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Resident Alien by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse

Started by Emperor, 24 April, 2012, 03:52:40 PM

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Emperor

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/
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

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CrazyFoxMachine

ooh I've always really loved Steve Parkhouse - might look into this - !

Colin YNWA

A few people have picked it up and discussed it over at this thread

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.

Evil Pants

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.
My opinions on comics can be found here: http://fourcoloursandthetruth.wordpress.com/

Webcomics, as written by me, can be found here: http://condoofmystery.com/

SKD

 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.

Evil Pants

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.
My opinions on comics can be found here: http://fourcoloursandthetruth.wordpress.com/

Webcomics, as written by me, can be found here: http://condoofmystery.com/

dweezil2

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!
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SKD

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.

Evil Pants

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.
My opinions on comics can be found here: http://fourcoloursandthetruth.wordpress.com/

Webcomics, as written by me, can be found here: http://condoofmystery.com/

Mardroid

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.

The Adventurer

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.

THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

Evil Pants

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.
My opinions on comics can be found here: http://fourcoloursandthetruth.wordpress.com/

Webcomics, as written by me, can be found here: http://condoofmystery.com/

Colin YNWA

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.

Evil Pants

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.
My opinions on comics can be found here: http://fourcoloursandthetruth.wordpress.com/

Webcomics, as written by me, can be found here: http://condoofmystery.com/

Davek

I read this on the train yesterday - didnt set my world alight but was a good solid read.