the show. You have everything you could possibly want here. A decent story, great artwork and horrifying looking lizards. As a nostalgia read I'm glad I started collecting these and look forward reading the rest of the series.