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Rogue Planet (2020) #1-5
ROGUE PLANET #1 CVR A MACDONALD
The salvage vessel Cortes tracks the Lonely Orphan, a planet with no star system to call its own. Somewhere on this hostile rock is a payload fit for a king. To attain it, though, the crew of the Cortes must brave razor rock, poisonous vapors, treacherous footing, and…the most mind-numbing horrors imaginable. Struggling to stay alive, they are beset at every turn by horrors from their own nightmares. Now, they have discovered that they are not alone on the planet, and the other inhabitants welcome them…as sacrifices to an elder god.
Unknown Binding
First published March 9, 2021
13 people are currently reading
322 people want to read
About the author
Cullen Bunn
2,095 books1,044 followersCullen grew up in rural North Carolina, but now lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Cindy and his son Jackson. His noir/horror comic (and first collaboration with Brian Hurtt), The Damned, was published in 2007 by Oni Press. The follow-up, The Damned: Prodigal Sons, was released in 2008. In addition to The Sixth Gun, his current projects include Crooked Hills, a middle reader horror prose series from Evileye Books; The Tooth, an original graphic novel from Oni Press; and various work for Marvel and DC. Somewhere along the way, Cullen founded Undaunted Press and edited the critically acclaimed small press horror magazine, Whispers from the Shattered Forum.
All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.
And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.
Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.
All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.
And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.
Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
November 10, 2020
Where's Sigourney Weaver when you need her? Rogue Planet is a graphic sci-fi horror about a planet that kind of swallows up invaders or rather parasitically engulfs their hosts. Not necessarily a thrill ride, but not bad.
November 11, 2020
In the years after the release of Alien, there was a slew of cheaply produced Alien rip-offs (Inseminoid and Xtro are two that come readily to mind). They all had their cheapness and derivativeness as a common factor. Rogue Planet reads like the comic version of such an Alien rip-off. Even worse, it goes a bit Prometheus/Covenant on us.
So there's a rogue planet, which is a planet that has left its orbit and isn't bound to a star (which immediately threw up the question where the lightfall on this planet is coming from). The not-Nostromo approaches said rogue planet because it is emitting a signal, and there might be some good stuff to mine or something. So we get a bunch of interchangeable space men and women, and one of the book's two interesting ideas is introduced - these people are put into hypersleep, and while unconscious then are operated by the ship AI to complete chores around said ship (the space people call it 'zom-time', which is just terrible). In that idea a lot of interesting horror lies! What if your body is used to do something horrible while you're asleep? Nothing like that is explored.
As soon as we're on the planet, the Prometheus-ness kicks in, with the crew making stupid decisions to move the plot along, and generally not act like human beings. Shortly after part of the crew is exploring the planet, they encounter a huge fleshy meatblob with lungs, at which they go "Ah! They look like lungs!" and instantly return to what they were doing. It also doesn't help that the next meatblob they encounter looks like a tray of mincemeat with googly eyes stuck on.
The art isn't great, and manages to look cheap. The lighting has zero atmosphere, and everything looks flat (which is especially weird if Alien really was one of the inspirations, a film that hangs on its lighting and atmosphere).
I sometimes get the feeling that Cullen Bunn, the author of this book, has too readily accepted his role of horror comics author, and without being too presumptuous, it would perhaps help his writing if he spent more time writing non-horror work.
(Received an ARC through NetGalley)
So there's a rogue planet, which is a planet that has left its orbit and isn't bound to a star (which immediately threw up the question where the lightfall on this planet is coming from). The not-Nostromo approaches said rogue planet because it is emitting a signal, and there might be some good stuff to mine or something. So we get a bunch of interchangeable space men and women, and one of the book's two interesting ideas is introduced - these people are put into hypersleep, and while unconscious then are operated by the ship AI to complete chores around said ship (the space people call it 'zom-time', which is just terrible). In that idea a lot of interesting horror lies! What if your body is used to do something horrible while you're asleep? Nothing like that is explored.
As soon as we're on the planet, the Prometheus-ness kicks in, with the crew making stupid decisions to move the plot along, and generally not act like human beings. Shortly after part of the crew is exploring the planet, they encounter a huge fleshy meatblob with lungs, at which they go "Ah! They look like lungs!" and instantly return to what they were doing. It also doesn't help that the next meatblob they encounter looks like a tray of mincemeat with googly eyes stuck on.
The art isn't great, and manages to look cheap. The lighting has zero atmosphere, and everything looks flat (which is especially weird if Alien really was one of the inspirations, a film that hangs on its lighting and atmosphere).
I sometimes get the feeling that Cullen Bunn, the author of this book, has too readily accepted his role of horror comics author, and without being too presumptuous, it would perhaps help his writing if he spent more time writing non-horror work.
