Aliens: Labyrinth (Dark Horse Collection.)

Rating:
Summary: possibly the best aliens side story, kilian rocks
Review: an exellent side story to aliens, it involves a marine sole survivor a and suspicious scientist who has a demented bond with the horrifying creature. this books never loses its interest, and the art gives it a realistic feel to it.

Rating:
Summary: Living the Hive Life
Review: Having been a fan of the Alien movies (for the most part, anyhow)and the comic adaptations, it seemed a sure bet that the novel would also be something worthy of at least a look. While I seemed to eat my words on some of those books, this one in particular was leaps and bounds above the rest. In fact, some of the movies, especially the last, could have taken a few notes from the novel.
The story basically follows Col. Doctor Paul Church along his pathways that seemed intertwined with Aliens, from the experiments we find him introduced with to the younger, more gruesome, experiences he had while being taken into a diseased hive. If you like the concept of the Alien and want to learn more about them, what better way could there be to study their sociology that with a completely disturbed tour guide like Church.
Its worth checking out in paperback and in graphic novel form. Some of it is actually quite chilling.

Rating:
Summary: Aliens: labyrinth (dark horse collection)
Review: I thought this book was awesome! Not because i'm a sci-fi nut or anything but because of the social issues that were brought up in the very context of this book. The first one spans back to the first Movie (Alien) where a powerful company became very greedy and cost the lives of the Nostromo crew, even Ripley later on in the trilogy. It all spans out to the Golden Mean archetype where the company had become greedy and had been shown the destructive power of this thing and said "Wow, we can make alot of money!" this all comes down to the Golden Mean and how too much greed and power had drove this company over the edge and having them destroy mankind itself, had it not been for ripley. But also in this book the Golden Mean pokes it's green head and once again causes death and destruction with the overwhelming power this one guy thought he could achieve. I guess the point is that this book, even though it's a sci-fi book is a great and useful book that can and should be used to show the student the Golden Mean archetype and you will also keep the reader entranced in his or her reading.

Rating:
Summary: Aliens: labyrinth (dark horse collection)
Review: I thought this book was awesome! Not because i'm a sci-fi nut or anything but because of the social issues that were brought up in the very context of this book. The first one spans back to the first Movie (Alien) where a powerful company became very greedy and cost the lives of the Nostromo crew, even Ripley later on in the trilogy. It all spans out to the Golden Mean archetype where the company had become greedy and had been shown the destructive power of this thing and said "Wow, we can make alot of money!" this all comes down to the Golden Mean and how too much greed and power had drove this company over the edge and having them destroy mankind itself, had it not been for ripley. But also in this book the Golden Mean pokes it's green head and once again causes death and destruction with the overwhelming power this one guy thought he could achieve. I guess the point is that this book, even though it's a sci-fi book is a great and useful book that can and should be used to show the student the Golden Mean archetype and you will also keep the reader entranced in his or her reading.

Rating:
Summary: Truly horrific... if you're into that sorta thing
Review: I've never been a fan of horror flicks, as I find them to be formulaic and unoriginal; incredibly disturbing in that I know lots of folks enjoy seeing the "characters" in such a story ripped up and brutalized. So, I've never enjoyed the horror-aspect of the Aliens universe. No, what keeps bringing me back is the stories that play with the same concepts introduced in my favorite movie of all time: Aliens (the second movie). That one showed us evil creatures who appeared to arrive straight from our darkest nightmares, but it also showed us that humanity could FIGHT our fears and triumph. That sense of satisfaction that I got when Ripley takes the Alien Queen on (and wins) made me a fan of the genre, even if the next two movies disappointed me.

Aliens: Labyrinth does not have any of that. What it does have is an incredibly suspenseful story and has you on the edge of your seat. You really do pray for the flashback scene of Church's experience in the Hive to end and it will make you sick. So if you like that sorta thing, go for it.

On the other hand, it does not give any explanation for why the hive is the way it is or why the hive is there (other then a brief comment about "bug farmers"). Nor does is bother to explain how the Aliens can be trying to breed humans and aliens when the aliens themselves really aren't intelligent enough to think of something like that, nor would they be able to create a methodology for going about such a horrific idea (yet somehow they do). By rights, the mole spore should've just killed them all right away because the Aliens wouldn't be able to fight something like that. So, it doesn't really jive with what we know about the Aliens and I know that ticks off fans who like their stories to have continuity.

Another thing that I think most of this story's reviewers don't know is that the story of Dr. Church (and Crespi's remains) continues in the computer game "Aliens: A Comic book adventure." It's a pretty low-tech role-playing game that makes you feel like you are in a comic book. You can't really find it anywhere except on E-bay. I played the game first and then the comic, which worked for me as it really does explain why Church is doing the things he's doing in the computer game and makes him seem a little less of a villain (still glad I kicked his arse in the game though). I mention this merely so that you know you'll be tempted to buy the thing if you read this comic, `cause quite frankly the comic by itself will leave you hanging.

Bottomline: If you liked the nastiness of Alien: Resurrection and the scariness of >yawn< Alien 3, then you'll like this comic. If, however you liked Aliens and hated the last two Alien movies AND tend towards likening good guys to win in the end... turn around and walk away very, very quickly. This comic book is not for you.

Rating:
Summary: One of the better Aliens stories
Review: This review is in regards to the "Updated" edition that was released in 1996. Containing an intro by SD Perry, the daughter of novelist Steve Perry. And in the back, a cover gallery, not just the covers to Labyrinth, but also Killian Plunkett's covers to the Aliens: Berserker mini series. Also in the back is a sketchbook section, containing work by not just Plunkett but also some by the writer Jim Woodring as well.Woodring, who comes from an "indie" comic background, gives this Aliens story an extra dose of dark humor to the proceedings. As well as some truly gross and grisly moments. Brought to life by Plunkett, whose first major comic book job this was. He was only in his early twenties when he drew this book. His style here is a cross between Duncan Fegredo and the detailed panels of Geoff Darrow. The colors come from Matt Hollingsworth, one of the best colorists in the comic industry today. Especially in the last two years or so, he has been in high demand. His name appearing in the credits of countless numbers of Marvel and DC titles. The letters are by Ellie DeVille, who also lettered Killian Plunkett's other most familiar work, The Unknown Soldier mini series from DC's Vertigo comics.The story starts out as if it's going to be yet another by the numbers "shoot the aliens" action story, but moves into "talking heads" territory, with lots of dialogue. This could easily kill the momentum of most comics if the story is dull and boring, but Woodring gives the Aliens fans tons of interesting info about the creatures, both physically and psychologically. And the flashback segment of the Doctor Church's ordeal in the Alien's lair is outstanding (not to mention extremely unsettling) with some excellent and memorable work by Plunkett.If you're an Aliens comic collector, then this trade paperback (or the original mini series) is probably already in your collection, and if not, it is definitely worth getting.

Rating:
Summary: A worthwhile read
Review: While most of the Aliens graphic novels are fairly mediocre and largely have the same plot as each other, this one is just that step better. The plot is still initially the same idea as half of the others - someone decides he can farm/experiment on aliens - it is carried out with that much more humour and imagination, and better artwork. If you only read one Aliens graphic novel, read this one - That way you won't notice the plot similarities.