The Umbrella Academy: You look like death, review: Klaus goes to Hollywood
The Umbrella Academy
As Netflix prepares to bring the most dysfunctional of superhero families back into action with the third season of The Umbrella Academy, the original universe of this bizarre family is enriched with a new chapter, dedicated to the past of one of the most fascinating characters of this superemic mosaic. : Klaus. The medium, the one who talks to the dead, the black (or perhaps blackest?) Sheep of the family, is the perfect protagonist for what will hopefully be the first of a series of spin-offs, Umbrella Academy Tales, You Look Like Death. There could not be a more suitable title not only to describe this chapter of Klaus's past, but to best portray one of the funniest and most evocative figures of The Umbrella Academy.The series born from the fantasy of Gerard Way and Gabriel BÃ , it immediately presented itself as one of the recent narrative experiments in revising the superheroic canon. Inserting itself in the wake of productions such as Invincible or Black Hammer, The Umbrella Academy has also chosen to go with that deep-rooted definition of the superhero as a character that can be easily framed and ascribable to a certain stereotype, preferring to push more on the human and everyday aspect of man (or woman ) behind the mask.
Conceiving the idea of a dysfunctional yet incredibly linked superhero family was the key to the success of this series, but in this family dynamic it was perceptible how each protagonist could, in his own way, be the star of his own, autonomous adventure. A perception that finds space in the idea of a series of spin-offs of the main narrative body, which is presented under the label of Racconti by Umbrella Academy, to reaffirm belonging to this universe but at the same time preserving a specific identity, intimate of the different protagonists. And to begin with, there could be no better starting point than to reveal a background to the past of Klaus, the medium of the family.
The Umbrella Academy: You look like death, Klaus conquering the Mecca of cinema
Thinking back to what we read in the main continuity of the saga, Klaus's role has always been that of the wild card, certainly not an easy task within a family where the concept of normal is nothing short of utopian. Perhaps beyond the limits even for his brothers, who on several occasions have shown difficulty in accepting his extravagances, Klaus has such a peculiar nature that he cannot leave indifferent his rigid father, Sir Hargreves, who animated by his obsessive mission of creating the perfect team of superheroes cannot tolerate the presence of such an undisciplined element, coming to only one conclusion: Klaus must leave.It is from this assumption that you look like death. Suddenly, Klaus is put out of the door by his father, a desperate move by the stern parent, who hopes this sudden taste of reality will shake the young Klaus. A vain hope, apparently, considering that it is not despair that overwhelms the irresponsible Klaus. After an initial moment of confusion, caused mostly by the loss of his privileges as part of the family, this punishment opens a new, adventurous chapter in his existence. And where could a restless soul like that of Klaus go if not in the place where genius and recklessness find a body in the world of the imagination par excellence? Hollywood is ready to welcome the acrobatic Klaus, opening the doors to a reality that no film could ever reveal!
A glossy and idealized world reminiscent of the vision of 80's Hollywood, bewitching and promising, an irresistible temptation for Klaus, who does not struggle to enter the life of this world made of parties, revelry and excesses. But behind this glittering reality, there are dangers and beings that have very little of human beings, capable of moving within this maddened world to find a reason for living, whether it is love or the undying glory of the big screen. >
Away from home, discovering the world
Way manages to adapt the ironic and cynical vein of Klaus to tell a cross-section of the world of Umbrella Academy that winks more at the paranormal, exploiting the peculiar gifts of the protagonist. The transition from the easy life within the Umbrella Academy to the need to finally become the master and architect of his own destiny, Klaus matures as a character, always maintaining his cynical and disenchanted streak but demonstrating how past experiences and direct confrontation with oppression and world injustices push Klaus to take a stand.
BAO Publishing present the first of the Umbrella Academy Tales in a volume that offers readers the opportunity to discover the creative background of Sembri la morte, thanks to a rich gallery of extras in which Culbard's preparatory studies are also presented, an always welcome presence that brings readers and authors closer, making reading even more compelling.
