The Silent Invasion: Secret Affairs, Red Shadows

Rating:
Summary: Execution doesn't live up to potential of idea
Review: Sometimes the germ of an idea is better than its execution. This is the case in The Silent Invasion: Secret Affairs and Red Shadows, a science fiction/paranoid conspiracy tale.

I was immediately intrigued by a graphic novel set in 1950s America focusing on a reporter searching for evidence of aliens based on an encounter that he had. When a secret group that controls the media and government is involved in the alien cover-up, and a sub-story dealing with the Red Scare and communist infiltration, I was sold. Lots of elements that interest me and furthermore, this comic was originally published in the late 80s, so it preceded The X-Files and the countless imitators that dealt with many of these themes in the 90s and today.

However, I was disappointed until the final chapter of this collection, when the pacing of the story gained steam and the storytelling (both words and art) finally came together. Cherkas' black and white artwork, which I have enjoyed in other comics, didn't quite work because the heavy inks and stylized artwork made it difficult to follow the numerous characters. The art does work for a story set in the 50s though and the detail work is appropriate.

Hancock's story takes a while to get rolling, but once it does, it is engaging. By the end of this volume, I was involved with many of the characters and looked forward to another volume.

There are aspects of the storytelling that I found distracting, such as the multiple shifts from first-person to omniscient narrator that hindered the flow of the story. While I am not against this device, it was awkwardly done in this volume, often in the middle of a page. The use of English spellings of "favour," "realise," and "honour" which I don't have a problem with when reading a British or Canadian book seemed out of place in a story set in America. Most of the use of humor (or "humour") falls short and distracts rather than adds to the story.

This volume is worth reading if you are a fan of the time period and the type of story popularized in The X-Files. Two other volumes Tarnished Dreams and The Great Fear are also available.