Always interesting to see what some of the droids get up to elsewhere, like this one from Hogan and Parkhouse (S) - sounds like an interesting idea with some typically lovely art work too:
QuoteLast year the Dark Horse Presents anthology comic series carried a pretty interesting strip from Paul Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, Resident Alien. Harry Vanderspiegle is the titular resident alien – not one of those who sneaked over the Tex-Mex border that get right wing US politicians so excitable but an actual alien, an extra terrestrial being. He even looks a bit like the classic 'gray' alien, although taller. Well, to the reader, at any rate.
You see to the people of his small, isolated rural town Harry is just another person, thanks to some mental tricks he can exercise so the human population see him as one of them. And so there he is, settled down in his out of the way backwater, happily spending time on the lake fishing or in his cabin, keeping a low profile and little contact with others so as not to push his luck. Until the law comes knocking on his door.
...
this zero issue collects the original strip that was serialised in DHP last year in one, so it is a perfect introduction and set up for the series (I know Peter has plans for a second series should this one prove successful with readers, and I hope it does, because I loved it). It's a great scenario, gleefully mixing science fiction aliens-among-us with the murder-mystery genre, while the odd characters and small town setting also evoke slight echoes of Lynch's Twin Peaks and perhaps a smidgen of Doc Hollywood with the out of towner medic stuck in small town America and coming to like it (and Harry's old fishing hat also reminds me slightly of MASH's Dr Henry Blake). Harry himself is extremely likeable -we don't know why he is there yet, shipwrecked alien or deliberate visitor, or if any in authority suspect he is there yet, and that adds to it – but his self-imposed, cautious isolation has left him realising when he interacts with the townsfolk that he misses company. Maybe not his own species, but they are people, and he finds himself being drawn to them, to their lives and problems and enjoying using his accurate observational skills to discern their hidden motivations.
It's a real pleasure to delve into and I can't wait for the start of the mini-series proper, to see Harry become more and more involved in his small town mystery – and to see if his sudden dropping of his former caution about becoming involved with humans leads him to better things or to the problems he adopted his isolated persona to avoid in the first place.
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2012/im-an-alien-im-a-legal-alien/
They also point you back to this interview with Peter Hogan where he talks about the series:
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2011/hes-a-legal-alien-padraig-talks-to-peter-hogan/
ooh I've always really loved Steve Parkhouse - might look into this - !
A few people have picked it up and discussed it over at this thread
http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,35547.0.html (http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,35547.0.html)
Me being pig ignorant missed it but have put that to rights this afternoon. Along with Roger Langridge's (also once of these pastures) new Popeye stuff.
It's quite good. First issue was just a collection of DHP short stories, but I reread it once the floppy came out. It's a strong premise, and an interesting take on the "small town doctor solves big crimes" genre. Like it so far.
I was enjoying Resident Alien in Dark Horse Presents. I was just slightly disapointed to discover that what was printed in those three chapters was just a 'hook' into the mini-series (leaving the tale on a cliff-hanger) and not a whole story. I feel they could have told a complete tale to introduce the characters within DHP and the launched a series with the 'Welcome to Earth' storyline. I don't like paying for something only to be told "If you want the rest then you've got to buy something else." It's put me off a bit, which is a shame as I did like it. :(
Stew.
Quote from: SKD on 24 April, 2012, 05:45:30 PM
I was enjoying Resident Alien in Dark Horse Presents. I was just slightly disapointed to discover that what was printed in those three chapters was just a 'hook' into the mini-series (leaving the tale on a cliff-hanger) and not a whole story. I feel they could have told a complete tale to introduce the characters within DHP and the launched a series with the 'Welcome to Earth' storyline. I don't like paying for something only to be told "If you want the rest then you've got to buy something else." It's put me off a bit, which is a shame as I did like it. :(
Stew.
Hmmm...that didn't bother me at all. I just looked at it as a first issue, and first issues end with cliff hangers all the time. I knew that they'd continue the story somewhere. That's just me though.
Read about this in a recent Meg and as it sounded up my alley, so I thought I'd give it a go.
