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Sep 22, 2015 Issue #54 - August/September 2015 - CHVRCHES By Zach Hollwedel

If you haven’t yet read Eric Stephenson and Simon Gane’s They’re Not Like Us, put down whatever superhero title you’re reading and pick that up instead. Trust me. In a marketplace overflowing with meta-human books, there’s not a single one quite like They’re Not Like Us-a title one can’t help but wonder might have been an intentional (or not) jab at the rest of the industry on Stephenson’s and Gane’s part. Written brilliantly by Stephenson, the ongoing series (the first six issues of which are collected in this trade) follows Syd, a high-powered telepath taken in by a group of other millennials with special abilities after a failed suicide attempt. Only they’re not exactly your benevolent vigilantes. Overseen by a highly skilled telepath known as The Voice, the group (none of whom know one another’s true identity) takes whatever they want from the “normals” of the world—money, possessions, houses—and relishes the savage beatings they bestow upon people. And for Syd to become a member, they ask one major thing from her—she must kill her own parents.

At first glance, They’re Not Like Us might appear overly talky, too short on action and too rife with dialogue bubbles. However, it’s in the dialogue that Stephenson shines. The story is so thoroughly engrossing, the characters boundlessly complex from the very first panel, it’s nearly impossible to put the book down. Gane delivers beautiful illustrations that complement the script perfectly, without once overwhelming the page. Together, the duo delivers one of the most unique, riveting, and morally nebulous meta-human stories currently on shelves. (www.imagecomics.com)

Author rating: 8.5/10