Aliens vs Predator: Three World War #1 [of 6]
Dark Horse Comics – $3.50 US
Writer: Randy Stradley
Artist: Rick Leonardi
Score: 8/10
Machiko Noguchi has had her fill of aliens and predators, being the only person to spend any quality time with both species and live to tell about it. But when a rogue predator clan known as the “killers” slaughters a mining colony on Caparis VII and the Colonial Marines show her the startling footage, Noguchi realizes an unavoidable reunion is on the horizon.
While it’s been 15 years since writer Randy Stradley penned the Aliens vs Predator: War mini-series, to central character Noguchi it’s been 10 years since she stood side-by-side with a predator nick-named Broken Tusk against a horde of aliens and survived. In her time with the “hunters,” she came to understand their culture, including knowledge of a clan of predators that forego their sense of honor for the hunt and kill indiscriminately instead.
Believed to have been wiped out, the “killers” are in fact alive, and worse yet, they’ve found a way to not only control the “bugs,” but to use them as weapons as well. Stradley hits the ground running in this opening issue of this mini-series. Reading the aforementioned 1995 mini-series isn’t necessary – although I would recommend checking out the trade paperback as the story’s pretty good – thanks to the pace he sets in.
By the end of the issue, you’ll know everything you need to know about what had transpired in the past with Noguchi, and are now ready to embark on this latest dueling mini-series with a significant twist. Artist Rick Leonardi uses his considerable talents and years of experience in visual storytelling to bring this first chapter to life.
While his style isn’t as detailed as some other artists from previous Aliens and Predator series, he more than makes up for it because he knows how to layout a story and keep the beat moving. Despite being a set up issue, for lack of a better term, the art in here is full of action, culminating in a great first issue that fans of both franchises are sure to enjoy.
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