Really glad I did. Great artwork and intriguing story. Definitely worth picking up!
Quote from: Evil Pants on 24 April, 2012, 08:12:27 PM
Quote from: SKD on 24 April, 2012, 05:45:30 PM
I was enjoying Resident Alien in Dark Horse Presents. I was just slightly disapointed to discover that what was printed in those three chapters was just a 'hook' into the mini-series (leaving the tale on a cliff-hanger) and not a whole story. I feel they could have told a complete tale to introduce the characters within DHP and the launched a series with the 'Welcome to Earth' storyline. I don't like paying for something only to be told "If you want the rest then you've got to buy something else." It's put me off a bit, which is a shame as I did like it. :(
Stew.
Hmmm...that didn't bother me at all. I just looked at it as a first issue, and first issues end with cliff hangers all the time. I knew that they'd continue the story somewhere. That's just me though.
If I had have bought Resident Alien as a first issue that would have been fine, I did enjoy what I had read. My problem is with the fact that the story was part of an anthology comic (Like 2000AD) and to read the rest of the story I'd have to purchase a second, seperate comic. How would 2000AD readers feel if part way through the latest Dante epic it said 'To be continued in Nikolai Dante#1' How did readers who only bought 2000AD feel about having to buy the Meg to read the Judgement Day storyline. I'm sure some didn't bother.
In DHP, strips like Howard Chaykin's Marked Man or Richard Corben's Murky World told complete stories. If they decided to continue using these characters, in their own ongoing titles, I could choose to read more of their adventures based on their initial story arc. I'm not being forced to buy different comics just to complete the first story.
As I said before, I did enjoy what I had read in DHP, so maybe I'll pick up the trade when it comes out.
Stew.
Quote from: SKD on 24 April, 2012, 11:47:14 PM
Quote from: Evil Pants on 24 April, 2012, 08:12:27 PM
Quote from: SKD on 24 April, 2012, 05:45:30 PM
How would 2000AD readers feel if part way through the latest Dante epic it said 'To be continued in Nikolai Dante#1' How did readers who only bought 2000AD feel about having to buy the Meg to read the Judgement Day storyline. I'm sure some didn't bother.
Wouldn't bother me at all. To me, it's no different than an anthology comic saying "For the rest of the story, come back next week" If I want to finish that specific story, I either have to buy the next issue of that anthology, or issue one of Nikolai Dante. Either way, I have to buy more product to finish the story, so it doesn't matter to me which format I buy it in. Again, that's just me...I understand people who would rather see a story end in the original format. Just different strokes for different folks.
Quote from: Evil Pants on 25 April, 2012, 12:53:59 AM
Wouldn't bother me at all. To me, it's no different than an anthology comic saying "For the rest of the story, come back next week" If I want to finish that specific story, I either have to buy the next issue of that anthology, or issue one of Nikolai Dante. Either way, I have to buy more product to finish the story, so it doesn't matter to me which format I buy it in. Again, that's just me...I understand people who would rather see a story end in the original format. Just different strokes for different folks.
I think that argument holds if 2000 AD were (God forbid) discontinued. In which case, yes, you're just buying a comic next week/month as you usually was.
If it wasn't discontinued, if they were just discontinuing the Dante strip within the Prog to create a self-contained spin-off, then you have to buy yet another comic and therefore end up paying more a month. Sure, if you're only getting the Prog for Dante, that wouldn't be an issue, you'd just drop the Prog, right? Personally I don't get the Prog just for one strip though.
Latest Previews appears to have classified this series as a 3-part mini-series (4 parts if you count issue 0). I'm disappointed, as I thought it was on-going.
Quote from: The Adventurer on 25 April, 2012, 07:33:14 PM
Latest Previews appears to have classified this series as a 3-part mini-series (4 parts if you count issue 0). I'm disappointed, as I thought it was on-going.
Me too....Hopefully sales are ok. I know it's getting some good reviews and starting to get a little buzz.
This had arrived through the post when I got home from work, read it and yep loved it. Steve Parkhouse's art just gets better and better. This was bloody great.
