There are a lot of comics out there, but some stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This,” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we’re taking a look at the distant future, a world of dead gods and the people who harvest them for the gains of others in “We Only Find Them When They’re Dead,” published by Boom! Studios and featuring the talents of Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo. In a distant future of hard work, dangerous harvesting, and hopelessness, one crew has a plan to find what is happening to the gods and perhaps bring back some hope in the world. If you like gritty spaceships, found family, and intriguing mystery, then this is the comic for you! Join us while we tell you why you should be checking out the universe where the gods are dead but a valuable resource.
“We Only Find Them When They’re Dead” is yet another outing from a creator who has been heavily featured in Don’t Miss This over the past couple of years. Al Ewing (“The Immortal Hulk,” “S.W.O.R.D.,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,”) brings the crew of Vihaan II to life. Ewing creates a universe interested in profit and exploitation, one where gods are commodities to be exploited and those doing the work are overworked, underpaid, and cramped.
Bringing the ship and its crew to life is Simone Di Meo (“Something Is Killing The Children,” “Mighty Morphing Power Rangers/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Future State: Harly Quinn,”) who does a remarkable job showcasing just how small and intimate the living quarters are on the Vihaan II. Assisting Di Meo with colors is Mariasara Miotti, who helps Di Meo capture the different looks and feelings of the ship. The art team clearly defines each section of the ship with the interior lighting, which helps orient the reader about where the action is taking place. In addition, the coloring of “We Only Find Them When They’re Dead” helps establish how large the universe truly is. The gods are colorful, but all colors that aren’t synthetic are dulled and muted in the dead of space.
What’s it all about?
In the future, humans have made it to the stars and encountered larger-than-life cosmic beings that humans call “gods.” Unfortunately, while humans aren’t alone in the universe, these gods are dead and incredibly valuable. “We Only Find Them When They’re Dead” follows the crew of the Vihaan II, an autopsy ship tasked with harvesting the bodies for resources that have made the inner civilization incredibly wealthy. The problem is that all is not as it seems, as Captain Malik wants to discover a still living god.
Much of the first arc, ‘The Seeker’ follows Malik and his crew and their pursuer searching for a living god, a quest that might very well destabilize the galaxy. If there are still living gods, people might be less willing to harvest their bodies, and without that bounty, the lives (and fortunes) of those in the inner planets could become difficult. The new arc of “We Only Find Them When They’re Dead” investigates a world in the wake of Captain Malik’s fateful journey.
What makes it so great?
It shouldn’t be surprising that Al Ewing is once again featured in a Don’t Miss This because he is consistently putting out stellar work across all different tones and genres. In fact, “We Only Find Them When They’re Dead” is one of three space books Ewing is putting out right now, with each one representing a different approach to science fiction and space opera. While Ewing is busy building a rip-roaring space opera over at Marvel, “We Only Find Them When They’re Dead” feels closer to The Expanse. It’s an adventure that is a bit darker, grittier, and more interested in interpersonal and political dynamics. It’s a story of exploitation and intrigue, people on the fringes of society pushed to their limits, and what happens when people decide to push back. Each issue of the first arc gives you a bit more information about the crew, what drives them, and motivates them, ultimately ending in a twist about those who can exploit and manipulate hope for their end. Ewing is a master at building compelling mystery while making you care about the crew, which helps set up the stakes for the first story and the universe moving forward. Yet, Ewing’s future is somewhat bleak. It’s a cramped and dingy world that relies on exploiting others and even cosmic beings to get ahead.
Continued belowHelping to create this cramped and dingy world is Simone Di Meo’s art. The book often will shift between tight closeups of the crew communicating with one another in their small quarters to massive wide shots of space showing just how small these ships are on a cosmic scale. By combining these perspectives, Meo captures just how small these characters are on a cosmic scale while simultaneously showing how tight and intimate the ship is. Meo’s page layout also gives “We Only Find Them When They’re Dead” a close-quartered feel. While the ship has its distinct quarters, indicated by the coloring and lighting of the scene, Meo has dialogue panels bumping into one another and invading their space. It helps to show the intimate nature and familiarity of the crew. Even if they’re far apart, they’re never more than a phone call away. These page layouts also make the action feel more dynamic when Ewing creates chase scenes or firefights. Meo also does a good job establishing the process of god harvesting and how they use those tools as weapons later. Together, Ewing and Di Meo create a darker universe, but a universe with established rules and processes. Now they get to tear that universe down!
How can you read it?
“We Only Find Them When They’re Dead” is published monthly by Boom! Studios and the seventh issue is available this Wednesday at your local comic shop or on digital platforms like Comixology. If you are looking to catch up, the first five issues are available in trade paperback and can be found at comic shops or online retail.
