REVIEW: 'My Life Among Humans' OGN by Jed McGowan

 

 

MY LIFE AMONG HUMANS OGN 

Writer: Jed McGowan

Artist: Jed McGowan

Publisher: Oni Press

Release Date: February 8, 2023

Cover Price: $19.99

A nameless alien data compiler comes to Earth to study humans, setting up shop on the outskirts of a small desert community in North America. Working under forced labor, it must watch humans in complete secrecy while sending regular reports to its manager back home. Using spore-like technology to read the minds of his hosts, the alien quickly takes a special interest in Will, one of his early subjects. That interest proves to be a problem when the alien is accidentally revealed to Will's family and it takes desperate measures to save its own life.

In doing so, it discovers a forbidden ability...it can control human minds. Now, the alien struggles to keep this secret from its manager, deal with a growing number of suspicious humans, and come to terms with its ethically questionable decisions. My Life Among Humans is a beautifully painted, evocative first graphic novel from illustrator and cartoonist Jed McGowan. 

Score:

★★★★☆ (4/5)

QUICK REVIEW: A little alien with the menial task of observing human behavior and providing daily reports to a manager is the office job of our nightmares in the charming original graphic novel 'My Life Among Humans' by Jed McGowan. Deathly afraid of any kind of disciplinary action from its manager, the alien diligently and covertly details the everyday happenings of a human, Will, and his family. It inadvertently discovers it can control the minds of humans and it leads to an escalation that gets out of hand and in a direct threat to be in trouble with his manager. It becomes the biggest "CYA" situation at a workplace you've ever read that offers suspense, chuckles, and enlightenment. 

McGowan's art style is beautifully painted, colorful, and cartoony. It reminds me of a Pixar production as the cutesy designs delve into more serious situations and lessons eventually will be learned. There's a vibrancy and energy to the story as the alien begins to spiral from its bad decisions and McGowan captures the urgency of the cover-up with a tense escalation of events that leads to new revelations. The ramp-up from a steady slow build pays off with unexpected twists and an ending that gives us cubicle dwellers all hope. 

'My Life Among Humans' is a charming sci-fi story that combines 'Office Space,' 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers,' and 'Aliens' into a wholesome cartoony adventure worth reading.