REVIEW: ‘We Only Find Them When They’re Dead,’ Issue #1

We Only Find Them When They’re Dead #1 is published by BOOM! Studios. It comes from the creative team of writer Al Ewing, artist Simone Di Meo, coloring assists from Mariasara Miotti, and lettering by AndWorld Design. The comic opens in space, the year 2323. A young boy named Georges accompanies his mother in their autopsy ship known as the Vihaan. Georges’ mother explains that the Vihaan will be his one day as they come upon the object of their search. A dead god.

The narrative then shifts forward to the present. Georges is a man grown, and he mans his own crew as they begin to harvest from another of these dead gods. As the rest of his crew begins making preparations they observe other ships and crews fighting over the other parts of the colossal corpse. But despite the quiet unassuming nature of Georges and the crew of the Vihaan, there is more to their actions than meets the eye.

One of the most important aspects of science fiction is the commentary. No matter how far-out the plot, there must always be an undercurrent that relates to the modern age. In We Only Find Them When They’re Dead #1, Ewing does an excellent job of blending outlandish sci-fi ideas with sharp commentary. Despite it being the distant future, the themes of corporate exploitation, poverty, and martial overreach are front and center in this story. Ewing blends these ideas together with a deft hand and a cleverness that makes this story difficult to put down. There is the perfect combination of mystery, exposition, and action to make this an exceptionally dynamic first issue.

The art of Di Meo is also outstanding. We can see the coldness of space through tinted windows and neon colors. The frankness with which the god’s corpse is butchered is beautiful. But it also further illustrates the dehumanizing nature of late-stage capitalism. Thanks to their art we are able to literally watch people fighting over the scraps of a dead god just to survive. Furthermore, the lettering work from AndWorld is great. At times it can be a little difficult to discern who is talking when everyone communicates over comms systems. However, this is a small complaint that doesn’t hold back the book whatsoever.

We Only Find Them When They’re Dead #1 is a brilliant first step into a cold and uncaring universe. It serves as both fascinating science fiction, and condemnation of the systems that dehumanize us. I am usually very difficult to please when it comes to sci-fi, but this series will remain on my pull list until it ends. This issue is a must-read for fans of science fiction.