Issues: 1 to 5
Script: Chris Warner
Pencils: Tony Akins
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Issues: 6 to 10
Script: Kelley Puckett
Pencils: Allen Nunis
Inks: Bob Smith
Colors: Pamela Rambo
Ever since I saw the “Colonial Marines” comics, I’ve had fairly high hopes for them. It seemed precisely the kind of thing I wanted out of an Aliens series. However, one of the most unusual things happened in this series halfway through, at least very unusual for a limited series. The entire creative team was changed after issue five. Now normally I would say this is the worst idea possible, because you run a major risk of disrupting continuity. I was most concerned when the new creative team finished the story two issues early instead of the projected twelve issue run. Strangely I think they managed to pull this off fairly well, however, I think doing the extra two issues would have been beneficial.
This series actually has a very cool story concept and I don’t even think it’s ever really touched upon again in later series. Now that I’ve read this I wish it would be. Basically it starts off with meeting Lieutenant Hank Henry who’s been detailed to useless duty because of his bad behavior. It’s supposed to be a long run of mundane routine work, but this being an Aliens comic, we all know it will be anything but! However, to fit with his undisciplined attitude, he is given a squad of equally undisciplined marines just to make his trip more interesting. They even have Vasquez’s sister on this run! Although, when the fire fights start they’re anything but the bad ass marines we remember from the movie!
If you’re expecting your basic run of the mill bug hunt, you’ll find a lot more than that in here. There is actually a great deal of intrigue and a few new Aliens species for us to look at. Anyway, there are some humans that have seemed to glean some control over the Aliens and appear to have allied themselves with them. This definitely plays into the religious fanatics concept we saw in earlier issues, but this is a whole new extreme. The Aliens are actually moving with a real sense of purpose in this series, rather than just latching onto a location and infesting it! Seriously, this was such a cool concept! My one gripe is that they simply didn’t explain who these people were. Not nearly enough, I mean we find out who’s behind it, but we never totally find out why. This is why I said that they shouldn’t have cut this series down two issues. They should have at least had one or two explaining the background of these people. I think it would have been utterly fascinating to read.
The art found on both teams is actually pretty good. I think the second team had a lot more depth for the technical detail, but overall the transition in teams was decently smooth. Granted I could definitely tell the art had shifted drastically, but it didn’t go from good to bad or anything so destructive. Some of the new Aliens designs were quite interesting to view and to see the artists take on fish like Aliens.
Overall this is a pretty action packed series. If you wanted a series with marines blowing stuff up then this is definitely what you’re looking for. It’s pretty straight to the point with its intent, but there is a good intrigue story holding it together, as in, more than just shooting stuff. I know, I know, we just want to see Aliens getting blown up! I think most Aliens fans will enjoy reading this despite the lack of really explaining that plot twist, ah well… maybe they’ll revisit it someday. So far this is on par with being one of the better Aliens comics I’ve read thus far.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5