‘The Umbrella Academy’ Early Buzz: A Weird And Wonderful Must-See Comic Book Series
The Umbrella Academyis just the latest of many superhero series to hit the small screen, as Hollywood breathlessly tries to mine every comic book for a TV show or film adaptation.
But the Netflix series, based on theGerard WayandGabriel BáDark Horse comic book series of the same name, stands apart from the rest.Ellen Pageleads the cast ofThe Umbrella Academy, which follows a gang of misfit siblings with superpowers who reunite to solve the mystery of their father’s death. Critics are praising the Netflix series for being a breath of fresh air from the glut of Marvel and DC Comics adaptations, offering a refreshing and bonkers take on the familiar genre.
SeeThe Umbrella Academyearly buzz below.
The Washington PostpraisesThe Umbrella Academyas “refreshingly weird” and a bright indicator of Netflix’s future of superhero shows post-Marvel:
Hollywood execs and streaming giants are still sifting their fingers through bagged and boarded comics looking for gold, but they’re finally taking chances on the really good stuff. Don’t get me wrong: “The Umbrella Academy” is a superpowered affair, with creepy domino masks, heroics and a superhero-adoring public.
But many comic book readers head over to a publisher like Dark Horse Comics because their tastes are asking for something different from the superhero norm. And that’s why you’ll probably enjoy this show.
Colliderwrites thatThe Umbrella Academyis a “refreshing and wonderfully bonkers” antidote to the influx of superhero movies:
Comicbook.comcalls the series “a bold yet familiar take on the superhero genre,” adding:
The Observersays that whileThe Umbrella Academyis based on existing source material, “it feels original. It isn’t beholden to the overbearing rules and restrictive continuity of a shared cinematic universe”:
CNETcalls the series “a fantastic riot of action and pop music,” writing:
The high concept: seven children, born at the same time, on the same day, are adopted by an eccentric entrepreneur and trained to become superheroes. It’s a story that mixes multiple storylines as you breathlessly attempt to keep up, and it spices up scenes with just the right amount of pop music.
“Weird” and “refreshing” seem to be the words of choice in all these reviews, and that bodes well forThe Umbrella Academy, which has to set itself apart from the influx of superhero shows that hit primetime and cable networks in addition to countless streaming platforms. With a star like Page, who is a superhero veteran at this point, leading the way,The Umbrella Academycould just be bonkers enough to become a bonafide sensation.
