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The Silent Invasion #1
The Silent Invasion: Red Shadows
In this era of fake news and "deep state," this couldn’t be more timely!
The paranoid cult-classic science fiction mystery series from the early days of indie comics returns! Set against the background of a nightmarish 1950s crawling with communist spies, corrupt FBI agents, McCarthyites, Stalinists, cold warriors, flying saucers, and mysterious government organizations, The Silent Invasion weaves a byzantine tale of mystery and deceit, as a bewildered investigative reporter, Matt Sinkage, pursues the truth behind an apparent alien invasion that points to involvement at the highest levels of American government officials. The series will begin with two books reprinting the original volumes, followed by the newly collected third album and concluding with a brand new fourth book.
The paranoid cult-classic science fiction mystery series from the early days of indie comics returns! Set against the background of a nightmarish 1950s crawling with communist spies, corrupt FBI agents, McCarthyites, Stalinists, cold warriors, flying saucers, and mysterious government organizations, The Silent Invasion weaves a byzantine tale of mystery and deceit, as a bewildered investigative reporter, Matt Sinkage, pursues the truth behind an apparent alien invasion that points to involvement at the highest levels of American government officials. The series will begin with two books reprinting the original volumes, followed by the newly collected third album and concluding with a brand new fourth book.
- GenresComicsGraphic Novels
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1988
1 person is currently reading
696 people want to read
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 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 15, 2018
I set this aside mid way through. I tried and tried to force myself to finish after hearing some critical acclaim, but just couldn't do it. It was just boring and meandering. The art was atrocious, in a Dick Tracy style but with squared off tiny heads on huge bodies.
Received a review copy from Papercutz and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from Papercutz and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
September 8, 2018
Fair warning: I won a free copy of this graphic novel in a Goodreads giveaway.
If you're a comics fan of similar age or older, you may remember the buzz about this series when it first appeared. I never bought it back in the day. I can't recall why. Certainly I was doing my level best to buy just about everything else, and I was definitely into the Renegade Press titles. Anyway, I was browsing the Goodreads giveaways, and saw that NBM were reprinting this. I thought I'd give it a go, see what I’d been missing.
The setting is the 1950’s. Reporter Matt Sinkage is investigating UFO sightings, but gets more than he bargained for as he's drawn into a paranoid conspiracy of aliens, communists, government agents, and more.
The story is a bit of a slow build. It takes until about the middle of the book before you're sure that the UFOs are anything more than just a weird obsession of Sinkage’s. At first, it seems that he's just stumbled onto your garden variety spy ring …
The writing is very … quiet. I find myself idly wondering how this series would have turned out if it were being created today. Probably it would be written by Matt Kindt, or maybe Johnathan Hickman. It seems like their sort of thing. The artwork is … quirky, which may throw some folks for a loop. Michael Cherkas’ style is quite cartoony--like what you’d get if you crossed Kyle Baker with Chester Gould--but, once you get used to it, is appropriately moody.
I’m liking this series, but it's definitely on the low key side, and won't appeal to everyone's tastes.
If you're a comics fan of similar age or older, you may remember the buzz about this series when it first appeared. I never bought it back in the day. I can't recall why. Certainly I was doing my level best to buy just about everything else, and I was definitely into the Renegade Press titles. Anyway, I was browsing the Goodreads giveaways, and saw that NBM were reprinting this. I thought I'd give it a go, see what I’d been missing.
The setting is the 1950’s. Reporter Matt Sinkage is investigating UFO sightings, but gets more than he bargained for as he's drawn into a paranoid conspiracy of aliens, communists, government agents, and more.
The story is a bit of a slow build. It takes until about the middle of the book before you're sure that the UFOs are anything more than just a weird obsession of Sinkage’s. At first, it seems that he's just stumbled onto your garden variety spy ring …
The writing is very … quiet. I find myself idly wondering how this series would have turned out if it were being created today. Probably it would be written by Matt Kindt, or maybe Johnathan Hickman. It seems like their sort of thing. The artwork is … quirky, which may throw some folks for a loop. Michael Cherkas’ style is quite cartoony--like what you’d get if you crossed Kyle Baker with Chester Gould--but, once you get used to it, is appropriately moody.