(Received an ARC through NetGalley)
November 8, 2021
3.5 Stars
This was an entertaining space opera graphic novel. The story wasn't particularly deep but I enjoyed the read enough. The artwork was awesomely gruesome and creepy.
This was an entertaining space opera graphic novel. The story wasn't particularly deep but I enjoyed the read enough. The artwork was awesomely gruesome and creepy.
March 12, 2021
3.5 stars
This was strange story that I enjoyed, for the most part. The crew of a salvage vessel end up on a planet that they intend to pilfer for whatever they can find. What they didn’t expect to find was a planet that could physically manifest the fears in your mind. This of course leads to death and some gore and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I didn’t really care for the ending. I understood it but it also felt a little contrived and a little preachy which feels like it comes completely out of nowhere. I would still recommend if you enjoy sci-fi/horror graphic novels.
ARC via Netgalley
This was strange story that I enjoyed, for the most part. The crew of a salvage vessel end up on a planet that they intend to pilfer for whatever they can find. What they didn’t expect to find was a planet that could physically manifest the fears in your mind. This of course leads to death and some gore and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I didn’t really care for the ending. I understood it but it also felt a little contrived and a little preachy which feels like it comes completely out of nowhere. I would still recommend if you enjoy sci-fi/horror graphic novels.
ARC via Netgalley
January 28, 2021
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*
This was pretty great! It didn't make as much sense as it could've, but in the end it all tied together rather nicely. The art, and colours in particular, were beautiful which was a huge plus for me. That and the fast-paced action was what really kept me wanting to read more
I liked the sprinkling of characterisation that was given as it could've easily just been gore and plot. There was a nice mix of characters, perhaps too many that I didn't actually keep track of some of them and the extra crew members should've just been cut, but the ones that were important stood out.
So, all in all, a good comic and an enjoyable read!
This was pretty great! It didn't make as much sense as it could've, but in the end it all tied together rather nicely. The art, and colours in particular, were beautiful which was a huge plus for me. That and the fast-paced action was what really kept me wanting to read more
I liked the sprinkling of characterisation that was given as it could've easily just been gore and plot. There was a nice mix of characters, perhaps too many that I didn't actually keep track of some of them and the extra crew members should've just been cut, but the ones that were important stood out.
So, all in all, a good comic and an enjoyable read!
August 8, 2021
Η ιστορία του Rogue Planet είναι πάνω κάτω γνωστή: Μία ομάδα 8 ατόμων επισκέπτεται τον πλανήτη Orphan για πλιάτσικο. Με το που ξεκινούν την αναζήτηση για αντικείμενα αξίας, αρχίζουν να συμβαίνουν περίεργα πράγματα γύρω τους και πριν προλάβουν να το καταλάβουν, έρχονται αντιμέτωποι με ένα αρχέγονο θεό. Ή τουλάχιστον έτσι πιστεύουν. Ή τουλάχιστον έτσι γράφει το οπισθόφυλλο.
Δεν με πειράζει να διαβάζω κλισέ ιστορίες, πόσο μάλλον μία ιστορία όπως του Rogue Planet που φαντάζει τόσο κοινότυπη που ο καθένας θα έλεγε "ναι έχω δει/διαβάσει/παίξει χιλιάδες ταινίες/σειρές/βιβλία/videogames που έχουν αυτή την υπόθεση" και θα συμφωνήσω . Το μόνο που αλλάζει στον παραπάνω ισχυρισμό είναι ότι κάποιες ταινίες/βιβλία/videogames ξεχωρίζουν γιατί η προσέγγιση που διαλέγουν οι δημιουργοί γέρνει πιο πολύ προς τον κοσμικό τρόμο παρά στη δράση, κάτι που είναι πολύ ταιριαστό μιας και το διάστημα ισούται με το άγνωστο και ο φόβος του αγνώστου με τον κοσμικό τρόμο. Υπάρχουν πάντα και οι εξαιρέσεις, βλέπε Alien με Aliens. Φανταστικές ταινίες και οι δύο, αλλά τελείως διαφορετικών ειδών. Η πρώτη δίνει έμφαση στον κοσμικό τρόμο, η δεύτερη στη δράση.
Στο Rogue Planet δυστυχώς, δεν υπάρχει αυτός ο διαχωρισμός. Διαβάζεις ένα comic δράσης ή ένα comic κοσμικού τρόμου; Σίγουρα υπάρχει τρόπος να παντρευτούν και τα δύο, αλλά τότε θα μιλούσαμε για κάτι άλλο, περίπλοκο και μοναδικό (βλέπε τα παιχνίδια Dead Space 1-2-3 ή το Μεγάλο Μυστικό Θέαμα του Barker), κάτι που το Rogue Planet με την παρούσα ιστορία δεν θα μπορούσε να υποστηρίξει. Σε όλη τη διάρκεια της ιστορίας δεν ένιωσα το πλήρωμα αβοήθητο, δεν αισθάνθηκα ότι αυτό που υπήρχε πίσω από όλα ήταν κάτι "μεγάλο", κάτι που δεν θα μπορούσαν να κατανοήσουν, μία απειλή που ξεπερνά την ανθρώπινη λογική. Και σε αυτό παίζει ρόλο ξεκάθαρα η ροή της ιστορίας.
