Uncanny Valley Issue 1 Review
Uncanny Valley Issue 1 Cover A by Dave Wachter
Uncanny Valley issue 1 is Who Framed Roger Rabbit meets The Terminator, which are two worlds I thought would never collide—but when it comes to writer Tony Fleecs, it’s something he has become incredibly good at.
Written by Tony Fleecs with art by Dave Wachtner, Uncanny Valley is the classic chosen one story with a cartoony twist. Published by BOOM! Studios, issue one finds Oliver struggling to fit in at his new school.
Part of Oliver’s struggle is the fact that things that he cannot quite explain keep happening to him, strange things. He jumps off a bridge with friends and leaves a cartoonish hole in the ground, he bounces off the walls in class when he hurts himself and he causes fires after eating pepper—all things that a normal human boy should not be able to do.
We learn after a trip to the principles office of his struggles through a drive home from school with his mom where it is clear that she does not want to talk about their family history or culture, even if it is for a school project.
Once they arrive home, thats when things begin to pick up as crows begin to attack Oliver and his mom. When all seems lost, a Yosemite Sam-like character kicks in the door and it is revealed that this is Oliver’s grandpa and things begin to make sense.
Fleecs and Wachter deliver a first issue that both establishes an interesting world while leaving enough mystery to keep you wanting more.
A story like Uncanny Valley is incredible hard to pull off because you have the real emotional journey of a character like Oliver who is thrown into a world of his grandfather and this has to be conveyed through the story and art.
Wachter is able to strike a balance between two art styles without it taking you out of the story. When Oliver’s grandfather kicks in the door Kyle Reese style, thats the moment you know—”okay, I’m in.” As cool as a premise as Uncanny Valley is, if Wachter does not land that moment with the art, it goes out the window—and as soon as you see that splash page the story kicks into high gear.
While Wachter brings it on the art, Fleecs continues to prove why he is one of the most fun voices in comics today. I found Fleecs’ work through Local Man and every book I’ve picked up since has made me question why it took me so long to find his work and Uncanny Valley is no different— You have that melding of two diametrically opposed worlds like in Stray Dogs or Local Man with the fun of Army of Darkness: Forever.
Uncanny Valley #1 hits stores 4/10/24.