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 26 April, 2012, 09:24:41 PM
This had arrived through the post when I got home from work, read it and yep loved it. Steve Parkhouse's art just gets better and better. This was bloody great.
Awesome. Nice to see so many people enjoying this.
I read this on the train yesterday - didnt set my world alight but was a good solid read.
Was really annoyed by Resident Alien transferring out to its own comic, completely undermines the integrity of DHP. Not overly sure it makes huge commercial sense either - are Hogan or Parkhouse names that shift issues in American comics?
Mainly I'm just pissed at not getting more Parkhouse art in DHP.
Quote from: BPP on 27 April, 2012, 08:22:46 PM
Was really annoyed by Resident Alien transferring out to its own comic, completely undermines the integrity of DHP. Not overly sure it makes huge commercial sense either - are Hogan or Parkhouse names that shift issues in American comics?
Mainly I'm just pissed at not getting more Parkhouse art in DHP.
Have the Hellboy, Beasts Of Burden, and Concrete strips in DHP undermined the integrity of their comics?
I wasn't aware Concrete was back as a comic book. Oh its not. Dunno what you're on about.
I wasn't aware Beasts of Burden was back as a comic book. Oh its not. Dunno what you're on about.
Hellboy is for Hellboy fans, can't say I cared for its appearance in DHP. However it was an existing property, not one spun out from DHP like Resident Alien.
So, none of those really are analogous to Resident Alien.
The rubbish Frank Miller thing from DHP 1 was nearer to what they have done with Resident Alien and even then they said 'HERE IS A 4 PAGE PREVIEW' not 'heres 3 episodes.. it will return' and then spin it out to a different book. If Blood, Finder etc were given 3 episodes then spun out to their own books then not only would I not be buying those (as I wont be buying Resident Alien unless it gets a trade) I also wouldn't be buying DHP full stop.
But you see Evil Pants, heres the thing... I can have my opinion of the desirability or otherwise of what they did with Resident Alien and you can have yours. And nothing you can say will alter mine so I don't really get why you are attempting to argue. Even badly.
I'm not pleased with Resident Alien (and The Massive too) spinning out of DHP I would have much rather seen it as a regular on-going feature (and concidering it's only 4 issue mini-series not a full series why it was spun out is a head scratcher). My gut says we're going to continue seeing this sort of thing going forward. I won't be suprised to see Number 13 and Murky World doing the same thing too. Alabaster Wolves used DHP as a glorified preview too.
I'm not a fan of this model, but it's pretty clear it's what Dark Horse will continue to do. Which personally I see as problematic as it undermines the desirability of the title since anything of note will collected/continued else where.
That being said, if Finder spun out into its own title I'd be right there. Because Finder is amazing. I'm glad it sticks around as a regular feature. DHP needs more of that. To bad the only other title of that type is Blood. Because Blood is fucking awful.
Quote from: Evil Pants on 27 April, 2012, 10:59:55 PM
Have the Hellboy, Beasts Of Burden, and Concrete strips in DHP undermined the integrity of their comics?
The Hellboy, Beasts Of Burden And Concrete strips did not undermine the integrity of DHP, they were all self contained tales which utilised characters from the Dark Horse line. They required no previous knowledge of the saurce material, (I've not read either Beasts Of Burden or Concrete outside of DHP) nor did they lead into a series outside of DHP.
Murky World & Marked Man may well spin into their own series (Limited or otherwise.) If there is the demand for either of them. But what was presented in DHP was complete, it had a begining, a middle and (most important) an end.
Both Resident Alien & The Massive were set ups for series that would not be concluded within the pages of DHP. It's a marketing tool, an advertising gimmick, a (not free) promo. Sell story to readers in a anthology title £££, re-sell story in a collected edition '0' (and hopefully pick up more readers who had not read anthology.) £££, continue story in own title #1 £££. Re-sell anthology or issue '0' when readers of issue #1 realise that the story has begun elsewhere £££.
Or am I being cynical?
I'm not being critical of Resident Alien as a strip, as I've said before, I enjoyed what I read of it.
