ALIEN KING KILLER #1: Sibling Rivalry

Humanity has all but fallen, giving way to a planet overrun by the deadly Xenomorphs. As the Red King sacrifices his people there are more than just the hungry Aliens outside the gates he must be worried about.

Creative Team: Saladin Ahmed (WRITER), Carlos Nieto (ART), Michael Atiyeh (COLORS), Clayton Cowles (LETTERS), and David Yardin and Marcio Menyz (COVER).

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Story:

Saladin kicks this new run off with a poor child named Mouse and his grandpa going out on a foraging trip for the Red King, who, as we find out, is the one keeping their compound alive on this desolate planet. I love how we don’t have to wait long to get our first Xenomorph as it leaps from the rubble, and Saladin showcases how powerful they are. However, that is all we get to see as we meet a mysterious man who slays a Xenomorph and is out to kill the Red King. It’s a departure from Space Marines being treated as cannon fodder, which I do enjoy; we don’t spend much time before finding out this mysterious Alien killer is related to the Red King. As the duo fights, we’re offered a taste of the bad blood between them before ending on a cliffhanger.

The Art and Letters:

The artwork from Nieto and Atiyeh does a great job of highlighting this futuristic feeling of hopelessness, most often portrayed in this franchise. I love how they showcase a newer type of Xenomorph we haven’t seen before, as this one looks almost like a dog of sorts. The bright acidic green colors that flood the panels were well done and the action sequences hit their marks.

Final Thoughts:

Alien King Killer #1 takes us to a remote planet, wrought with hopelessness and Xenomorphs lurking behind every corner. I would have liked to have seen more action with them as the planet is overrun by Xenomorphs, but I enjoyed what we got to start this new run.

Overall Grade: 8.5/10

Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the comic and check out more reviews from Matt of Hops’ Geek’ News!