THE ORVILLE #1: NEW BEGINNINGS PART 1 review

• Writer: David A. Goodman
• Artist (Interiors and Cover): David Cabeza
• Colorist: Michael Atiyeh

Thanks to Dark Horse for providing a copy of THE ORVILLE #1: NEW BEGINNINGS PART 1 for review!

The Orville:  A sci-fi dramedy set in the future on the USS Orville.  You follow creator and star Seth McFarlane and his crew on their missions to explore the universe.  There’s more to it, but you get the idea. This particular comic series takes place between seasons 1 and 2, which is nice because it fills in some blanks regarding the crew and their lives.  Let’s discuss the first part of this series (since that’s all I’ve got so far). If you haven’t watched the show, SPOILERS! You have been warned.

We start off with Captain Mercer (Seth McFarlane) sitting alone when Commander Grayson (Adrienne Palicki) walks up, says she takes back breaking up, and BAM! Kisses Mercer!  But of course it couldn’t be so simple… An alarm goes off and we see Mercer sitting alone… It was just a dream. Needless to say, there is some tension between the two in the first few pages and that can be easily read if you know the characters.

Lieutenant Gordon Malloy (Scott Grimes) accompanies Mercer to a conference and of course, it isn’t smooth sailing.  They pick up a distress call and due to regulations, they must answer it. They try to contact the Orville, but due to the mission they are currently on, there is something blocking their communications.  Well nothing can go wrong here, right? WRONG! Crash landing onto a planet and interactions with a new species (For me at least. The crew may know who they are… or what they are.).

Meanwhile, back on the Orville, Grayson talks about her feelings and the possibility of dating.  All while dealing with being in command while Mercer is away. And of course she has her own issues to deal with, including a certain on-board teacher.  Tempers flare and threats are made. Who will win this argument?

So is this comic worth your time? I do believe so.  The writing is fun, just like the show. If you have watched it, and again I recommend it, it is easy to pick up the humor.  It can be difficult to understand the humor in comics at times because you are reading it and not hearing the punchlines said by the person.   The artwork is pretty good and they characters have a very close likeness to the actors on the show.  

If you like sci-fi, then you will like this comic.  It is a parody on those good old sci-fi shows and movies we grew up on and continue to watch.  You will find that some characters are relatable in the situations they go through and they as a whole are entertaining.  How could you not find enjoyment in that?  

Pick up your copy of this Dark Horse comic ASAP and enjoy!  And stay tuned for the next chapter. I can’t wait to see how everything turns out (well, I kind of already know seeing as how I have seen the beginning of the second season).  

THE ORVILLE #1: NEW BEGINNINGS PART 1 is now available.