Dan Boultwood, the writer/artist/creator of It Came!, looked at a comics marketplace teeming with superheroes and superhero-related stories and decided there werent enough comics in the style of 1950s sci-fi b-movies. And having read It Came! #1 I can only agree that this is a grossly overlooked sub-genre because this comic is brilliant. Our heroes are Dr Boy Brett (from Space Lab!) and his lady friend Doris (from Tottenham), whore enjoying a relaxing - and chaste - day in the country. That is until they realise everyone in the countryside is missing and the reason why is looming over them in the form of a giant robot from outer space! The race is on as Boy alerts the British Army of a threat to the country - but are they too late? Boultwood presents the comic like a movie but with a self-aware, ironic and comedic tone that works really well. From the wonderfully garish cover in the style of classic movie posters announcing the title It Came! with the tagline Something is coming round for afternoon tea... and it isnt the vicar! to the brilliant dialogue between Boy and Doris, to the bunting thatll play a big part in the story, Boultwoods found the perfect mix of classic Englishness to make this comic a fun read. Like a 50s movie, the comic is minimally coloured with only blacks and whites but also uses blues to simulate the appearance of old-timeyness while the panels are always in wide-shot as if were seeing a movie. And like a 50s movie, our heroes talk and act like stereotypes from this era, which is my favourite part of the comic. Boy looks every inch the professorial type wearing a blazer/vest/tie combo and smoking a pipe, condescending to Doris at every opportunity, socking her playfully on the chin while saying things like for a girl youre a good egg. Doris meanwhile is a younger woman in thrall to the older mans worldliness, accepting her subjugated role, primly saying things like a girl always needs to look her best, Dr Brett as she busies herself with her makeup. Boultwoods obviously playing with our perceptions of the era and having a great time with the characters. Bretts dialogue is especially fun, like when the pub landlord isnt behind the bar, he remarks I think this chap is pebble-dashing the cistern chapel, and adds odd nouns to the adjective old, calling various characters old duck/cake/thing/girl/spit. Sticking to the movie presentation angle, Boultwood adds an intermission in the middle of the comic, throwing in made-up ads for cigarettes (I like my men like I like my bacon: smokey - Smoke & Choke Um Cigarettes) and other movies by Pinetree Studios (My Reptilian Bride - The Only Bouquet Is Death! - which is actually a comic Id like to read). He even includes IMDB-esque pages for the characters actors Fanny Flaunders who plays Doris and Dick Claymore who plays Boy.
It Came! is a really fun comic thats both well drawn and well written. Its got a fantastic premise that delivers on the humour and story in a big way, while throwing in a few surprises too. Out of all of the new, creator-owned titles Titan Comics has launched this summer, the one I strongly urge you not to miss is It Came! by Dan Boultwood. Bally good comics, old cake!
It Came! #1 by Dan Boultwood is out on Wednesday