One of the joys of comics is that they can do stories no other medium can do, but that doesn't mean they're not suited to stories other mediums can handle as well. Case in point, Invasion '55, which is a classic 1950s alien invasion story that reads like Signs or Independence Day, with a slightly darker tone reminiscent of the former and an emphasis on action reminiscent of the latter. Dixon creates a great small cast of characters and paces the whole thing like a B-movie from the 50s, with better dialogue and characterization. And Lito Fernandez, a name I'm not familiar with, partners up with Dixon to provide some old school and gorgeously detailed black and white work reminiscent of John Byrne at the height of his career.
While reading Invasion '55, I was reminded of stories like The Blob or Invasion of the Body Snatchers, stories of an invasion by otherworldly forces where the ensemble cast is big enough that you're not sure if everyone is going to make it out. In addition, there's no saying that the story might not end with the invasion succeeding, since there's no real need for a continuing story, and the result is a higher level of tension and potential surprise.
Dixon gets plenty of credit for his work on action, and he sets up some interesting sequences this issue. The stolen plane and crash landing is a terrific set-piece, and the first meeting between Jimmy and Eddy is a nice bit of last-minute rescue, blasting action. In addition, Dixon gets plenty of mileage out of the feeling of facing hopeless odds, as various heroes find themselves barricaded in against seemingly endless supplies of invaders or facing down a monstrous central intelligence.
Where Dixon doesn't always get credit is for his strength of characterization, and Invasion '55 is about as good as it gets. Though these characters are archetypes, or less charitably cliches, that's perfectly fitting for the style of the book. The renegade ex-war hero is portrayed more effectively in this story than in two years' worth of American Century, the tough girl reporter is a perfect foil for him, and the punk kid with a heart of gold that is Eddie is another great 50s archetype. Throw in the lovable kid, and you've got the cast for an ideal 50s movie, a great ensemble that represents various elements of the time period.
Lito Fernandez complements a great script with great artwork, full of exquisite detail. Playing it out in black and white is, again, true to the era, but more importantly it better serves Fernandez's work. The amount of detail in the linework, from backgrounds to characters to the tiniest of props, is unbelievable. While Fernandez is given to just the right amount of cartoonish exaggeration on the expressions of the characters to heighten the action or humor of a moment, his style is very realistic, giving the aliens a more frightening look as they co-exist with a pretty well-realized world.
Invasion '55 provides the reader with chills, spills and thrills, to paraphrase the movie trailers of the time, and it's a case of money and time well spent.
