Alien Legion: Slaughterworld

Alien Legion: Slaughterworld

Epic Comics / Marvel, 1991

'Alien Legion: Slaughterworld' was published by Marvel's Epic Comics imprint in 1991.

This trade paperback compiles issues 1 (April 1984) and 7 to 11 (April 1985 - December 1985) of the comic book series issued by Epic.

The writing cores were handled by Marvel's veteran writer Alan Zelentz, with Chris Warner providing pencils, Phil Felix lettering, and Bob Sharen the coloring.

The major story arc, encompassed by issues 7 to 11, has our heroes crash-landing on an uncharted planet following a fight with an armada of Harkilon spaceships. As fate would have it, a group of Harkilons also have landed on the planet, and it's only a matter of time before the two groups cross paths.......and the shooting starts.

But what neither adversary realizes is that the planet's indigenous, humanoid life forms are dangerous in their own right......and operate in concert with a species of carnivorous plant life that uses its scent to lure unsuspecting prey into its clutches.

With his ship out of action, wounded Legionnaires, aggressive Harkilons, and dangerous local flora and fauna, it's all that Captain Sarigar can do to keep his force alive, much less in a position to be rescued.......  

'Alien Legion: Slaughterworld' offers 1980s sci-fi with a straightforward plot and plenty of action, which was the goal of its creator, Carl Potts, who saw the series as a grittier, more violent presentation of space opera than was the norm.

To provide a respite from relying on too many ray-gun battles to drive the narrative, writer Zelentz provides some side dramas, one centered on the series' maverick mainstay, Jugger Grimrod. Along with the usual squabbling among the Legionnaires, there's also sub-plots involving shapeshifting Harkilons, Legion deserters who leave their fellows open to danger, and a clandestine romance between golden boy Torie Montroc and an attractive female diplomat. 

Chris Warner's art is well done, especially considering that it has to generate quite a few panels-per-page to accommodate Zelentz's script and its abundant speech balloons, thought balloons, and text boxes.

Copies of 'Slaughterworld' can be purchased for under $10 from online vendors. The contents also are bundled into the 2009 Dark Horse Alien Legion Omnibus volume 1. 

If you are a fan of the Alien Legion franchise, or 80s sci-fi comics - particularly those inspired by Star Wars - then you may want to obtain a copy. It offers Old School fun, free of the pretentiousness that afflicts so many contemporary sci-fi comic books, and that's not a bad thing.