#31 Blue Book by James Tynion IV and Michael Avon Oeming

The volume I own contains ten issues: the first one, set in 1961, and the second, which goes further back to 1947. In both cases, the stories take place in America. Just from the cover alone, you immediately understand you are dealing with UFOs, and if you have even a passing interest in the subject, the term Project Blue Book will certainly sound familiar.

In this series, Tynion explores what seems to be a personal passion. He must be an incredible nerd, judging by the way he approaches The Department of Truth, which is my favorite among his works. Yet with Blue Book he does something I don’t think he has ever attempted before.

The first part focuses on Betty and Barney Hill, real-life individuals who, during a road trip through rural New Hampshire, claimed to have encountered a UFO. According to their account, a strange light enveloped them as they were driving, and they saw a flying object in the sky covered in multicolored lights. From that moment, their lives changed forever. They attempted to prove their experience, insisting they suffered partial amnesia, but under hypnosis their memories resurfaced, and what they recalled was deeply unsettling.

The second part shifts to pilot Kenneth Arnold, who, while flying over the Pacific Northwest, spotted an unidentified flying object. His report of the incident gave birth to the now-famous term UFO.

The stylized depiction of these events, rendered in a black, blue, and white palette through Oeming’s distinctive artwork, gives the book a documentary-like quality that feels both pulp and retro. Combined with Tynion’s narrative approach, it creates something unique, engaging, and, in an oddly compelling way, original.

The intention behind the work is to present these stories as faithfully as possible, yet I believe the choice of artist is what truly defines Blue Book. As a reader, you recognize these are “true weird” accounts, but there’s also a subtle impression that the creators want to believe and that the truth is out there.

I am convinced The X-Files was a major reference point for the comic, especially after noticing small details that confirmed my suspicion.

Discovering this comic was a real joy, it was exactly what I needed at this moment, and I can’t wait for the continuation, which, if I’m not mistaken, will be titled Red Book.

Until next time — be well, and keep reading.

It’s important!

Accompanying Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g03gS3pWU4&t=1359s

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