I’m liking this series, but it's definitely on the low key side, and won't appeal to everyone's tastes.
June 22, 2020
‘The Silent Invasion: Red Shadows Vol. 1’ is described by the authors as ‘a science-fiction mystery’ and that’s as good a term as any. It was originally published in the 1980s and this is a re-issue.
The hero and first-person narrator is ace reporter Matt Sinkage. The story begins in April 1952 with a private eye called Dick Mallet driving home in the dark on a remote road after a contact failed to meet him. He sees bright lights in the sky. Next day, his car is found crashed but there’s no body.
Cut to Matt Sinkage in Union City reviewing an article he’s just written: ‘The Truth Behind Flying Saucers’. Hearing about the crash, he rushes off to investigate. On the way out, he bumps into Gloria Amber, a young lady who works for the mysterious Mister Kalashnikov in the apartment next door. Matt suspects that Kalashnikov is a Russian spy. There were reds under every American bed in 1952.
Luckily, the good ol’ U.S. government was there to stop them. They also seem to be stopping any serious publicity about the UFO phenomenon and lean on Matt’s editor, Frank Costello, and the publisher to stop his article appearing in The Sentinel-Gazette. But Matt knows there are aliens out there. Six months earlier, he had stopped to investigate lights in the sky and lost his memory of the subsequent events. What happened in those missing hours?
Matt has a nice girlfriend called Peggy but finds himself intrigued by Gloria Amber and more intrigued by her mysterious boss. An FBI agent called Housley is also interested in Kalashnikov and thinks Matt might be mixed up with the dirty stinking no-good godless Commies. However, Housley works for the mysterious Council as well as the FBI and they seem more interested in suppressing UFO news. Are the bad guys Commies or aliens?
This is a film noir with flying saucers in graphic novel form. The plot gets complicated and there are plenty of double-crossers, liars and sneaks about, including the blonde, obviously. The art by Michael Cherkas adds to the noir feel with plenty of shadows and a dark, gritty feel, like an old Warner Brothers film. The introduction says he’s influenced by Dick Tracy artist Chester Gould but I checked some of that on-line and Gould’s work seems a bit more refined. Cherkas used ink on paper rather than computers to produce his thick black lines and big figures with small heads. Rectangular panels in a conventional layout make it easy to follow the story. I actually liked the art but it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
The feel of 1950s America is perfectly captured by both the art and the story. This is part one of a bigger tale but fairly complete in itself. Not all mysteries are solved but there’s no cliff-hanger. As a fan of old films in this genre, I enjoyed it and look forward to the next exciting instalment.
Eamonn Murphy
The hero and first-person narrator is ace reporter Matt Sinkage. The story begins in April 1952 with a private eye called Dick Mallet driving home in the dark on a remote road after a contact failed to meet him. He sees bright lights in the sky. Next day, his car is found crashed but there’s no body.
Cut to Matt Sinkage in Union City reviewing an article he’s just written: ‘The Truth Behind Flying Saucers’. Hearing about the crash, he rushes off to investigate. On the way out, he bumps into Gloria Amber, a young lady who works for the mysterious Mister Kalashnikov in the apartment next door. Matt suspects that Kalashnikov is a Russian spy. There were reds under every American bed in 1952.
Luckily, the good ol’ U.S. government was there to stop them. They also seem to be stopping any serious publicity about the UFO phenomenon and lean on Matt’s editor, Frank Costello, and the publisher to stop his article appearing in The Sentinel-Gazette. But Matt knows there are aliens out there. Six months earlier, he had stopped to investigate lights in the sky and lost his memory of the subsequent events. What happened in those missing hours?
Matt has a nice girlfriend called Peggy but finds himself intrigued by Gloria Amber and more intrigued by her mysterious boss. An FBI agent called Housley is also interested in Kalashnikov and thinks Matt might be mixed up with the dirty stinking no-good godless Commies. However, Housley works for the mysterious Council as well as the FBI and they seem more interested in suppressing UFO news. Are the bad guys Commies or aliens?
