Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

I throughly enjoyed this comic. The art style was great and so were the aliens/creatures in it. The egg raptors were so cute!!! I was curious to how the title came up because, even towards the end, the word hadn't been mentioned. I almost cried when it finally was. Maya was such a funny character and I enjoyed how she was a reluctant hero of sorts. Juju's part of the story was interesting too. I didn't expect him to be running around the city and helping to save people. As for our little alien, they were fantastic. I loved how they were able to communicate with Maya better the longer they bonded. It felt very logical. I was kind of hoping there would be more than one comic for this but I guess not since the story wrapped up really neatly.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for the opportunity to read this advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. No alien pointed a laser gun at my head to write this review.

Fernando Llor's Soma isn't just another alien invasion story - it's also a heartfelt exploration of the comic book creation process, tackling themes of writer's block and the real-life struggles of an up-and-coming artist. Much like Maus by Art Spiegelman or Daytripper by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá, to name a few, Soma dives into the personal challenges and triumphs of creativity while balancing an engaging story - in this case, an alien invasion.

The artwork is absolutely stunning, with a dynamic style that shifts depending on the scene - there's even a delightful pixel art sequence that feels like it jumped straight out of an old-school video game. This visual variety keeps the story fresh and exciting. And let's not forget the protagonist’s footwear choice - rocking Crocs during an alien invasion? Bold move. Whether it's a survival tactic or just an artistic statement, it definitely adds to the quirky charm of the comic book.

Despite its bittersweet ending, Soma remains a lighthearted, uplifting read that offers something valuable for both teens and adults. The occasional gag comic strips throughout the story add a great comedic touch, breaking up the tension with laugh-out-loud moments, such as the scene where an old man steals all the donation money from the cult leader.

One standout feature in Soma is the use of differently colored speech bubbles for each character—something more comic book creators should seriously consider adopting. Not only does it enhance accessibility for readers with visual processing challenges, but in my opinion makes the overal reading experience more enjoyable. I certainly loved that artistic decision.

That said, while Soma offers a page count of nearly 300 (more than your average comic), there are moments where the pacing feels a bit rushed. Some scenes could have benefited from a little more breathing room to fully develop the emotional stakes, but the story's heart and humor manage to shine through nonetheless.

Overall, Soma is a delightful blend of humor, heart, and creativity that fans of sci-fi and the occasional slice-of-life storytelling will thoroughly enjoy.

This was such an interesting read and of course pretty cool! I really enjoyed how the protagonist's character developed throughout the story, especially in their dynamic with the other main character :( Though I wish you-know-what had happened... had not happened (well, you don’t actually know because no spoilers here!). Anyway, it still kept me hooked. All in all, I really liked it a lot!

Big thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for access to the E-ARC of this book! The review provided is my own personal opinion!

This graphic novel hit all the right notes for me, from the art, to the characters, to the dialogue; I had a fantastic time reading this book.

Favourites:

- Colour and art style: I love Carles Dalmaus art and have for a while now so this was a given.
The bright colours and fun style that their art features compliments the fast and electric feel of the story which I LOVED.
The story also has a few absolutely gorgeous shots that I would KILL to see animated in a studio trigger style of animation.

- Characters: I love unserious characters guys, both Maya and Juu filled that girl-failure shaped hole in my heart and I love them both dearly.

Neutral comments:

- Dialogue: Sometimes stories that try to have "relatable" or sarcastic humour in their dialogue fall super flat but Soma did not suffer from this at all. This is one of the few books where I haven't minded the use of this kind of dialogue and actually enjoyed it at times.

What wasn't working for me:

- Pacing: Unfortunately "awkward graphic novel pacing" has taken another victim with this one, though I will say its not as distracting as it is in most graphic novels because of the humour and generally fast vibe of the story but there is a noticeable shift in speed and lore dropping part way through the story that gave me a little bit of whiplash!

Soma by Fernando Llor has an intriguing premise and moments of real creativity, but it didn’t fully meet my expectations. The world-building showed promise, and the story had its engaging moments, but some parts felt underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more depth and connection to the characters. While it didn’t completely pull me in, it’s still an interesting read for fans of speculative fiction who enjoy exploring fresh ideas.

We follow Maya, who works as a comic book artist, writing stories about alien adventures and struggling to meet deadlines.
One day an actual alien named Soma crashes through her window and they end up on a quest to save the planet.

This had everything I would want in a graphic novel. Firstly the colour palette and art style worked perfectly. Secondly I found the unlikely friendship touching and heartwarming. I also appreciated the humour and the pacey story.

Overall this book was a welcome delight and one that I would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley & OniPress for letting me read this copy to review, I really enjoyed this graphic novel. We see Maya who is a comic artist currently struggling to get her mojo with work (aren’t we all). I love the interaction with the alien takeover and watching Maya through the story very fun and quick paced.

I always love meta stories. I love when a character is an author or an illustrator and I love reading stories through their eyes. Great use of vibrant colour and interesting character design. The plot was a bit hit or miss for me but it was such a fun visual experience.

I absolutely adored this comic.
I loveeedddd the art style so much
The sci-fi was so cute
It was such an easy read and I loved the character designs (Soma especially) a lottttttt

I loved this. This was a fast-paced and well done graphic novel. I thought that the art style in this was awesome and really gave personality and life to the story, and I loved the alien invasion. Everything about this was fun and I really, really enjoyed it.

Thank you to Net Galley and Oni Press for access to the e-ARC.

