Eiffel Tower, time travel, exploding monkey — I’m still trying to wrap my head around the offbeat, unconventional, six-part series that is THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY: APOCALYPSE SUITE, written by Gerard Way (he of the emo band My Chemical Romance) and illustrated by Gabriel Bá.

Our story begins roughly 40 years ago, when a scientist named Hargreeves adopts seven extraordinary babies whose births are inexplicable, in order to “save the world.” Under his tutelage, which we don’t see, they become the team of superheroes known as The Umbrella Academy. Why that name? Good question — one of many, as it turns out.

After the kids battle in France, the story jumps forward two decades, with the Academy having been disbanded. Why? Good question. Its former members are scattered about, with the one called Spaceboy on the moon. His head is on a giant robotic gorilla body. Why? Good question.

The rest include The Séance, The Rumor and The Kraken — ill-define powers one and all — and they all regroup following Hargreeves’ death. Except for the girl named Vanya, who turns to the dark side — so much so that she represents the end of the world through the music she plays on her violin of doom.

Or something like that. Although excelling at dry humor and eccentricity, Way lacks in the department of lucidity. Perhaps future issues will help fill in the blanks, but its current nature makes it ever “too clever for you,” even if that’s not the intent. And yet, I enjoyed it, because there’s nothing else like it out there.

Bá’s art carries a natural Mike Mignola feel, accentuated by Dave Stewart’s bright colors, and packed between simply gorgeous covers from FABLES ‘ James Jean. Dark Horse’s collection supplements the issues with a Grant Morrison intro (the tonal comparison between he and Way is not lost), a Scott Allie outro, original character sketches and two shorter pieces, including the 2007 Free Comic Book Day story that got the whole ball rolling. —Rod Lott

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