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The Silent Invasion #2
The Silent Invasion: Book 4: The Great Fear
Matt Sinkage, a reporter in the Fifties, is sure aliens are taking over people's bodies and our society. Others aren't so sure... Mixes humor and an involving suspenseful yarn.
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Larry Hancock
32 books4 followersLarry Hancock was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1954. He graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Mathematics and since then has toiled in Toronto as a Chartered Accountant. However, counter to the view of accountants as boring, he has written The Silent Invasion and The Purple Ray with Michael Cherkas and Suburban Nightmares with Cherkas and John van Bruggen. He enjoys reading mysteries, science fiction and comic books (as if you could not guess!).
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 1, 2021
'The Silent Invasion: The Great Fear' by Larry Hancock with art by Michael Cherkas is the second volume of a graphic novel reprint about UFOs and paranoia.
Reporter Matt Sinkage knows things, but he's been relegated to writing for tabloids. Even the people in his boarding house treat him like a traitor. When he finds a like between UFOs and a group called The Council. He also runs into a religious cult that worships UFOs. It all culminates with Matt trying to stop a politician from taking office.
There is more conspiracy and paranoia afoot in this volume. It all takes place in the 1950s, and this is the perfect era. It suffers a bit from pacing, probably owing to the era it was written in.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from NBM Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Reporter Matt Sinkage knows things, but he's been relegated to writing for tabloids. Even the people in his boarding house treat him like a traitor. When he finds a like between UFOs and a group called The Council. He also runs into a religious cult that worships UFOs. It all culminates with Matt trying to stop a politician from taking office.
There is more conspiracy and paranoia afoot in this volume. It all takes place in the 1950s, and this is the perfect era. It suffers a bit from pacing, probably owing to the era it was written in.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from NBM Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
January 11, 2021
The Silent Invasion: The Great Fear is the follow-up volume to The Silent Invasion: Red Shadows and continues the adventures of Matt Sinkage, ace reporter. If you want to read Red Shadows then stop here because spoilers are inevitable.
In that book, Matt Sinkage investigated UFOs but was blocked in his efforts by a secret organization called The Council. By the end of the adventure, he believed his girlfriend was possessed by an alien and so was locked away in an institution.
The Silent Invasion: The Great Fear begins three years later with Sinkage, now a free man, trying to rebuild his life. He lives at Mrs Hoople’s Boarding House in the small town of Rockhaven (pop. 4750) and works for George Armstrong, owner, editor and publisher of The Ranger, a small twice a week local newspaper. Sinkage also moonlights for The Tattler, making up ‘eyewitness’ accounts of strange events. ‘Ten Year Old Girl Watches as Satan Mutilates Pet Calf!’ for example. Presumably, The Tattler is based on The National Enquirer or Britains Sunday Sport.
Sinkage is leading a quiet life until a real story comes up. Local farmer Gladys Tanner holds a Space Conclave at her farm every year for the Sirian Utopian Foundation and guests are invited to be a part of the Cosmic Energy Funnel. The Foundation believes that only flying saucers can save the world from communism and nuclear destruction. The event is amazingly successful and draws large crowds. Unwisely, Sinkage decides to investigate and is soon embroiled in trouble again.
The Great Fear involves many of the characters from Red Shadows. Phil Housley, the former FBI agent; Matt’s baffled but supportive brother Walter and his angry unsupportive wife Katie and, of course, The Council. There are new developments as Sinkage becomes convinced that a presidential candidate is possessed by aliens. The black and white art by Michael Cherkas is the same - bold black lines, shadows, large people with small heads. It takes a bit of getting used to but not much, especially in the modern era where a variety of styles are acceptable and it nicely evokes a film noir feel. My generation grew up watching old Warner Brothers gangster films on Sunday afternoons so I like that look. The plot continues to explore the paranoia of 1950s America. All in all, it’s the mix as before and a fine mix it is.
I enjoyed Red Shadows and I liked The Great Fear, too. I look forward to part three, The Silent Invasion: Abductions! Intelligent, original indie comics like this make a nice change of pace from the ubiquitous superheroes taking over the cinema.