Δεν ξέρουμε εάν στον κόσμο του Rogue Planet η ανθρωπότητα γνωρίζει την ύπαρξη άλλων εξωγήινων οντοτήτων ή εάν άνθρωποι και εξωγήινοι ζουν μαζί ειρηνικά, σημαντική παράλειψη που με έκανε να νιώσω από τις πρώτες κιόλας σελίδες ότι κάτι δεν μου κολλάει. Δεν μπορούσα να δικαιολογήσω την απάθεια των ηρώων όταν είδαν κάτι τρομερά απαίσιο στην αρχή γιατί πολύ απλά δεν ήξερα εάν κάτι τέτοιο είναι σύνηθες να συμβαίνει σε άλλους πλανήτες. Από εκείνο το σημείο και έπειτα βγήκα τελείως εκτός από τον κόσμο που προσπαθούσε να πλάσει η ιστορία, απλώς διάβαζα για να δω που θα κατέληγε. Και δυστυχώς στο τέλος, καταστρέφεται η ατμόσφαιρα και το μυστήριο που είχε χτιστεί στα προηγούμενα μέρη με τον πιο άσχημο τρόπο. Κρίμα.
Γενικά η ιστορία πάει κάπου, θέλει να περάσει ένα μήνυμα και το περνάει, αλλά στο τέλος φαίνεται ότι το μήνυμα καθόρισε την ιστορία και όχι η ιστορία το μήνυμα (ναι, αυτή η μάστιγα πάλι). Αν δεν υπήρχαν αυτά τα δύο καρέ στις τελευταίες σελίδες (πραγματικά μιλάμε για δύο καρέ) τότε θα μιλούσαμε για ένα διαφορετικό comic και σίγουρα θα μιλούσαμε και για καλύτερη βαθμολογία.
Βάζω 3 αστέρια γιατί το σχέδιο και η αισθητική μου άρεσε πολύ, ειδικά ο τρόπος που παρουσιάζονταν τα ροζ πλοκάμια και γιατί σε μερικά σημεία έπιανα τον εαυτό μου να θέλει να γυρίσει τη σελίδα να δει τι θα συμβεί πριν προλάβω να διαβάσω την προηγούμενη. Εάν θέλετε να διαβάσετε ένα καλό cosmic horror comic (αλλά manga) θα σας πρότεινα το Remina του Junji Ito. Έχει ακριβώς όλα τα στοιχεία που λείπουν από Rogue Planet.
Δεν με πειράζει να διαβάζω κλισέ ιστορίες, πόσο μάλλον μία ιστορία όπως του Rogue Planet που φαντάζει τόσο κοινότυπη που ο καθένας θα έλεγε "ναι έχω δει/διαβάσει/παίξει χιλιάδες ταινίες/σειρές/βιβλία/videogames που έχουν αυτή την υπόθεση" και θα συμφωνήσω . Το μόνο που αλλάζει στον παραπάνω ισχυρισμό είναι ότι κάποιες ταινίες/βιβλία/videogames ξεχωρίζουν γιατί η προσέγγιση που διαλέγουν οι δημιουργοί γέρνει πιο πολύ προς τον κοσμικό τρόμο παρά στη δράση, κάτι που είναι πολύ ταιριαστό μιας και το διάστημα ισούται με το άγνωστο και ο φόβος του αγνώστου με τον κοσμικό τρόμο. Υπάρχουν πάντα και οι εξαιρέσεις, βλέπε Alien με Aliens. Φανταστικές ταινίες και οι δύο, αλλά τελείως διαφορετικών ειδών. Η πρώτη δίνει έμφαση στον κοσμικό τρόμο, η δεύτερη στη δράση.
Στο Rogue Planet δυστυχώς, δεν υπάρχει αυτός ο διαχωρισμός. Διαβάζεις ένα comic δράσης ή ένα comic κοσμικού τρόμου; Σίγουρα υπάρχει τρόπος να παντρευτούν και τα δύο, αλλά τότε θα μιλούσαμε για κάτι άλλο, περίπλοκο και μοναδικό (βλέπε τα παιχνίδια Dead Space 1-2-3 ή το Μεγάλο Μυστικό Θέαμα του Barker), κάτι που το Rogue Planet με την παρούσα ιστορία δεν θα μπορούσε να υποστηρίξει. Σε όλη τη διάρκεια της ιστορίας δεν ένιωσα το πλήρωμα αβοήθητο, δεν αισθάνθηκα ότι αυτό που υπήρχε πίσω από όλα ήταν κάτι "μεγάλο", κάτι που δεν θα μπορούσαν να κατανοήσουν, μία απειλή που ξεπερνά την ανθρώπινη λογική. Και σε αυτό παίζει ρόλο ξεκάθαρα η ροή της ιστορίας.
