When the Girls Come to Town

Alien invasion is an old thought and trope (yeah, I hate that word) that has been a part of our culture for a long time. How many ways can we explore the horror of probes and abductions? Well, I think a new way was found…

I am talking about the series Girls (Image comics 2005) by Joshua and Jonathan Luna. The series had a 24 issue run that ranged from the simplified idea of alien invasion to the horror survival of a population under siege.

In a nutshell, the idea is a small town in the middle of nowhere that is faced with an unknown attacker. Essentially a race of beings that has malicious intent while looking fairly harmless. Yeah, I am talking about naked alien women that want to mate with the local population. And if that was all there was too it, we could have the beginnings of a standard porno. But it’s never that easy is it.

Essentially, when men mate with the invaders they create clones of themselves, increasing their invasion force. While at the same time, the invaders seek out and destroy individuals they are not able to propagate their species with (they mutilate and murder the local women).

So, we have this base plotline that seems fairly simple. It is everything a classic science fiction B movie should be. But they take it into a deeper level. Instead of a sole focus on the mating habits of alien creatures and their desire for food, we find ourselves experiencing the horror of a citizenry in a difficult situation.

The reactions of the different people within the town toward the aliens as well as toward each other leads us down a road of exploration. We see different personalities and how they interact within a time of crises. Do we give in to our base desires, even though we know that those same desires will lead us down a long road? Or do we react in opposition to those desires that we end up damaging those around us in unimaginable ways? Of course, the biggest thought within all of this is of the people who are horrible to begin with. Can they overcome their own horrible nature to survive the invasion or will it drive them to extremes?

When I first delved into the depths of this series, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the ride. But it hooked me and I had to see the different levels of crazy that would come out of it all. The series was a fun trip that at times makes you feel a bit guilty for cheering for some outcomes. Karma hands out its own brand of justice at times.

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