A review by cheybrary
The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way

dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I’m rewatching the Netflix series and decided to read the source material to see if I could catch any Easter eggs in the show. Instead I just ended up really disappointed because none of what made the show so compelling is here. The Umbrella Academy’s story hinges on the dynamics between the Hargreaves “siblings”, something that is explored in depth in the Netflix series. Here we get space alien robot fights that are certainly pretty to look at but offer little substance (and really didn’t make any sense??). The Apocalypse Suite arc is only six issues, which just isn’t enough time for these characters to express themselves in any memorable way. 

When a book gets a big budget adaptation, it is inevitable that the two will be compared. Fans of the book will flock to the show to see if it was faithfully adapted, while show newcomers will try out the source material to see what they missed. This book on its own is not enough to warrant further reading of the series.

TL;DR Netflix show > comic series by every conceivable measure
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