Soma is a fun and fast paced apocalyptic sci-fi comic that follows Maya, a comic book artist, and Soma, an extra-terrestrial alien, as they try to stop an alien invasion. I loved this comic so much! The art is beautiful and as you can see in the cover art the colour work is especially amazing - I loved how colourful the comic was throughout, particularly the difference in the colour tones between the invasion and before/afterwards. The characters in Soma are very fun and feel realistic! I loved the side characters a lot (Juu I believe in you). The parallels between the plot of Soma and the comic that Maya is writing is also really fun to see.

Side note: I love when comics include extras for how the character designs progress and all the different versions of the cover art that were considered! It is so cool to see the thought process!

I highly recommend Soma to anyone who is a fan of comic art in general, sci-fi or just wants a fun fast paced comic to pick up!

This was a fantastic fast paced graphic novel about a comic artist who gets to live her own alien invasion adventure. I loved the art style, and although at times I felt like the translation was a bit too literal (things I noticed speaking Spanish myself!) I really enjoyed it.

Maya is a comic book artist who is struggling to finish a comic about a girl saving the world from aliens. Then suddenly, the aliens attack, and she has to save the world with the help of a friendly alien, Soma. There's also Maya's friend Juu who gets caught up in the chaos and has to survive in the city under siege by aliens.

There's a lot of fight scenes, and some of the pages were too busy for me to really see what was going on. But the character designs were nice, and I liked the ending.

Overall a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Before I get into the review, a quick thank you to both the publishers over at Oni Press and NetGalley for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Soma follows a comic book artist, Maya, who is in a creative crisis and her friend Juu who has more typical problems--he's going on a first date with a girl from an app and is catastrophizing about it. But following their pep talk, Maya returns to her apartment to work when she hears a window break and discovers an alien in her living room. Who would have known first contact with aliens would happen in a comic book artist's living room? And, more importantly, who knew it would be so violent? Soma was originally published in Spanish in 2023 and will be available to read in English on February 25th.

This was your typical first contact with aliens story, but with a more gentle edge to it. Everything felt softer--despite aliens destroying the city and threatening it with nukes. It seems to be a combination of art style and the characters and their personalities. I really loved Maya and Soma. Juu is also great. Especially when he's actually on his date and the girl is just ~the worst~ and his reaction was perfect. Maya rolls with the punches and manages to find a will and a way despite her general fatigue and burnout. Soma feels like a sweet pet which is probably not what an alien race wants to be pictured as, but I couldn't help it.

As I always say with comics/graphic novels, I need more. I always do. But I can't help reading these beautiful works. There is just something about comics and graphic novels that can really draw me in. I just need more depth than what can be given in the amount of time we have with these stories. That's definitely a me thing. Yet, as of this moment in the month so far, the comics and graphic novels are the highest rated things I've read.

I loved the artwork and the overall story but I got a little lost when it was switching between her work and her life. I could relate to Maya and the stress of adulthood and also found it it hilarious and loved her friend Juu. His storyline was probably my favorite because I also have tendency to overthink.

Maya is a comic book artist and has hit a wall at work, because she isn't creating the type of art that she loves. Her best friend Juu is also going on a first date and needs help. Then Maya has an unexpected guest, Soma. He is an alien and his kind is coming to take over unless she helps him stop it.

I thought this comic was a great new take on the alien invasion story. I really liked the main character and the all too real journey of not taking care of oneself for a job. The kitty alien was adorable and admirable partner to defeat the invasion!

As my last read of 2024, this graphic novel truly delivered! One of the standout features was how the art style adapted to suit the various circumstances Maya finds herself in. Whether it was flashbacks from Soma's perspective, the comics Maya is illustrating, or one-off snippets of unique creativity, the shifts in style were beautifully executed and kept me fully engaged. The art in general was stunning and a joy to take in.
The story itself was a blast—fast-paced and packed with action, it was impossible to put down. Maya, in particular, felt incredibly relatable, which made her journey even more compelling. It's an exciting adventure filled with aliens, heartfelt moments, and vibrant visuals. A perfect end to the year!

Soma is a fun and beautifully illustrated graphic novel. The story follows a stressed and overwhelmed cartoonist as aliens invade. Hand this to readers who enjoy fast paced comics with unexpected events.

Summary:

Maya is just an ordinary artist - taking on too many tasks and spending far too much time indoors. Thankfully, she’s got a friend or two to help keep her connected to reality. However, that reality is about to get rocked.

What would you do if you met an alien? For most of us, that’s a fun “food for thought” kind of question. For Maya, it’s a bit more literal, as she finds herself working alongside her new alien friend to survive (and maybe even stop?) an invasion.

Review:

Soma is such a strange yet fun tale; I don’t even know where to begin. It takes one comic book artist (ironic, I know) on a grand adventure that involves aliens and saving the world. The characters, even the human ones, are completely out of this world in the best of ways.

This novel is such a fast-paced read, with events happening in the blink of an eye. While that doesn’t fit every story, it certainly fits the world of Soma. I know this isn’t for everyone, so keep that in mind.

The artwork is probably my favorite part of Soma, which is saying something. I love the colors and the way Fernando Llor represented chaos and aliens. It’s cute but also fun and strange? I don’t quite know how to describe it. You almost have to see it for yourself.

Soma is absolutely worth the read, if only for the experience and art. It’s chaotic and all over the place, but that’s by design.

Highlights:
Chaos Incarnate
Aliens & Destruction
Friendship

Alien invasion, comic book artist, and awesome cartooning throughout. What's not to love here? Soma and Maya were wonderful characters and I really appreciated the art throughout. I'm looking forward to picking this one up once released!