This is a film noir with flying saucers in graphic novel form. The plot gets complicated and there are plenty of double-crossers, liars and sneaks about, including the blonde, obviously. The art by Michael Cherkas adds to the noir feel with plenty of shadows and a dark, gritty feel, like an old Warner Brothers film. The introduction says he’s influenced by Dick Tracy artist Chester Gould but I checked some of that on-line and Gould’s work seems a bit more refined. Cherkas used ink on paper rather than computers to produce his thick black lines and big figures with small heads. Rectangular panels in a conventional layout make it easy to follow the story. I actually liked the art but it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
The feel of 1950s America is perfectly captured by both the art and the story. This is part one of a bigger tale but fairly complete in itself. Not all mysteries are solved but there’s no cliff-hanger. As a fan of old films in this genre, I enjoyed it and look forward to the next exciting instalment.
Eamonn Murphy
August 27, 2018
In 1952 rural America, private eye Dick Mallet sees a strange light in the sky while looking for a missing person, Fanny Hobbs. The police find his car crashed into a pole and Dick nowhere to be found. Matt Sinkage, a reporter with a personal interest in UFOs, investigates Dick’s disappearance. Matt also thinks his neighbor, Mr. Kalashnikov, is a Russian spy. This is the fifties after all.
Written in 1986-87, the Silent Invasion’s plot seems dated with an obvious 80s paranoid perspective. I really tried to like the story. Unfortunately, I found it boring and slow-moving. Usually the artwork will keep me reading but I didn’t like that much either. I agree with the introduction that it takes a bit of time to get use to the “big foot” black and white art. I also didn’t connect with any of the characters. My issues may be related to just reading the fantastic Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, which is set in the same period. I would suggest reading that not this unless you’re in the mood for some 80s nostalgia. 2 stars.
Thanks to the publisher, papercutz.com, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
Written in 1986-87, the Silent Invasion’s plot seems dated with an obvious 80s paranoid perspective. I really tried to like the story. Unfortunately, I found it boring and slow-moving. Usually the artwork will keep me reading but I didn’t like that much either. I agree with the introduction that it takes a bit of time to get use to the “big foot” black and white art. I also didn’t connect with any of the characters. My issues may be related to just reading the fantastic Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, which is set in the same period. I would suggest reading that not this unless you’re in the mood for some 80s nostalgia. 2 stars.
Thanks to the publisher, papercutz.com, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
December 27, 2020
'The Silent Invasion: Red Shadows' by Larry Hancock with art by Michael Cherkas is a cult-classic graphic novel from a few decades past full of mystery and paranoia.
Matt Sinkage is a reporter in a town in the 1950s. He is intrigued by a woman in trouble, which leads him to a group of conspiring communists. His involvement with her leads to interest by the FBI, and he ends up being suspected of being a sympathizer. To add to the weirdness, there are UFOs and people that Matt knows who are just not acting normal.
Originally published in the late 1980s, I liked the vibe of the book. It was a good nostalgic look at the kind of comics I was sometimes reading. Does it hold up 30+ years later? Not so much. The story pace feels a bit sluggish, but the art has a cool 1980s look to it.
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.
Matt Sinkage is a reporter in a town in the 1950s. He is intrigued by a woman in trouble, which leads him to a group of conspiring communists. His involvement with her leads to interest by the FBI, and he ends up being suspected of being a sympathizer. To add to the weirdness, there are UFOs and people that Matt knows who are just not acting normal.
Originally published in the late 1980s, I liked the vibe of the book. It was a good nostalgic look at the kind of comics I was sometimes reading. Does it hold up 30+ years later? Not so much. The story pace feels a bit sluggish, but the art has a cool 1980s look to it.
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 17, 2021
Tough story to follow. Probably won't continue the series. Not a big fan of the art style.
August 25, 2018
Commies and/or Aliens Under Every Bed
In its convincing portrayal of 1950's America, creepy capture of political paranoia, and groundbreaking handling of the alien invasion genre, this book is an entertaining find. When you add edgy, stark, angular, black and white artwork with an expressionist flair you end up with a satisfying graphic novel that lives up to its hype and offers a unique reading experience.
