Apologies to my long term readers, but there’s no way I can review an issue of Marvel’s latest Alien series without complaining about their constant need to relaunch every story arc with a new issue 1 and no clear indication as to the story it continues.

Maddeningly, it even directly continues the story from the previous series, giving this even more of a reason to just continue the numbering that story arc started.

Anyway, that ridiculousness aside, Declan Shalvey and Andrea Broccardo continue to deliver a fantastic story here.

We have flashbacks to the first encounters with Xenomorphs on planet LV-695, running alongside the ‘present day’ narrative that sees a spoilt rich kid – Jun Yutani – looking to reclaim the wreck left submerged at the climax of the previous series, caring only about its financial value to his corporation.

Meanwhile, the daughter of the previous scientists who resided here has returned, undercover – and finds a shocking secret as she makes her way through familiar territory.

Andrea Broccardo’s art is impressive too – as is Shalvey’s; he pulls double duty as writer and artist of the flashback scenes.

Those flashbacks also introduce a neat element of commentary with the synthetics questioning just how well – or not – they’re treated by their human creators, bringing some well sketched out tension to proceedings – so the Xenomorphs themselves, as is often the case, are far from the only threat.

I do wish Marvel would have more faith in these comics and stop seemingly sabotaging them with their weird need to constantly reboot, causing confusion for all but the most avid readers – they’re definitely a great read and well worth checking out, with plenty here that long term fans of the Alien franchise will appreciate.