Indigo Children #1

Comic Watch

Indigo Children is a near perfect first issue that successfully takes a fairly common trope of the sci-fi gifted child and invigorates it by taking some interesting risks with how much it shows the reader while the art team execute an absolutely flawlessly paced cinematic comic that sucks you in and doesn't let go till the last page. A very strong and promising debut issue from everyone involved.

AIPT

Indigo Children #1 delivers a tightly plotted, starkly illustrated sci-fi thriller that raises just as many questions as it answers. Is Alexei a savior or a tyrant? Is he the next stage of evolution, or a force from beyond the stars? Whatever the answers, I look forward to where future issues take us.

The Super Powered Fancast

The Story: Pires and White craft an engaging mystery in this first issue. I love the narrative framework of the story as well as the danger within it. There are a lot of things left vague including motivations and that made me curious to know more about the characters and their circumstances. The reveals are compelling and based on the cliffhanger at the end of the issue, I will definitely check out the next issue to see what happens. The Art: Diotto delivers some great art throughout the issue. The characters look great and the visual atmosphere of the issue is fantastic.

Multiversity Comics

So what exactly is going on in “Indigo Children” #1? The story starts (well, excluding the mystical prologue which includes some lovely magical child x Sphinx communing) with journalist Donovan Price receiving a videotape of an interview with the precocious and eerie Alexei, a young Russian boy who’s really good at math and sincerely believes he’s the reincarnated soul of a Martian sent to the human race to prevent them from making the same mistakes the Martians did. Of course, the tape, the people in it, and Alexei himself have been scrubbed from the cosmos. Donovan has no idea who sent him the tape, and can’t find any more information on the kid after a certain date. Things move forward as he survives an assassination attempt, goes to Russia to figure things out, and gets in over his head. This all gets paired with some exciting prologue/flashback/epilogue moments. If there’s one knock against “Indigo Children” #1 it’s that some of the plot feels a little rushed, and obstacles put in the way of our characters gets waved away a little too quickly. If you’re willing to let that go, then “Indigo Children” is incredibly easy to enjoy. “Indigo Children” #1 will be a must-add to the pull list for people with a penchant for the weird, and for lowkey stories that still pack a huge punch. Eerie and enchanting, “Indigo Children” will pull you in with its magnetism.

Graphic Policy

Indigo Children #1 is an intriguing start. It uses a rather controversial term for its title but overall the comic steers clear of the controversy. Instead, it's a placeholder for mutant or meta that other publishers use. How it all plays out should be rather interesting as the setup is intriguing and the comic itself paces things out nicely.

The Newest Rant

This Image series from Curt Pires and Rockwell White has gotten some buzz due to apparently already being optioned as an Amazon Prime show. It involves a journalist trying to get to the bottom of a story about a kid some years ago who seemed to exhibit immense intelligence as well as extraordinary powers. This is less of a superhero story than a sci-fi thriller, however. The debut issue is extra chunky which I appreciated as it gives the story time to breathe and build up to some interesting little twists. I'm quite curious about where things will be going, so it is a promising start.

Capes & Tights

Acclaimed creator Curt Pires (It’s Only Teenage Wasteland, Wyrd) returns to Image for a brand-new ongoing series with the creative team behind the smash-hit series Youth, soon to be a show on Amazon Prime! Radiant Black meets The Department of Truth in this action-packed sci-fi/mystery epic as journalist Donovan Price hunts down the extraordinarily gifted Indigo Children after their mysterious disappearance fifteen years prior. This double-length debut issue is action packed with outstanding simple artwork from Alex Diotto, amazing colors from Dee Cunniffe, and eye-catching lettering from Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. The creative team uses color changes to decipher between current times and flashbacks which is something that works well for simple comic readers. The book is both well written, which is to be expected with Pires and Rockwell White, and great to look at visually. The concept of Indigo Children is wonderful and the use of the journalist perspective just adds to the story, giving you a different feel from most comics on the shelf today. Pires and the creative team give you enough in the first oversized issue, but also leave you wanting more.

The Comicbook Dispatch

Government conspiracies, a hint of Heinleins novel Stranger In A Strange Land, and an overt reference to The Truman Show make this an intriguing debut. After two readings, I dont understand everything in Indigo Children #1, but I welcome learning more.

Comic Book Revolution

The only place where the story in Indigo Children stumbles is the timeline of events. The opening gives us a hint that something happened five years earlier. But after that there is no other indication given when the present takes place in relation to the various flashbacks. Having dates would’ve given much more weight to how characters acted and where Donovan found them. This definitely does feel like its an element quickly forgotten after used at the beginning of the issue. In terms of art style Diotte and Cunniffe artwork fits with the tone of the story. It is not necessarily the most detailed with the way characters are drawn and colored lacking a depth to it. This does not get in the way of the story being told. There just wasn’t anything that stood out that leaves you wowed at what is shown happen. (...) Indigo Children #1 rewards the reader with a story that builds tension that pays off with a hook ending leaving you wanting to read the next issue right away. Everything is here for fans of sci-fi and mystery stories to enjoy.

ComicBook.com

Indigo Children #1 doesn't deliver enough. It's derivative, ineffective at the basic tenets of the genre it's trying to play in, and the execution of its simple plot is rough around the edges. One might be able to overlook all of these sins if offered a strong enough central hook. Instead, it barely realizes its pitch, and what is here feels well-worn. It should be easy for Amazon to adapt, but it's a wanting debut.