Aliens: Dead Orbit #1

Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 is the first issue of a four-part limited series in Dark Horse's version of the Alien universe. While the beginning and end of this debut comic focuses on an engineering officer trying to survive after an encounter with the Xenomorphs, the middle of it flashes back to much earlier. In the earlier timeline, the officer named Wascylweski and other people who work at a fuel depot investigate an unknown vessel that's drifting by them. When the staff see that the vessel is disheveled and the remaining crew are in stasis, their attempts to wake them cause the crew to be horribly burned before taking them out of the pods. James Stokoe proves what a formidable artist he is by not only writing, but also doing all aspects of the artwork, coloring, and lettering. The writing is nothing new to this franchise, but unique in its use of flashbacks rather than straightforward storytelling. With just the first issue, and knowing it's only four parts, Stokoe does an amazing job at introducing us to this story through small but detailed exposition. The characters, especially Wascylweski, may not have a lot of personality at the start, but you do get a lot of interaction between his coworkers that add towards getting some feelings for them. All the while his artwork is really detailed while a tad grimy, but in a way that fits this franchise and can seem like it's taken from an animated show. The issue excels at a mixture of sequential artwork and use of shadows that makes you think twice at what you're looking at. Not to mention the subtlety in showing Wascylweski's fears in the later timelines when he thinks he sees an alien due to how he perceives the shadows. Even how the lettering is done is genius due to how minimal they are and not getting in the way of the artwork. Sometimes a new story in a franchise doesn't need to be so new, but what Aliens: Dead Orbit #1 does is show you just need to tell a story in a more unique way than before. Over all: 100%

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