Review – MARVEL’s Alien #2
Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Illustrated by Salvador Larroca
Colouring by Guru-eFX
Published by MARVEL Comics
Released in April, 2021
SUMMARY
MARVEL’s Alien #2 is the second instalment of a brand-new breed in the Alien franchise, written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson with illustrations & colouring with Salvador Larroca and Guru-eFX.
Newly retired Cruz is visited by an unwelcome officer of Weyland-Yutani corporation who bears bad news. With his son Danny trapped onboard a vessel hosting a vital specimen known only as Alpha, it’s put upon Cruz to prepare for one last mission to obtain Alpha and if possible, his son. What awaits him in the shadows of a sinking ship is what he fears the most.
ART
Firstly, the Xenomorph knows it’s the main event attraction and makes sure that its entrance is of grandiose fashion; gloried and gorified. With an abnormally realistic illustration by Larroca, we’re reminded that they are otherworldly yet familiar creatures.
The panoramic pandemonium of a painfully perished personnel carrier is splayed across the panels of this comic. Like a museum of mutilation under shades of blue and red that are equally chilling and searing in Guru-eFX’s implementation.
WRITING
Much like the first issue, we are immediately greeted with a masterclass in psychological horror where not even a grimacing child can be heard screaming over a symphony of blood and guts once known as her grampa.
Something I failed to mention in my first review of Alien #1 was inclusion of flashbacks throughout. With a majority of the fanbase viewing characters more as Xenofodder, Johnson’s new addition gives our main character history, emotional depth and hopefully the wherewithal to not stick his face in something alien to him!
Just as the stakes have been significantly heightened for Cruz, so to have the rewards conversely dropped in value. No matter what happens in space, Cruz will either live or die with the life altering consequences before him. Game over man. GAME OVER!!!
OVERALL
In conclusion, MARVEL’s Alien #2 is another step in the perfect direction of the Alien franchise, with crippling anxiety and hopelessness shadowing the one man who might be able to face his demons head on.
Johnson’s story has amped up its drama and action, ironically similar to the sequel to Alien, Aliens, while maintaining its tension and subtlety. If we get an abundance of British characters in the third issue then we’ll know the score.
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You can read my first review of MARVEL’s Alien #1 HERE!
Let us know in the comments your thoughts on our Review of MARVEL’s Alien #2, your favourite Alien film and what you have done to give me my Stubs & Jonesy Disney+ spin off…yeah, I HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN ABOUT STUBS THE CAT!
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