- Hardcover
- Publisher: Tandem Library (Aug 1996)
- ISBN-10: 0613922662
- ISBN-13: 978-0613922661
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What can I say; an absolute classic tour de force, Paul Verheiden is Mr. 'Aliens.' for those who are in the know this is the where it all begins; the first book in the excellent Aliens graphic novel series, and it's an absolute stormer! It hits on so many levels, not just the obvious sci - fi horror of killer bugs that are born by bursting out of your stomach and grow to the size of men but also the meaning - and nature of life - what it means to be human (is a clone a human?), our psychology, the origin of the aliens, their psychology and social organisation, mankind's place in the universe, the problems of our planet, and more. Verheiden goes deep into what the aliens stand for, what they mean, their implications for us, as well as the obligatory comparisons between man and alien. He shows us that he knows aliens more than the filmmakers did. If ever there was a case study of how to take a concept and run with it, then this is it. Verheiden sensibly cuts out Alien 3 continuity: the two characters who survived Aliens along with Ripley (the girl Newt and the soldier Hicks) but were pronounced dead at the beginning of Alien 3 are central characters in this book. The book's underlying premise is the downward tendency of human nature when confronted with challenges and problems beyond our ken and normal frame of reference. We see twisted people trying to use the alien menace for their own ends: depravity that includes twisted scientific experiments, bio-weaponry and focuses for cult worship, with the resultant excesses of human suffering and dying. Indeed, it is humanity's collective weaknesses and baser desires that let the monsters in; that let them get a foothold on the planet (hence the title 'outbreak'), that causes earth's infestation as the aliens' - despite not possessing 'intelligence' - exploit our human failings. All too late do we realise that the aliens are a cancer, a cancer that has infected our earth and made it unliveable. Thus the scattered remnants of humanity have to flee, for earth is lost. A quite superb plot that leaves you speechless. A gripping, complex and ultimately tragic sci-fi horror saga from the one and only Paul Verheiden, who saw the potential in the Aliens phenomena and went into creative overdrive, giving us a timeless scince-fiction classic. Who cares about film sequels when the comics are this good?
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
OK, this in my humble opinion is where the Aliens Movie franchise SHOULD have gone instead of making Alien 3. You should all know the story by now (If you don't go buy the movies on DVD pronto!) so I won't go over the past. However, what makes this graphic novel great is the storyline. The characters within it are recognisable as Cpl.Hicks and Newt from the film Aliens, but obviously can't be named as such due to the story arc of the films. The artwork is satisfactory and clear, no objections here! If you want to know what SHOULD have happened after the film "Aliens" then buy this book, the sequel to this graphic novel is another fantastic read with improved artwork too. I don't want to go into too much detail so as not to spoil it for you, but needless to say, if you're an "Aliens" fan and you haven't already got this book, the question you should really be asking yourself is; "Why not?" Trust me, I think you'll like it!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I had very little knowledge of the 'ALIENS' comic books, that is until Christmas '96, when I recieved 'Aliens: Outbreak'.
I must just say, this book is brilliant! It stares a seperate cast of charcters than that of the 'Alien Saga', detailing a seperate incident. There are two main characters, Wilks, a marine corperal, and Billie, the only colonist survivor or the Rim infestation. Wilks and his squad were sent there to discover the reason for loss of contact, only to learn it was infested with Xenomorphs, following the discover of a crashed Leveler ship, like the one seen in 'Alien'. Only Wilks and Billie survived. 13 years later, Wilks is in prison, Billie is in a mental hospital. Following the destruction of a cargo ship, due to a Xenomorph, Wilks is dragged from prison and ordered to lead a team of marines to a Xenomorph planet, in order to gain a specimen for the Bio-Weapons Department. Enough on the actual story, plot wise, it is fantastic, the artwork is good. Also, it details the life cycles of the Xenomorphs, or ratherm how they live in nests, what the Queen does when she lays 'Queen Eggs', (eggs containing young Queens), how Queens differ in behavior when they burst from their hosts, the exact reason for the eggs onnoard the spaceships in both the books and 'Alien', - been carried for extermination. All in all, a great book, very enjoyable. All leading to a nightmarish conclusion which will shock you.
I must just say, this book is brilliant! It stares a seperate cast of charcters than that of the 'Alien Saga', detailing a seperate incident. There are two main characters, Wilks, a marine corperal, and Billie, the only colonist survivor or the Rim infestation. Wilks and his squad were sent there to discover the reason for loss of contact, only to learn it was infested with Xenomorphs, following the discover of a crashed Leveler ship, like the one seen in 'Alien'. Only Wilks and Billie survived. 13 years later, Wilks is in prison, Billie is in a mental hospital. Following the destruction of a cargo ship, due to a Xenomorph, Wilks is dragged from prison and ordered to lead a team of marines to a Xenomorph planet, in order to gain a specimen for the Bio-Weapons Department. Enough on the actual story, plot wise, it is fantastic, the artwork is good. Also, it details the life cycles of the Xenomorphs, or ratherm how they live in nests, what the Queen does when she lays 'Queen Eggs', (eggs containing young Queens), how Queens differ in behavior when they burst from their hosts, the exact reason for the eggs onnoard the spaceships in both the books and 'Alien', - been carried for extermination. All in all, a great book, very enjoyable. All leading to a nightmarish conclusion which will shock you.
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