There’s something about a well-plotted story that is unmistakable. Characters act as they should in situations, and the other shoe always seems to drop to crank the screws on them. That’s the case with Declan Shalvey and Andrea Broccardo’s Alien by Shalvey and Broccardo Vol. 2: Descendant (with colors by Triona Farrell and Ruth Redmond). This second volume cuts ahead in time after the events of Alien Vol. 1, with multiple meanings behind its subtitle “Descendant.”
Alien by Shalvey & Broccardo Vol. 2: Descendant opens with the textless Alien Annual 2023. Set in the year 2156, this story reveals what happened to a downed Weyland-Yutani ship and how it created a new kind of Alien. This downed ship is what the Weyland-Yutani organization is after for the story set in the now, but pay attention to dates as you read, as flashbacks lead to newfound revelations as well.
The cross-cutting of timelines is an intriguing element that works, considering the main character was a child the last we saw her. She’s on this new mission, but at the start, we don’t know why. She’s a descendant looking for answers and maybe justice. Meanwhile, the opening annual revealed descendants of long lost Aliens trapped in the ice are awake and ready to kill at will.
Note the other Alien.
Credit: Marvel
Another element that complicates the story in a good way is a young teen descendant of the Weyland-Yutani clan. He’s after something, but we all know it’s the death machines that are Aliens. The corporate greed theme reads through this character. There are also themes involving the mistreatment of androids and their autonomy and desire to be free. Shalvey has done an exceptional job juggling all these familiar themes in a story that quite honestly could be the plot of a great Alien movie.
My only gripe is the ending comes a little too quickly. The buildup is delicious, but in the final moments, the story seems to collapse under itself. The tragic end makes some sense, given the nature of Alien stories, but the fight amongst the downed android is a little clunky. There’s also a slightly cliched giant monster in the climactic moments, but at least it ties to the opening annual issue.
Art by Broccardo is also strong, with the Alien and new Alien variants all looking incredibly scary and formidable. The ships and space suits also have plenty of detail and a nice futuristic look. Shalvey draws flashbacks involving androids, and the art here is top-notch. He gives the androids an unnatural stare as if they aren’t quite alive, helping disconnect them from the humans but also making it easy to commiserate with them. Danny Earls draws the annual issue and it’s safe to say words aren’t necessary in this epic tale of a new kind of Alien.
Alien by Shalvey & Broccardo Vol. 2: Descendant is an excellent Alien tale that’s right up there with the best films. It has great plotting that keeps you guessing while not one, but two types of Aliens run amok. The horror themes work as well in a great finale to what Shalvey and Broccardo started.
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