Cops, jewel thieves, and the extraterrestrial… what more could you ask for in Area 510, a new graphic novel from Oni Press.
Area 510 comes from blockbuster creators Jay Faerber (Copperhead, Near Death, television’s Supergirl) and Justin Greenwood (Stumptown, Compass, Stringers) comes a thrilling tale of urban survival. Area 510 also features colors from Lee Loughridge and letters from Thomas Mauer.
Rookie officer Ward has his hands full with an overbearing partner and a scheming burglary suspect. But when Ward’s partner is shockingly killed by aliens, Ward and his suspect, the wily Lucinda, make a run for it. Their destination: Oakland Police HQ, where they hope to find safe haven. But as Ward and Lucinda have numerous alien encounters along the way, they fear these attacks aren’t random, and that the aliens are targeting them!
Stumbling upon Area 510 was worth the journey. Not your typical fan of graphic novels or trade paperback as a medium of taking in my comic books, typically a single-issue fan, this book was the right length and had great design work.
As a fan of heist films, detective shows, and the x-files, this graphic novel was all of that in one easy-to-read and beautifully illustrated book. Faerber’s story and script paired with Greenwood’s artwork compliments each other well.
Outside of the final few pages seeming a bit rushed, the rest of the book has great characters and plot. Loughridge adds great color scheme along with some wonderful lettering from Mauer.
Area 510 gave me glimpses of Rick Grimes from the Walking Dead and Agent M from Men In Black. Grimes’ need to be a cop even during the apocalypse is just like Office Ward in this book, although Rick was a veteran of the force while Ward is a rookie.
The book is based in area code 510, or Oakland, Calif., and the creative team gave a nice shoutout to one of the great comic book stores in the country, Cape and Cowl Comics on Clay Street.
Not going to say it is in the favorite graphic novels of all-time category, but the book definitely is a great read and worth picking up. The Area 510 hardcover is available everywhere graphic novels are sold.
Area 510 Hardcover Preview
