We Live Volume 1 (2020) 

Writers – The Miranda Brothers (Inaki and Roy) 

Artist – Inaki Miranda 

Colorist – Eva De La Cruz 

I was looking at the graphic novel section at the Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill when I came across We Live by the Miranda Brothers. The guys over at Lost N Comics had raved about this book since Issue 1 and I decided to borrow it and see what the fuss was about. 

The year is 2084.The Earth is marked for extinction. After surviving many catastrophes and rebuilding time and time again, the end is near. An alien race has sent bracelets to Earth so that the children that find them can activate them to be rescued and sent away to another planet to survive. This is the tale of siblings Tala and Hototo and their journey to the extraction point. They have 137 hours to get there but will they make it in time? 

This story is not for the faint of heart as the children must find a way to survive a harsh environment that could kill them at any time. Dangerous predators, both animal and human, lurk around every corner. The journey for the children is a harrowing one and I was deeply affected with each issue, as hope for a happy ending starts to slip away. Hototo and Tala reminded me of my sister and I when we were younger. The kind of kids that stick together no matter what life throws at them. This story will tug at your heart and soul and it will make you cry both tears of sadness and joy. Make sure you have a tissue or two nearby when reading this volume. 

I loved Inaki Miranda’s art and this sci-fi dystopian world comes to life thanks to Eva De La Cruz’s vibrant colors. I don’t normally talk about coloring in comics all that much but I must give credit where its due. It’s rich and deep and elevates the art to a very high degree. 

One of the neat surprises you’ll encounter in this volume are QR codes throughout parts of the story that will take you to a YouTube channel that plays songs. I would listen to these snippets of music while reading along which made the storytelling more emotional and impactful. 

Before I wrote this review, I checked Hoopla and unfortunately, its not available on the app. Your best bet is to try to check your local library to see if they have it. If you can find the five-issue set at a comic store, it’s definitely worth buying. 

I know we have seen A LOT of sci-fi dystopian stories brought to the big and small screen (The Last of Us, The Road, The Walking Dead) and they seem like a dime a dozen, but this one is ripe for an adaptation. If I could make it happen, I would turn it into an anime series or animated feature in the style of Studio Ghibli. If you need an injection of action and adventure in your life this Summer, We Live is worth the read.