Stranger Things became a worldwide hit by tapping into the magic of '80s movies like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, where a group of kids offer safe harbor to a benevolent creature misunderstood by the adult world. But how do you hide a new friend when they're the size of a building?
A new four-issue comic series from Dark Horse, Hidden Springs boasts a fantastic slate of creators. Written by Rob Williams (writer of the critically celebrated Judge Dredd: A Better World), drawn by Nil Vendrell Pallach (artist of the thematically similar Stranger Things: Tales from Hawkins) and with colorist Berta Sas Forrelland and letterer Simon Bowland.
The story sees a group of retired Hollywood stars lost in the woods during a retirement home outing, stumbling across a Godzilla-sized monster capable of massive destruction, but ultimately still an animal without any malevolent intent. As with Eleven in Stranger Things, the monster (nicknamed 'Jones') quickly becomes the ward of the group, whose internecine bonds and drama is exacerbated by the new addition.
As any fan of Williams' writing will expect, Hidden Springs is a witty series with well-rounded characters. Each of the retirees combines sympathetic and aggravating traits, from straight-talking but inconsiderate director Loretta to funny but overwrought comedian Tyrone. There's also a lot of ground to cover in taking these characters from reluctant allies to genuine friends.
Hidden Springs Is a Unique Genre Mash-Up
While there are plenty of sci-fi comedies, Hidden Springs does something special by combining two genres - the sci-fi family adventure of E.T. or Stranger Things and the retired buddy comedy of Last Vegas, Going in Style and Wild Hogs. There's also a lavishing of sincere love for Hollywood mythos, with real-life stars and clear celebrity influences woven into the fictional careers of the main cast.
Too little media focuses on older characters, and Hidden Springs does something smart by making it clear that these are people looking for a splashy, significant win to prove their days of relevancy aren't over yet, giving them the same earnest recklessness that this kind of story usually reserves for kids who don't know any better.
The series also benefits from the comic medium, where Nil Vendrell Pallach can depict a towering, insectoid kaiju interacting with a group of retirees without having to hold back on account of special effects limitations.
And those 'effects' are only going to get more extreme, with solicit information for future issues confirming that the group will flee across Los Angeles to try and save their monstrous buddy, pursued by helicopters, tanks and submarines.
Hidden Springs is an incredibly prized things in comics - a new, standalone series with a solid premise and a reliable creative team. Indeed, it has all the appearances of the perfect series for lapsed comic fans, or those who have yet to get into the medium.
New 'horror' comedy Hidden Springs sees a group of silver-screen legends care for a baby kaiju, effectively replacing Stranger Things' Eleven with a young Godzilla.
Hidden Springs #1 is available now from Dark Horse Comics.
English (US) ·