Blue Book #5 // Review
Dr. Simon worked quite closely with Betty and Barney Hill over a series of months. They had memories of being abducted by extraterrestrials that would not go away. Gradually, they could begin to recall memories that they had only remembered under hypnosis when they had started working with the doctor. A graphic adaptation of their journey continues in Blue Book #5. Writer James Tynion IV adapts the Hills’ story to page and panel under the power of artist Michael Avon Oeming. It’s an interesting look at an account that had only been occasionally given the kind of attention it so richly deserves despite how truly fascinating a case it is. There is also a back-up “True Weird” feature by Genevieve Valentine with art by Ming Doyle.
The doctor believed that Betty’s nightmares had slipped into Barney’s memories. What he thought had happened was merely a fusion of reality and Betty’s dreams. The Hills thought otherwise. The Hills’ experiences with the doctor may not have provided any answers, but they DID give the Hills a bit of relief from the trauma of what they had been through. The Hills were fully prepared to get on with their lives. They occasionally met with a UFO group, but they sought no media coverage. It was coming for them anyway...it was only a matter of time before An Interrupted Journey would be published...forever changing their lives.
Tynion falls into the traditional pitfalls of presenting a story of alien abduction. There’s a question of “beliefs” and “believing” in UFOs rather than a simple fascination with the phenomena. Framing UFOs and related phenomena as a question of “belief” pulls it out of the realm of science where it so rightly belongs. The personal aspects of the lives of Betty and Barney Hill are presented in a way that defines the drama in their lives quite succinctly, but it lacks the meaningful insight that would make the retelling of their story interesting. Valentine’s back-up regarding investigations into ectoplasm and the spirit world makes for an intriguing little addition to the issue.
Oeming’s blocky darkness and equally blocky light are tastefully contrasted with the light blue that gives the title its distinctive appearance. Graphically, Blue Book is an appealing package. Tynion’s script is filled with powerfully iconic moments of stillness, which inhabit an appealing visual world that Oeming does a really good job of conjuring to the page. There isn’t a whole lot of movement in the script. As a result, Oeming seems to be illustrating Tynion’s text...and it would seem unappealing were it not for the fact that Oeming does SUCH a good job of layout. The contrast of the black and white and blue is appealing as well.
Tynion’s interest in the Hill abduction case is kind of a fun trip back to an old mystery, but the author isn’t really adding anything to the story that makes the journey worth making. Still--Oeming’s art and the coolly distinctive visual feel of the issue make it graphically appealing in a way that old accounts of alien abduction so rarely are.