Stew.
Alright, I concede! I'm obviously in the minority here..and you all raise some great points. Thanks for the good debate on this.
Oh Evil Pants. For shame. This is the internet. You must defend your position beyond the point of absurdity. You must call into question the sexual orientation and parentage of your opponents. You must, at the very least, compare their viewpoint to that of Nazis and/or godless Liberals. How can we hold our heads up as a forum knowing that rational debate takes place here. :'(
Quote from: TordelBack on 28 April, 2012, 06:16:48 PM
Oh Evil Pants. For shame. This is the internet. You must defend your position beyond the point of absurdity. You must call into question the sexual orientation and parentage of your opponents. You must, at the very least, compare their viewpoint to that of Nazis and/or godless Liberals. How can we hold our heads up as a forum knowing that rational debate takes place here. :'(
I was going to do that, but then I remembered that a) I really like coming here, b) I see the validity of what others are saying, and c) I really like godless Liberals. I'm Canadian after all.
They let Canadians in here?!! Right, that's it, I'm outta here!
(And just to switch back on topic for a second; the only reason I bought DHP was for this story. Once it left it's pages I stopped buying, so they've screwed up there...)
Quote from: Daveycandlish on 29 April, 2012, 07:39:37 AM
(And just to switch back on topic for a second; the only reason I bought DHP was for this story. Once it left it's pages I stopped buying, so they've screwed up there...)
Well that's silly, because DHP has many great things running through its pages. Resident Alien was just one of many good comics in there. What made you stop?
Quote from: The Adventurer on 29 April, 2012, 08:12:07 AM
Well that's silly, because DHP has many great things running through its pages. Resident Alien was just one of many good comics in there. What made you stop?
Yeah...DHP is one of the absolute best reads on the stands right now. So much greatness in 80 pages.
Quote from: Daveycandlish on 29 April, 2012, 07:39:37 AM
They let Canadians in here?!! Right, that's it, I'm outta here!
Technically they didn't let me in...I bribed Emperor with maple syrup and canadian bacon :P :P :P
Quote from: Evil Pants on 29 April, 2012, 05:47:31 PM
Quote from: Daveycandlish on 29 April, 2012, 07:39:37 AM
They let Canadians in here?!! Right, that's it, I'm outta here!
Technically they didn't let me in...I bribed Emperor with maple syrup and canadian bacon :P :P :P
Mmmmm bacon.
Quote from: Evil Pants on 29 April, 2012, 04:40:50 PM
Yeah...DHP is one of the absolute best reads on the stands right now. So much greatness in 80 pages.
Hear, hear. :thumbsup:
Stew.
Well, the new series has just dropped, in prelude to the forthcoming SYFY adaptation, and on the strength of this first issue, it's going to be as gently compelling and full of great character development as the previous series.
If this proves to be the finally arc, as rumoured, then it appears to be going out on a high and I, for one, can't wait to see how it's all wrapped up. :thumbsup:
'Your ride's here' 1 was as good as I'd hoped. The gentle surface hiding deep waters and a sinister undertone. Really looking forward to seeing how this one develops and where it leaves the series at the end.
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 04 December, 2020, 09:27:49 PM
'Your ride's here' 1 was as good as I'd hoped. The gentle surface hiding deep waters and a sinister undertone. Really looking forward to seeing how this one develops and where it leaves the series at the end.
It really has been of a consistently high quality throughout its run.
Will be very sorry to see it end. :'(
Here's hoping one day these all end up in a DH HC omni. I'd love a complete collection in that format, rather than the existing trades.
Well necropost for damned good reason. Its seems it not as over as I thought!
https://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/3009-949/Resident-Alien-The-Book-of-Love-1 (https://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/3009-949/Resident-Alien-The-Book-of-Love-1)
WAYHEY!
Bit torn. It ended well, so there's that. But I'm up for more of what was a great series. Here's hoping the creators got some cash for the TV show (although I couldn't bring myself to watch it after seeing the trailer).
Now, Dark Horse: how about a lovely collected HC?