Since its debut on the Sci-Fi Channel, my wife and I have been fans of Eureka. When Boom! Studios announced it was bringing one of the highest rated cable series to comic form, I knew it was something worth checking out. The first issue doesn’t arrive until February 4, 2009, but Major Spoilers is able to bring you an early review of the series that fills the space between seasons.
There are a couple of things going for Boom! Studios as it launches a this new series. The first is pretty obvious as the creator of the television series, just so happens to be one of the founders of the company, and he also happens to be the person behind this issue’s story. The second is the series gives readers something extra the television show hasn’t – in this case an interesting backstory of Deputy Jo Lupo.
Throughout the television series, Jo’s past has been kept mostly a mystery. Viewers know she’s into guns and is trained in the military, but little to nothing else has been revealed. The first issue begins to fill in that missing information with the sudden appearance of one of Jo’s former military team members, and his new found powers. This creates a bit of a problem (hey, this is Eureka), and no matter what Jo or Sheriff Jack Carter do, they just can’t keep him down… regardless how many times they shoot him in the head.
Andrew Cosby and Brendan Hay spin an interesting first chapter that brings the charm of the television series to the page, complete with the witty comments and off-beat humor audience have enjoyed for the last three seasons. Cosby made a bold move when he decided to tell tales between seasons that have already aired. On the one hand, audiences know certain characters are going to live as the results have already played out in season three, which could cause the jeopardy moments to stumble. On the other, a lot of backstory and filler stories can be told to bring even more enjoyment to the television show.
One of the worst things about taking a live action property and turning it into a comic book is an artist who can’t draw caricatures of the actors from the television show. Buffy the Vamprie Slayer, from Dark Horse pulls it off, and likewise, Eureka artist Diego Barreto is able to do a pretty good job of bringing the inhabitants of Eureka to life in the pages of this first issue.
The biggest question for Boom! Studios right now is how it plans to market the series. Having sites like Major Spoilers write reviews, and getting nice press in the comic community is great, but I’m hopeful the company pursues advertising in other venues like the Sci-Fi Channel proper or at the very least a plug on the show’s website, as the proper plugging can lead to one of those one-hand-washing-the-other moments; fans of the television series can head to the comic shop to pick up the series, which generates more interest in the television series, which in turn generates interest back to the comic to the point Eureka could give the Buffy comic a run for its money.
When a company takes a gamble and adapts a television series to comic book form, it could turn out really really bad. I know there will be a morbid curiosity to see if this book fails, but after reading the first issue, it is apparent Eureka the comic book series is doing things in the same spirit as the television show. Fans of the television series are going to enjoy the comic book, and because of this, Eureka #1 earns 4 out of 5 Stars.
09/09
