We’ve had this book in our hands how a little while now, but we wanted to wait until it was out in stores before giving our two cents. Black Mask Studios have come out swinging in the world of comic books and have managed to shake things up in a meaningful way. We Can Never Go Home is a continuation of this all out blitz and it is one heck of an engaging read.
WE CAN NEVER GO HOME is a love letter to types of story almost no one seems to tell anymore- Crime Road movies like Badlands and True Romance, outcast against the world tales like Pump Up The Volume and Heathers, and character driven adventure comics like Love & Rockets and Stray Bullets.
This book feels like it’s ripped straight out of another age, but one that those of us in our late twenties and early thirties can relate to. From the books cover to the last page, We Can Never Go Home never stops being fun. Not only that, but it holds a deeper message about teenage youth and rebellion under the guise of the superhero powers trope. This isn’t a comic that flaunts its characters power sets, but instead focuses on the characters themselves.
We Can Never Go Home #1 is more about kids having powers that may or may not be helpful to them or society. Our protagonists aren’t excited about their gifts, aren’t flaunting them around town, instead they seem content to downplay them. This makes sense as a display of such feats that these kids can do would lead them to a torturous future within the secret walls of some government facility.
The entire book flows like the very best kind of late 80s/early 90’s coming of age teenage movie only condensed into a single book. Yes, things do tend to move a little quicker than I would have liked, but the flow still works and you’ll be wanting to keep flipping the pages. You have the nerd outcast trying to prove himself, the jock stereotype that will have you loathing him and his cronies, the most popular girl in school that realizes that she might not be alone.
It hits all these beats in rapid succession and it won’t shock anyone, but it does enough to warrant following along, especially with the inclusion of the unchecked power element. This story, like with most new books, has to cram in a lot of content so that it can get to the real action before readers lose interest, so the fast pace has its place. What really makes the book stand out though is with the art and colors.
The book shifts from night and day, but the color feels almost otherworldly. Deep purples run throughout the evening scenes and the day bits are punctuated with muted yellows that highlight the characters present. It’s a pretty gorgeous book to flip through and I wouldn’t be surprised if you were reading this and people stopped to ask you what it was.
The art also excels with its exaggerated realism. Characters and locales are based in an authentic manner that gives each player and place a distinct look, but it also manages to accentuate emotions and features in a way that makes it feel like a more relaxed book. It’s clean, stylish, and all fits together really well.
We Can Never Go Home #1 is a blast and a fantastic start to a new series. It may move at a brisk pace and have a shock ending that could have used some room to breathe, but it all works well as a whole. I wish they would have spaced the story out over an issue or two, but We Can Never Go Home #1 is still a must have book.
About Author
