Comic Book Review - Alien #4

Rob reviews Alien#4...

Marvel's Alien series has been a bit shakey over its last outings. From its terrible opening, the tale of Epsilon Orbital Research Station has started to grow on me. Don't get me wrong, the series is still more miss than hit, but both Johnson and Larroca are slowly getting there. 

Last time out things didn't go too well for the ever stone-faced Gabe Cruz and his small squad of Colonial Marines. With Cruz' secret mission in capturing the 'Alpha Xenomorph' now in danger of failing, it falls to Bishop to keep things on track. 

The problem with this series so far has been that there's no emotional connection between Cruz and the reader. Where Johnson does try with giving Cruz some qualities - issues with his Son, torn between family and duty - he's still a wooden character. Even in this issue, as things go from bad to worse, Cruz is still there giving the situation a big "fuck you". Even 'emotional' scenes in the Xenomorph Hive boil down to Cruz's way or nothing. And it's all shown through some menacing language and clenched jaws. 

Yet the Xenomorph - a character with no emotion, no facial expressions, and no speech is pretty good. Larroca gives us "some" brilliant scenes as the slithery menace goes about its business. The scenes in the Hive portray a somewhat familiar scene from that seen in Aliens, and along with Guru-EFX, Larroca sort of brings a sense of horror. There is the odd sequence where the Xenomorph feels somewhat too big as it leaps from the corners of the page (see below), and you question how it's able to float in mid-air!?

In terms of story, everything focuses on the 'Alpha' as it stalks the team through the station. We soon learn that the Xenomorph shares a psychic bond with its host. And as such the 'Alpha' can feel Cruz on Epsilon. Yup, the big reveal is that Cruz was the host for the Alpha Xenomorph. We all knew it, even if no one wanted to believe it.

There's also a lot of fan service such as a call back to both Hudson and Bishops role in the Aliens finale. Yet they're more a welcomed distraction.

All in all, Alien #4 is much like Alien #3. It's mediocre, yet vastly superior to issues #1 and #2. The story is somewhat heating up as the 'Alpha' joins the hunt, and Cruz battles his parental instincts. If anything this whole Alien series is good - if you don't think about it. 

Rating - 6/10 

Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev