God Hates Astronauts #1 is easily my favorite book this month. A loaded statement for sure, since this month has seen only one Wednesday. That’s a whole three new comic book days away from the end of the month; and here I am already declaring this one is the best of the whole crop? Absolutely. God Hates Astronauts is a tour de force, I honestly can’t think of a book that made me smile ear to ear before the book even started. What makes this such a great title? Why am I so eager to sing the praises of a book that seemingly comes out of nowhere? Why is there a man with a flaming cow head on the cover? Let’s get this all sorted out after the cut
God Hates Astronauts is a special book, a downright treat on a lot of levels. Some history on this title, because this book didn’t just fall out of the sky. GHA is a creator-owned title that you might have heard of, earlier in the year the creator Ryan Browne (or, as the opening credits page calls him; Ryan “What Do You Mean It’s Not Butter” Browne) launched a Kickstarter to see the original comic (sold as print issues on the con circuit as well as hosted online FOR FREE at http://www.godhatesastronauts.com/) collected into an omnibus. Now, this book on shelves is entirely accessible. I for one have yet to read any other GHA material; and that’s getting rectified as we speak. This book is an absolute must, an absurd title that deserves as much love from readers as Ryan Browne clearly put into this book himself.
Plot-wise, what we have here is an absolutely solid first issue. Conflicts are set up, characters introduced and there’s plenty of action to propel readers from candy-colored page to candy-colored page. Structurally; we have ourselves a real showstopper. Also, this is probably the last bit of the book that thrives on structure. You see, this is an absolutely INSANE book; a non-stop revelry from page one to page done.
The basic premise is; we have a team of heroes known as the Power Persons Five. Their job is to prevent farmers from blasting themselves into space (naturally, they do this to fulfill their cultish beliefs revolving around the Golden Moon-Heaven that awaits them on the moon). Farmers launching themselves into space is a major violation of NASA Law, and also a major firestarter in terms of the maintenance of intergalactic peace. You see, one rogue silo has killed Prince Tiger Eating a Cheeseburger, enraging his powerful father KING Tiger Eating a Cheeseburger. He in turn has declared war on earth; a genuine threat considering his command over armies of crab-headed soldiers. There’s a surprising amount of exposition and recap done in this book, and none of it ever feels forced. That’s because the writing is absolutely slick; every word is right where it belongs. Almost every panel had me either laughing or wide-eyed. Not since Scud: The Disposable Assassin has a book made me this giddy; and that’s some high praise.
Would you believe me if I told you the book has even crazier things in store for you? I don’t wanna give everything away but trust me when I say this book is completely off the wall. Now, I don’t know about you, but sometimes I want me a comic that’ll put a huge smile on my face. As someone who reads a lot of serious and somber fiction, sometimes a quick 20 page grin is just what the doctor ordered. If you agree with me, God Hates Astronauts is more than just a little smile. It’s a full on Louisiana marching band for the brain. If you check out any new books this month, I implore you to check this one out. Or don’t, your loss. If you need me, I’ll be re-re-re-reading Star Grass getting ass-blasted by astro farmers.
