Written by Gerard Way and illustrated by Gabriel Ba, The Umbrella Academy is another example of comic book turned TV show, following in the footsteps of similarly dark realism properties like the Marvel series quintet, DC’s Arrowverse, and Wynonna Earp. It’s an interesting road now oft traveled in the pursuit of more viewers; a path that borrows generously from other mediums as well as other generations.

This fanciful musing on what TUA weaves well into its own dynamic story is in no way a slight against it. I enjoyed the first season quite a lot and finished it fast. Tropes and throwbacks are categorized as such , and repeated like so, because, in a world full of individuals, occasionally strangely specific themes seem to grip our interest.

In this post, I wish to explore the familiar as an enticement to embrace the new. Continue reading “What The Umbrella Academy Covers: Sci-Fi Mainstays and Comic Book Commons” →