The Horrors Are Real: ‘Blue Book’ #1 Reviewed

We live in a weird world, and that includes a lot of things, events and objects we can’t explain. Blue Book is setting out to do just that, and it’s the worst kind of horror- the truth.

James Tynion IV, Michael Avon Oeming, Klaus Janson, and Aditya Bidikar bring us the first horrifying story of UFO horror.

Betty and Barney Hill thought it was just going to be a normal drive home. However, it was anything but. When Betty saw a strange object in the sky, neither expected the horror that was about to unfold.

Tynion’s Substack series finally comes to print, and I’m so glad for it. The Hill abduction is one of the most horrifying and well documented alien abductions in history. Tynion and Oeming tell their story simply, and clearly.

Just a side note: the series gets its title from Project Blue Book. Project Blue Book was the government program that investigated the UFO phenomena that started in the mid-twentieth century. The project ran from 1952 to 1969.

The writing here is very expository, with lots of captions and narration. Tynion prevents it from becoming a history lesson though. The exposition is there to establish their characters, who they are, help us empathize with them. Barney and Betty were real people, and he helps us understand that before the action kicks in. Bidikar’s letters bring that to life, making the narration seem like an old Project Blue Book file, rather than captions on the page.

Oeming’s art feels like old pop art, especially with his bluetone shading throughout. He has a modern sense of layout and pacing, which combined with Tynion’s script builds a lot of tension and horror, up to the reveal of the saucer, then the aliens inside. The figures are distinctly of their era, and he’s able to make their acting sell the terror they’re feeling and we watch unfold.

Tynion and Janson’s back-up has more of a standard narrative, which makes it a fun chaser to the lead story. It’s an interesting weird story about Coney Island, and it has a great twist when it gets even weirder. It’s the sort of back-up that feels worth it.

This is a fantastic start to a sure to be scary series. I’m excited to see what’s next.

Blue Book #1 is available now from Dark Horse Comics/Tiny Onion Studios.