In that book, Matt Sinkage investigated UFOs but was blocked in his efforts by a secret organization called The Council. By the end of the adventure, he believed his girlfriend was possessed by an alien and so was locked away in an institution.
The Silent Invasion: The Great Fear begins three years later with Sinkage, now a free man, trying to rebuild his life. He lives at Mrs Hoople’s Boarding House in the small town of Rockhaven (pop. 4750) and works for George Armstrong, owner, editor and publisher of The Ranger, a small twice a week local newspaper. Sinkage also moonlights for The Tattler, making up ‘eyewitness’ accounts of strange events. ‘Ten Year Old Girl Watches as Satan Mutilates Pet Calf!’ for example. Presumably, The Tattler is based on The National Enquirer or Britains Sunday Sport.
Sinkage is leading a quiet life until a real story comes up. Local farmer Gladys Tanner holds a Space Conclave at her farm every year for the Sirian Utopian Foundation and guests are invited to be a part of the Cosmic Energy Funnel. The Foundation believes that only flying saucers can save the world from communism and nuclear destruction. The event is amazingly successful and draws large crowds. Unwisely, Sinkage decides to investigate and is soon embroiled in trouble again.
The Great Fear involves many of the characters from Red Shadows. Phil Housley, the former FBI agent; Matt’s baffled but supportive brother Walter and his angry unsupportive wife Katie and, of course, The Council. There are new developments as Sinkage becomes convinced that a presidential candidate is possessed by aliens. The black and white art by Michael Cherkas is the same - bold black lines, shadows, large people with small heads. It takes a bit of getting used to but not much, especially in the modern era where a variety of styles are acceptable and it nicely evokes a film noir feel. My generation grew up watching old Warner Brothers gangster films on Sunday afternoons so I like that look. The plot continues to explore the paranoia of 1950s America. All in all, it’s the mix as before and a fine mix it is.
I enjoyed Red Shadows and I liked The Great Fear, too. I look forward to part three, The Silent Invasion: Abductions! Intelligent, original indie comics like this make a nice change of pace from the ubiquitous superheroes taking over the cinema.
August 16, 2022
This volume collects 6 issues of the comic series The Silent Invasion (issues 7-12). In previous issues the protagonist Matt Sinkage a 1950s reporter who became obsessed with UFO sightings after an encounter with them and lost memories confronted a combination of government and alien conspiracies from which he narrowly escaped and was committed to a psychiatric institution. At the start of this volume he has been released and lives in the small community of Rockhaven working for a local paper, but a new UFO conspiracy appears that he begins investigating. The story chronicles a tale of secrets, plots and growing paranoia of our protagonist.
It is a very engaging tale, even if the characters can be a bit broadly drawn at times. The art style is somewhat crude but effective at conveying emotion and keeping my interest. The crude art allows it to easily inhabit the setting of the 1950s not via attention to detail, but by only having to broadly suggest the setting.
The collection is perfectly serviceable. I happen to have the first six issues in the form of reprints from the 90s (these comics were originally published in the 80s), these had a lot more added commentary and material then is found in this collection, which contains only a two page introduction, a quick prolog explaining what happened previously in the comic and an about the authors section.
It is a very engaging tale, even if the characters can be a bit broadly drawn at times. The art style is somewhat crude but effective at conveying emotion and keeping my interest. The crude art allows it to easily inhabit the setting of the 1950s not via attention to detail, but by only having to broadly suggest the setting.
The collection is perfectly serviceable. I happen to have the first six issues in the form of reprints from the 90s (these comics were originally published in the 80s), these had a lot more added commentary and material then is found in this collection, which contains only a two page introduction, a quick prolog explaining what happened previously in the comic and an about the authors section.
June 3, 2019
I received The Silent Invasion through a goodreads giveaway.
U.F.O's, UFO cults, secret government agencies, government cover ups and a paranoid journalist provide all the excitement you'd expect from The Silent Invasion. The artwork is fantastic and the inking as well as the lettering are done to perfection.
U.F.O's, UFO cults, secret government agencies, government cover ups and a paranoid journalist provide all the excitement you'd expect from The Silent Invasion. The artwork is fantastic and the inking as well as the lettering are done to perfection.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews