Aliens: Dead Orbit #4 - Dark Horse Comics

ALIENS: DEAD ORBIT No. 4, December 2017

Focusing almost exclusively upon Wassy’s headlong flight through Spacteria 284255 to the supposed sanctuary of the modular station’s Life Support facility, James Stokoe’s script for Issue Four of “Aliens: Dead Orbit” is arguably a tour-de-force of science fiction horror, which seldom lets up even when depicting the engineering officer unwisely delaying his departure in order to collect a packet of cigarettes. Indeed, this twenty-three page periodical’s narrative, which culminates with the sole survivor battling a debilitated drone in outer space, must surely have reminded its 11,598 followers of both Ripley’s terrifying race through the bowels of the Nostromo in the 1979 motion picture “Alien”, as well as her subsequent high-octane battle with the Xenomorph Queen in the movie’s 1986 sequel.

Fortunately however, the Canadian comic book artist’s storyline isn’t simply about the main antagonist running for his life, but also includes some heart-wrenching moments when Wascylewski recalls the gruesome deaths of his team-mates and some of the difficult decisions he has to make in order to ensure his continued existence. Top of these consequence choices has to be the astronaut’s haunting sprint “to observation” alongside Park and his female colleague’s bloody demise at the (taloned) hands of two of the endoparasitoid extra-terrestrial species, with its gripping scene, played as a flashback whilst Wassy is fleeing another of the aliens, really bringing home the sheer terror the central character is experiencing as he tearfully seals his space-suit’s helmet shut and prepares to turn his back on his deceased crew-mates; “Park!!”

Equally as well delivered is Stokoe’s nail-biting battle between the engineer and a drone who seemingly just won’t take ‘No’ for an answer despite taking a face full of mining charge, and later losing a limb in a secondary explosion. Resolute in his course of action as he is mentally traumatised, the Spacteria crewman continually appears to have done just enough to make a successful escape before being once again thwarted by the bloody-minded determination of the Xenomorph. Ordinarily, such a long-winded game of ‘Cat and Mouse’ may well have become tediously tired, yet somehow James’ excellent storyboarding arguably makes the reader want the conflict to continue, even though it soon becomes painfully clear that the human is fast running out of survival options in the coldness of deep space…

Story, Art and Lettering: James Stokoe