In Hidden Springs a group of ageing, confused ex-Hollywood stars encounter a baby KAIJU, and find themselves in need of protecting it before the monster inevitably causes the end of the world.
Published by Dark Horse Comics, Hidden Springs comes from writer Rob Williams (Petrol Head, Judge Dredd), artist Nil Vendrell Pallach, colorist Berta Sas Forrelland, and letterer Simon Bowland.
The series takes some classic tropes, such as the KAIJU genre, as well as retirement antics, and blends them into a fun and whimsical narrative. In this case we follow a group of ageing ex-Hollywood stars in a retirement community. These include former actors Brock DeAngelo and Ceecee Dale, film director Loretta Tide, comedian Tyrone Gleeson, rockstar musician Bazza Wild, and Bob (the most enigmatic of the group).
The clash of personalities between the ex-Hollywood stars is undoubtedly one of the issue’s high points; they’re all oddballs, lovable and dislikable in their own unique ways. If you dig just a little bit deeper, you’ll no doubt see clear similarities to real-life stars. This is most notable from Bazza Wild — a rock’N’roll star from Birmingham in the UK. Sound familiar? Well, he if you’re still not convinced, he’s drawn exactly like Black Sabbath Ozzy Osborne, and even has a similar animal-eating backstory.
The drama kicks off when the team of washed-up stars stumble upon a baby Kaiju when it crashes into their sleepy Hidden Springs campground. Confused at first, they soon learn that they need to whisk it so safety when the military is on its tail. Turns out that the duty falls to them to do the right thing, because the kaiju has the capability of world destruction. The fact that they strike a connection to such a creature is a unique approach, adding an emotional, nurturing layer to a genre of story that typically goes in heavy on action.
Issue #1 is a surprisingly enjoyable blend of two genres. While the story itself isn’t particularly spectacular so far, the main characters are incredibly endearing and keep you hooked. Rob Williams’ writing is sharp and witty, while the artwork from Nil Vendrell Pallach offers up a cartoon-realistic style that works well enough for comedy and more serious pages. The design of the baby kaiju in particular is impressive; it’s both strangely cute with the potential of being very destructive.
Hidden Springs promises to be one of the more unique comics you’ll read from Dark Horse this year. It’s certainly satisfying to see such a twist on the genre, pitting elderly former Hollywood-stars as the heroes.
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