After an underwhelming first installment, Alien: Defiance returns for its second issue. This month, Colonial Marine Zula Hendricks and her merry band of synthetics board a derelict ship that might be (is definitely) crawling with xenomorphs. Is it good?
Aliens: Defiance (Dark Horse Comics)
Observations
- YES! A Hedricks flashback!
- …and it’s done.
- When will people in the Alien universe learn that a bizarre lack of human activity in a place where humans had previously been active is a sure sign of danger?
- I’m liking this Hendricks character.
- Never leave a neutralized xenomorph without disposing of it properly–especially if it’s bleeding out onto the floor.
- KILL IT WITH FIRE is always a good way to go when you’re dealing with xenomorphs.
- …or not.
Is It Good?
This series has two great things going for it: Hendricks and Tristan Jones’ fantastic artwork.
The more we get to see Jones draw aliens (and aliens getting shot/blown up), the better. His rendering of the xenomorphs and their face-hugger babies is both horrifying and beautiful.
Hendricks has officially entered the pantheon of badass female warriors that the Alien franchise is known for. I do wish that Brian Wood did a little more showing and less telling of her previous struggles/hardships, but her present actions and reactions to the narrative have already made me a fan.
All that said, the story itself still feels pretty generic. It’s still good, but nothing that we haven’t seen before from this franchise. If Aliens: Defiance ends up just being Hendricks and her droid crew shooting up xenomorphs for three more issues, then I’m actually okay with that–especially with Jones on the art duties. But it would be nice to see such a great new character have a bit more of an interesting/different story. Maybe we’ll get to see more of Hendricks’ days in the Colonial Marines via flashback. Either way, I’m now fully on board for the ride.
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