Dark Horse Review: Alien: The Original Screenplay #4

Review: Alien: The Original Screenplay #4

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Dan O’Bannon

Adaption Script: Cristiano Seixas

Artist: Guilherme Balbi

Colorist: Candice Han

Letterer: Michael Heisler

Review By: Kendra Hale

Airlocks And Prayers

Alien: The Original Screenplay #4 comes to us this week and the crew of the Snark…just can’t seem to catch a break. When Alien: The Original Screenplay #3 left off the crew had watched as the parasite detached itself from Broussard’s face, and he had regained consciousness. Foolishly feeling safe they had started the ship up with the intention of going home. With the alien bursting forth from Broussard’s chest and now loose in the ship… the crew must find it and remove it from the ship. At least that is the plan in place with us rejoining them. Let’s dive in to Alien: The Original Screenplay #4!

Let’s Be Democratic

The alien parasite has found its way into the ventilation shaft and it is decided that they must try to drive the parasite out of the shaft into a trap. A deadly game of X marks the spot ensues as Hunter is the one fate chooses to go into the shaft to drive the creature into the net the others are ready with in the cooling unit. It all seems so easy, step by step to get rid of the parasite and back on their track to Earth.

Not everything was accounted for however and the parasite has tricks of its own. It is enough chaos that one could lose their head. Sadly the crew is wholly unprepared for what they are facing and are behind the eight ball as the parasite has no mercy to show any of them. It is getting down to the wire as oxygen becomes a priceless commodity and soon the crew won’t have the privilege of making a choice of how to die…

A Drawing Of Straws

The story of the poor crew of the Snark is quickly coming to an end. The gritty dark style of art matches the serious tone to the writing.  The comic series is a great addition to the canon of the movies and books. I especially like the deeper exploration to the pyramid and the hieroglyph images. For those who are not familiar to the story of the Alien or Predator franchises and stories, this series is a great gateway into the franchise. For those right at home with Xenomorphs, the way the story goes is quite familiar to us.

I love the interactions between the crew. Especially how the cat shows up just enough to remind us that he is still there. The artwork on the facial expressions done by Guilherme Balbi showcase the terror perfectly. We get their fright as they are being hunted down by an apex predator on full display. The tone is added to by Candice Han’s color work. 

Verdict

I love the Alien/Predator franchise and Alien- The Original Screenplay definitely carries some of the same emotions throughout the series. Alien: The Original Screenplay #4 is the setup to the finale of this series and the cliffhanger is masterfully set in motion. I am genuinely looking forward to what comes in the last issue of the series. To see if anyone still aboard the Snark, hopefully the cat, is still alive at the end of the rampage. Alien: The Original Screenplay #4 definitely gets a 5 out of 5 from me. 

Images Provided Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics.