Indie Comics Review: We Only Find Them When They’re Dead Volume #1

Indie Comics Review: We Only Find Them When They’re Dead Volume #1

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Written By: Al Ewing

Illustrated By: Simone Di Meo

Color Assists By: Mariasara Miotti

Lettered By: Andworld Design

Review By: Kendra Hale

The Gods are always beautiful. And the Gods are always dead.  That is one of the haunting premises of We Only Find Them When They’re Dead.  In this part of space there are autopsy cruisers with the purpose of dismantling the gods that are dead floating in space for resources. But what if there was more to the gods than just mining them? There are so many questions and Captain Georges Malik has spent his life pondering them. 

We Only Find Them When They’re Dead Volume #1 is a 148 page offering that contains not only issues #1-5 but also a collection of some of the stunning and brilliant covers that have graced the issues. The space odyssey stays its focus on the Vihaan II, an autopsy ship with a crew of four.  The Vihaan II is but one of many ships out there trying to make a living sourcing the resources of the Gods, but their Captain is the one who wants a change in life, he wants more. 

Eight Bells All’s Well

The Vihaan II consists of four crew members. Captain Georges Malik, Ella Hauer the Coroner, Alice Wirth the Quartermaster, and Jason Hauer the Engineer make up but one of many crews that dissect the gods who float in space. Also a main character of focus is Paula Richter one of the officer who ensures that all goes accordingly.  Paula and Georges have quite a torrential past that deals with family and love in specific. Of course, there is also a secret. One that Paula hounds Georges for at any cost through the course of the book. 

Georges just wants to break free from all the death and has a plan in place to make his dream reality. He and his crew are on a mission to find a living God. He knows in his heart that they are out there somewhere. But the main question is, with Paula only too happy to chase him to the deepest recesses of space and a crew to care for…just what will he do when and if he finds one?

Positives

Across these five issues the artwork by Simone Di Meo is so consistently beautiful, some of the most exquisite work I have seen honestly. The writing by Al Ewing is emotional and the artwork and color choices reflect that. The Gods are indeed breathtaking to behold and I love that the tale feels like it connects to the reader. Both visual and emotional for the big moments. 

In fact all of the team makes this the experience that it is for the reader. From the colors to the letters…all of it gets high marks. Watching the obsession of Malik as he just wants to see that there is more to the life they are living, that there is more than dead Gods.  It Is a powerful thing, and the stories of the crew and of Paula Richter just add to the tale with their depth. 

 Negatives

Aside from a slow burn there really isn’t much I can think of that qualifies as a negative. Even the slow burn doesn’t count because once this series goes off, it goes off.

Verdict

Do yourself a favor and get lost among the stars and dead Gods. You won’t regret the journey of We Only Find Them When They’re Dead Volume #1. 

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