Comic review: They’re Not Like Us #1- Depressed teen joins cult

Story: Eric Stephenson
Art: Simon Gane
Colours: Jordie Bellaire
Publisher: Image comics
Released: 24th December 2014



I’m a huge fan (cult member) of what is commonly referred to as the Richey Manic era of the Welsh pop/rock band Manic Street Preachers, so plastering ‘From Despair to Where’ on the front page of your comic book is guaranteed to get my attention.

This phrase/question ‘From Despair to Where?’ refers to a MSP’s single from their second studio album ‘Gold Against the Soul.’

The song itself is a depressing dirge about a young man finding himself lost and alone in an indifferent adult world of empty routines and blank, indifferent faces:

‘Outside open mouthed crowds 
Pass each other as if they're drugged.’

The song offers no hope, no redemption, no meaning, just a repeated question:

‘From despair to where?’

‘From despair to where?’

‘From despair to where?’

The answer, for the writer at least, was in all probability, suicide. That message of hopelessness, of defeat, is the perfect starting point to a comic book narrative that begins with a suicide attempt. But after the attempt fails, where does the story go?

From despair, to where?

In ‘They’re Not Like Us #1’ it goes into a generic cult story that comes off as more X-Men and the school of mutants rather than as anything genuinely subversive or threatening. The main protagonist (a pretty young blonde) is the perfect stand-in for a confused young mutant with special powers, but rather than being taken in by Wolverine or Professor X she is taken in by a scruffy looking bloke with mind reading powers and a hatred for society.

This cult leader bloke (The Voice) is a generic comic book cult leader villain, the exact type of guy that you would expect to see in a comic book leading the vulnerable young and suicidal protagonist astray. He saves her life, offers her a new home, but wants her to do a terrible thing to prove her loyalty. It’s pretty standard cult leader stuff, and not very interesting at all.

The Manic Street Preacher tie-in extends to the cover, and back-cover quotation. The actual book itself has no ‘lipstick’ traces of the ideas expressed by the band whatsoever. The song title is used as a launching pad only, a depressing song for a depressed protagonist.

The artwork is fine, but the story isn’t really doing anything for me. It’s a sad girl joins cult book. I can’t see anything else going on here, and so, off I go. One issue and off for me. I enjoyed the Manics references, but that’s not enough for me. It’s not a terrible book, but I don’t really want to spend my time reading yet another book about a depressed teen joining a team of evil cult followers. Where’s Professor X when you need him?

Rating: 5/10


Click link for the MSP's song (From Despair to where?) referenced in this review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCd8iHAVahQ