ALIEN VS. CAPTAIN AMERICA #3: Operation Red King.

The Kree, led by Mar-Vel, have arrived to help aid Captain America and the Howling Commandos in their fight against the Xenomorphs. As Red Skull launches his plan, it may be too late as the Allies have found that Operation Red King is already in motion, and it puts the entire war in jeopardy.

Creative Team: Frank Tieri (WRITER), Stefano Raffaele (ARTIST), Neeraj Menon (COLORS), Clayton Cowles (LETTERS), and Leinil Francis Yu and Romulo Fajardo Jr (COVER).

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Story:

I truly thought that I had seen it all in terms of what Xenomorphs are capable of. Frank has since shown me that I haven’t seen anything yet. The story is met with a ton of action and horror all at once. Hala was overrun by Xenomorphs who burst out of Kree bodies violently and ran rampant across the galaxy. As the remaining Kree and Cap, along with his team, fight back, an air assault is launched, only instead of bombs, there are Xenomorphs being dropped. Consider this a new nightmare unlocked because what unfolds is a massacre. Frank’s ability to keep us both horrified yet engaged cannot be overlooked because he delivers in a big way with these moments. Amongst the chaos, there are some excellent quips such as Bucky dual-wielding ray guns, promising to shoot Hydra and Lawyers for example. These moments of storytelling make this an instant classic for fans.

The Art and Letters:

Stefano and Neeraj bring to life the Xenomorphs who black out the once blue sky down upon the trenches in such horrifying detail. They manage to capture life in a trench as the soldiers have a moment of calm, yet you can smell and sense how life may have been in that moment. Once the chaos unfolds were met with some amazing panels of Captain America in his classic throwing motion, taking heads off, and the bursts of green acidic blood against the red, white, and blue are a masterpiece in artwork. The final page, however, may be the most horrifying element of this story as Red Skull has been combined with the Queen, and the outcome will leave a lasting imprint on your memory.

Final Thoughts:

Alien VS. Captain America #3 unlocks new horrors and insane ideas. Frank and the team capture the fog of war, mixing it with the science fiction elements expected from the Alien franchise. Alien paratroopers, intergalactic monstrosities, and epic moments. This issue truly has it all.

Overall Grade: 10/10

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