"The Silent Invasion" was originally published in 1986-87 as a twelve issue comic book series. It was later reprinted as a four album set. This new volume collects issues one through six of the comic book series, and so it seems to encompass the first two albums. They were titled "Secret Affairs" and "Red Shadows". This new print version is titled "Red Shadows", so that makes sense. There are supposed to be further new books down the road, but I don't know any more about them except that the publisher states that they will collect the later issues and then extend to new material. In a way this doesn't matter because this book is basically a stand alone, with a clear opening, a coherent story arc, and a reasonably final conclusion and epilogue. The possibility of further adventures certainly exists, but there is no cliffhanger at the end of this book, (except for the fact that you never know if those pesky aliens will come back and try again).
The fun is in the original, explicit combination of commie paranoia and sci-fi invasion fears. In the 50's there were lots of straightup anti-communist films that were basically paranoia feeding propaganda. (I'm thinking of movies like "I Married A Communist".) There were also sci-fi films that subtly satirized that paranoia, like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". This book, which feels like a graphic novel version of a film noir mixes all of that together and allows the reader to find his own insights.
This wouldn't work if it weren't for the terse dialogue, Dragnet style pacing, detective/mystery frame, and Everyman hero. It especially would be a tough story to love if drawn in a modern realistic style. Here, the heavily inked black and white drawings with their jazzy angles, odd perspectives and proportions, and plentiful period touches, work to sell the concept and the story.
So, this captures a unique period, cultural moment, and comic style, and mixes it all together just right. I thought it was an entertaining and impressive find. (Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
In its convincing portrayal of 1950's America, creepy capture of political paranoia, and groundbreaking handling of the alien invasion genre, this book is an entertaining find. When you add edgy, stark, angular, black and white artwork with an expressionist flair you end up with a satisfying graphic novel that lives up to its hype and offers a unique reading experience.
"The Silent Invasion" was originally published in 1986-87 as a twelve issue comic book series. It was later reprinted as a four album set. This new volume collects issues one through six of the comic book series, and so it seems to encompass the first two albums. They were titled "Secret Affairs" and "Red Shadows". This new print version is titled "Red Shadows", so that makes sense. There are supposed to be further new books down the road, but I don't know any more about them except that the publisher states that they will collect the later issues and then extend to new material. In a way this doesn't matter because this book is basically a stand alone, with a clear opening, a coherent story arc, and a reasonably final conclusion and epilogue. The possibility of further adventures certainly exists, but there is no cliffhanger at the end of this book, (except for the fact that you never know if those pesky aliens will come back and try again).
The fun is in the original, explicit combination of commie paranoia and sci-fi invasion fears. In the 50's there were lots of straightup anti-communist films that were basically paranoia feeding propaganda. (I'm thinking of movies like "I Married A Communist".) There were also sci-fi films that subtly satirized that paranoia, like "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". This book, which feels like a graphic novel version of a film noir mixes all of that together and allows the reader to find his own insights.
This wouldn't work if it weren't for the terse dialogue, Dragnet style pacing, detective/mystery frame, and Everyman hero. It especially would be a tough story to love if drawn in a modern realistic style. Here, the heavily inked black and white drawings with their jazzy angles, odd perspectives and proportions, and plentiful period touches, work to sell the concept and the story.
So, this captures a unique period, cultural moment, and comic style, and mixes it all together just right. I thought it was an entertaining and impressive find. (Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
September 25, 2022
This was SO boring. While its themes might be timely, the style of writing has definitely not aged well since its initial release. And I have to say, the author's introduction did the book no favors as it describes in a lofty tone how comics used to be so much "better" in the old days. If this is their evidence, I would disagree.
It's a murder mystery, and a UFO mystery, and there are aliens doing mind control, but the protagonist is a schmuck that I was actively rooting against by the end of the book. His behavior and mis-use (bordering on abuse) of his friends and family make him utterly unsympathetic, and the motives and actions of the aliens are not particularly coherent either.
