Chris Claremont is one of the comic industry’s stars, but having read a few things from him, I’ve been less than impressed. In fact, it was partially due to reading some of his run on X-Men that I had such a negative view of comics, which took a great deal of time and effort to overcome. This creates a big problem when reading Volume 2 of the Aliens VS Predator omnibus series (are there more coming?!), because it begins with and is dominated by the nearly 300 page arc Deadliest of the Species.
Almost three fourths of the book is comprised of that one story, written by Claremont, and sadly, not well. There are a few intriguing ideas, and a few cool images, but the story is pretty stupid, and the finale just awful. Much of the last 60 pages of the story is exposition, back story, and explanation, which more often than not doesn’t lead to any kind of satisfaction on the part of the reader. And when the big reveal of who is behind everything happens…well, let’s just say, it could have been better, less typical.
Once that story is finally done, the last hundred or so pages are a collection of mostly short stories that are entertaining, if brief. Though brief is pretty welcome by then. Hell-Bent and Chained to Life and Death are probably the best. I’m intrigued by the possibilities presented in Pursuit, but that short feels like the introduction to something. Is there anything more? Not in this volume.
Thanks largely to that massive and lackluster Claremont story, this volume isn’t nearly as enjoyable as the first volume. And sadly, to this point, I’ve seen no indication of another.
Aliens VS. Predator Omnibus Volume 2
Author: Chris Claremont, etc.
Art: Jackson Guice
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
ISBN: 978-1-59307-829-4
Pages: 458
-Matt
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