Conspiracy: Area 51 #1: They Can’t Stop All of Us

Following the exciting first volume of Conspiracy which focused on the mysterious Illuminati, the second volume takes readers inside one of the most talked about conspiracies of all time…Area 51! The first issue is both thrilling and quite shocking, kicking off what looks to be a sci-fi horror that pulls readers into the unknown with stellar artwork and terror lurking behind every door.

With Hans Rodionoff and Adam F. Goldberg taking on this exciting project at Zenescope, there was an air of mystery surrounding just what they might bring to the table. It’s undeniable that their work on The Goldbergs is an absolute hit, but this is something else entirely. It doesn’t take long to see that Conspiracy: Area 51 #1 is a great example of just how in touch with the medium these writers are, and how much of a treat readers are in for. Following the format of the first volume with interconnected stories surrounding an overarching narrative, we pick up on the Facebook event turned internet sensation: Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us.

Remember the Naruto run explanations, “Lets see them aliens” and general abundance of Area 51 memes? You can pretty much find all of that in the first few pages of issue #1. It is such an interesting concept to use this brief, but still immensely entertaining cultural moment to dive into this conspiracy. Although it is old in terms of the internet cycle, the question of what lies behind the doors in Area 51 is the driving force behind this series. The characters we follow into the actual location are believable and just curious enough to get themselves into real danger, but as they come out of the Area 51 Raid, there is a horror trope at play which introduces these fun people setting them up to be put through the wringer and maybe even not come out alive. We’ve seen this from slashers to sci-fi within horror and these three characters with codenames “Dr. Kreiner, Emily and David” are right in line with that dynamic. You can feel their impending tragedy from the moment you meet them and the issue just spirals from there into some truly crazy $#*!.

It has all of the wild and unspeakable elements your imagination goes to when exploring Area 51, but it can only pull these off with the fundamentally sound artwork from Allan Otero and company. Everything from Paciarotti’s vivid colors to Mangual’s easy-to-follow letters shows this book has great execution. While it is a bit unfortunate that it takes over half of the issue to really get into the real darker aspects of the story, this also helps to build tension and establish the mystery that is about to unravel. The visuals ease any issues with pacing and help to create an enjoyable reading experience all throughout.

To put it simply, I had a LOT of fun reading Conspiracy: Area 51 #1. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it goes to some pretty extreme places that makes for a truly entertaining read. I don’t want to spoil the surprises it holds, but there is a LOT you won’t see coming and it makes for a great time. For those who are wanting a place to jump into Zenescope comics without worrying about their large (and awesome) interconnected universe, this is an excellent place to start!

Do yourself a favor and pick up this book.