It's been a couple weeks since I read this, and all I'm really left with is a memory of distaste for it. Maybe some readers will enjoy it, but it was very much not for me.
It's a murder mystery, and a UFO mystery, and there are aliens doing mind control, but the protagonist is a schmuck that I was actively rooting against by the end of the book. His behavior and mis-use (bordering on abuse) of his friends and family make him utterly unsympathetic, and the motives and actions of the aliens are not particularly coherent either.
It's been a couple weeks since I read this, and all I'm really left with is a memory of distaste for it. Maybe some readers will enjoy it, but it was very much not for me.
October 22, 2018
In this era of fake news and "deep state," this couldn't be more timely!
The paranoid cult-classic science fiction mystery series from the early days of indie comics returns! Set against the background of a nightmarish 1950s crawling with communist spies, corrupt FBI agents, McCarthyites, Stalinists, cold warriors, flying saucers, and mysterious government organizations, The Silent Invasion weaves a byzantine tale of mystery and deceit, as a bewildered investigative reporter, Matt Sinkage, pursues the truth behind an apparent alien invasion that points to involvement at the highest levels of American government officials. The series will begin with two books reprinting the original volumes, followed by the newly collected third album and concluding with a brand new fourth book.
The paranoid cult-classic science fiction mystery series from the early days of indie comics returns! Set against the background of a nightmarish 1950s crawling with communist spies, corrupt FBI agents, McCarthyites, Stalinists, cold warriors, flying saucers, and mysterious government organizations, The Silent Invasion weaves a byzantine tale of mystery and deceit, as a bewildered investigative reporter, Matt Sinkage, pursues the truth behind an apparent alien invasion that points to involvement at the highest levels of American government officials. The series will begin with two books reprinting the original volumes, followed by the newly collected third album and concluding with a brand new fourth book.
September 28, 2018
I could say I was enamoured of this, but it would just be a fib from those Commie bastiches lying to you. The artwork isn't dreadful, but it does make every square-faced, squarer-shouldered bloke look exactly the same as the next, meaning it's hard to worry about the chap trying to investigate both UFOs and the Red Menace at the same time. So when a femme fatale starts dragging him into things, well – that adds nothing new to anything, any way. What's worse, a lot of the ballooning of speech is in the wrong order, making this even harder to read than the mundane artwork would suggest. Disappointing, considering the high puff rate of the cover and introduction.
September 15, 2018
This was a fun sci-fi mystery filled with UFOs and double-agents, paranoia and conspiracy...I'm interested to see what happens in the next three volumes. One criticism: many of the characters look very, very similar so it was difficult to tell who was who, especially at the beginning.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2018
I was surprised about just how much I liked this. I thought the art wasn't anything special but now knowing how old this actually is, the art is actually pretty good. Boring at times but overall I enjoyed it.
June 21, 2020
Interesting concept and the idea of evoking the old-school newspaper strips is a good one. But it didn't quite rise up to the level of recommended vs. take a look if you're curious. The art is definitely distinctive.
September 17, 2022
August 2022 Hoopla Bonus Borrows Recommendation
Tossing in the DNF pile. I have tried a few times but can't get into this. The artwork is fine, very 1940s noir meets Animaniacs. It could have been interesting, but the font choice made this very very difficult to read.
Tossing in the DNF pile. I have tried a few times but can't get into this. The artwork is fine, very 1940s noir meets Animaniacs. It could have been interesting, but the font choice made this very very difficult to read.
August 21, 2018
Excellent book!
September 15, 2018
An interesting Spy-Fi graphic novel.
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August 28, 2019
Kind of hard to distinguish the council ppl. Other than that, pretty wild and amazing
October 10, 2021
Meh. Story and art style are both boring, and it can be hard at times to tell different characters apart
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March 9, 2022This comic was discussed on Episode 64 of The Secret Stacks.
June 24, 2025
I actually lived the art (reminded me of grim fandango) and I like the kind of Alfred Hitchcock esque setting. How ever I felt the story just alright and the characters are somewhat one dimensional.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews