Comics
Review: ‘Resident Alien’ #1
The elusive Dr. Vanderspeigle is progressively becoming a crucial town figure in Resident Alien #1, which is incidentally not a debut, but a continuation. As it says at the very beginning of Issue #1, in order to fully get the gist of what’s happened, one should read the true debut, Issue #0, first. That said, you can still understand what’s going on from issue #1. Creators Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, who have already collected critical acclaim for impressive work on comics, such as “Tom Strong” (Hogan) and “Doctor Who” (Parkhouse), have created a highly engaging science fiction story about a stranded alien recluse who starts to live amongst us humans.
WRITTEN BY: Peter Hogan
ART BY: Steve Parkhouse
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
So far in the series, we’ve learned that a mysterious alien inadvertently landed on Earth after crashing his spaceship, thus destroying it. Indefinitely marooned, he decides to live out the rest of his days in isolation, disguised as the “semi-retired” Dr. Vanderspeigle. However, one day, he is forced to emerge from his hermit life when the police knock on his door, asking him to examine the body of the town’s actual (now former) medical practitioner. From there, the Doc is propelled into a full-blown murder investigation, but he may have also found a way back to where he came from.
This issue of “Resident Alien” really demonstrates the uniqueness of the comic. Peter Hogan combines the genres of science fiction and mystery immaculately, keeping all of the classic elements from both genres intact while maintaining a healthy pace. I was very surprised at the seriousness of the plot; there was a lot less humor than I expected, which I must stress, does not take away from the story. If anything, it adds to it, and gives it a little something different, as most “alien stranded on earth” stories, even outside of the realm of comics, emphasize humor.
I think the funniest part of this comic is that the alien can “disguise” himself, so nobody seems to notice that this guy looks really f*cking strange. Steve Parkhouse uses a classic style of illustration, which works well with the story, as it’s a combination of long-standing genres. The “new-school” touches are subtle, but effective in keeping up with his peers, while still retaining some of the timeless design that has kept comics popular for so long.
“Resident Alien” is off to a solid start. This story could go in a few different directions, so I’m excited to see where our otherworldly Doc is going to end up. Dark Horse should be able to provide some insight with the publication of the next issue, out June 27th.
3.5/5 Skulls
– Reviewed by: Kaity McAllister
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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