REVIEW: ‘Alien’ Issue #5

Alien #5 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Declan Shalvey, art by Andrea Broccardo, colors by Ruth Redmond, and letters by Clayton Cowles. This is the last in the series. The few survivors left on the base are trying to get off of it, but one of them isn’t even human.

This issue has to take many of the plot threads that had been intensified last issue and try and wrap them up, which it does with most of them, A man that was posing as Zasha’s father turns out to be a Synth and there is a huge, white xenomorph on the loose. Those were only revealed in Alien #4, yet derail what was the predicted path for this final issue.

Many of the tropes of the final issue are also present but are written brilliantly. There are showdowns, sacrifices, and surprises, as the wave of Xenomorphs gradually makes its way out of the ice and into the base. Whilst it is noisy, I don’t think that swarm has been used to its fullest potential. What the swarm faces is the big surprise. The concept is thrilling, but there is a much larger battle that was possible to see. Likewise, I felt like the final ending could have been spotted a mile away. The bleakness of the finale fits the attitude that Shalvey has approached the book with. It isn’t cold like the exterior — the events exist to hit hard.

Alien #5 features stunning dialogue. It’s rough and unflinching, the subtlety and lies long gone. Zasha is angry, distraught, and exhausted, stepping into the leadership role. What she has faced is among the most traumatic that a character can come across in a horror movie. And as an action star, the synth that had taken the name of Dalton is terrific. He remains protective and sensitive even after everything, with a devotion to keeping his adopted daughter safe. There are still a couple of human villains left alive, and they have been nothing but one-dimensional, but they have served a purpose throughout the series. They’re targets for the true enemies and obstacles in the way for the heroes to escape. The white Xenomorph is extremely cool, but again, just not quite unleashed at its ferocious peak.

The art has been phenomenal for this whole series and continues to excel at its conclusion. It is disturbing and grizzly all the way to the final page. Sci-fi-based character reveals, such as Dalton’s skin melting off to reveal a synthetic form, are horrifying, and the detail is extraordinary. The swarm of Xenomorphs makes my skin crawl, like spiders but with much bigger teeth. Then there is the new entrant. The white Xenomorph is more than just a normal one spray-painted white. There are new details and different features to its body that change how it acts. The most notable difference is just how much bigger it is than the other Xenormprohs. It is gigantic and imposing, with just as many natural weapons as the creatures it resembles.

The colors are terrific. As the issue gets fiery and intense in the later stages, there are reds and oranges that start to envelop the panels. But the vibrancy is reduced to maintain the general, cooler tone of the comic. The green blood of the Xenomorphs is perhaps even more striking on the white version than on the standard black form. The lettering has been superb, always dynamic and fitting for the tone of the comic.

Alien #5 brings the true horror story to a close. The book has been frantic and unrelenting in its violence from the moment the Xenomorphs entered, so it is true to form that it does not stop until the final moments. Whilst there are some missed opportunities, the deaths are still shocking and sickeningly enjoyable. Both Shalvey and Marvel appear to have much more left to give when it comes to the alien franchise, so it will be fascinating to see whether this series will have consequences beyond this conclusion.

Alien #5 is available where comics are sold.