Δεν ξέρουμε εάν στον κόσμο του Rogue Planet η ανθρωπότητα γνωρίζει την ύπαρξη άλλων εξωγήινων οντοτήτων ή εάν άνθρωποι και εξωγήινοι ζουν μαζί ειρηνικά, σημαντική παράλειψη που με έκανε να νιώσω από τις πρώτες κιόλας σελίδες ότι κάτι δεν μου κολλάει. Δεν μπορούσα να δικαιολογήσω την απάθεια των ηρώων όταν είδαν κάτι τρομερά απαίσιο στην αρχή γιατί πολύ απλά δεν ήξερα εάν κάτι τέτοιο είναι σύνηθες να συμβαίνει σε άλλους πλανήτες. Από εκείνο το σημείο και έπειτα βγήκα τελείως εκτός από τον κόσμο που προσπαθούσε να πλάσει η ιστορία, απλώς διάβαζα για να δω που θα κατέληγε. Και δυστυχώς στο τέλος, καταστρέφεται η ατμόσφαιρα και το μυστήριο που είχε χτιστεί στα προηγούμενα μέρη με τον πιο άσχημο τρόπο. Κρίμα.
Γενικά η ιστορία πάει κάπου, θέλει να περάσει ένα μήνυμα και το περνάει, αλλά στο τέλος φαίνεται ότι το μήνυμα καθόρισε την ιστορία και όχι η ιστορία το μήνυμα (ναι, αυτή η μάστιγα πάλι). Αν δεν υπήρχαν αυτά τα δύο καρέ στις τελευταίες σελίδες (πραγματικά μιλάμε για δύο καρέ) τότε θα μιλούσαμε για ένα διαφορετικό comic και σίγουρα θα μιλούσαμε και για καλύτερη βαθμολογία.
Βάζω 3 αστέρια γιατί το σχέδιο και η αισθητική μου άρεσε πολύ, ειδικά ο τρόπος που παρουσιάζονταν τα ροζ πλοκάμια και γιατί σε μερικά σημεία έπιανα τον εαυτό μου να θέλει να γυρίσει τη σελίδα να δει τι θα συμβεί πριν προλάβω να διαβάσω την προηγούμενη. Εάν θέλετε να διαβάσετε ένα καλό cosmic horror comic (αλλά manga) θα σας πρότεινα το Remina του Junji Ito. Έχει ακριβώς όλα τα στοιχεία που λείπουν από Rogue Planet.
Read
November 7, 2020In space no one can hear you sigh when yet another Cullen Bunn horror launch underwhelms you. The problem with SF horror is that the parameters of what's normal to spacefarers need to be established before we can be clear what's meant to be a violation of that, and to some extent why. So here, one of the best ideas is introduced early, which is that while the crew are in suspended animation, their bodies will still occasionally surface and, in a zombie-like state, maintain the ship. That this happens without them ageing doesn't make a great deal of sense, but I can overlook that, because it's interesting, it's creepy, and it fits both with the original idea of the zombie, and with modern capitalism. But having established that, for these same people later to come out with "They're dead! How are they moving if they're dead?" – which would be a perfectly sensible reaction in a present-day zombie story – doesn't work.
That's the most glaring example, but not the only one. So we see that the crew are all human, and we get from dialogue that space work, while sometimes stressful and dangerous, is also fairly boring. From context, it's pretty clear that crewmates becoming weird inside-out organ monsters is as unexpected and unpleasant as it would be for us. But the humanoid aliens they meet, who seem to worship the monsters – is that something they're used to? If Bunn knew the answer to that, he didn't convey it on these pages. Nor does Andy MacDonald's art really sell the sheer wrongness necessary to make the body horror work, so at that stage any emotional connection to what happens is relying on caring about the characters. Alas, none of them really made any impact on me either, not even the guy who, whenever all seems lost, starts reminding himself of all the women who'd be heartbroken if he died. It all wraps up with a very pat 'aaaah', and I feel no great danger of being haunted by it in years to come. Bunn has done some quality horror books in his time, but perhaps the real monster was the lack of quality control he met along the way.
(Netgalley ARC)
That's the most glaring example, but not the only one. So we see that the crew are all human, and we get from dialogue that space work, while sometimes stressful and dangerous, is also fairly boring. From context, it's pretty clear that crewmates becoming weird inside-out organ monsters is as unexpected and unpleasant as it would be for us. But the humanoid aliens they meet, who seem to worship the monsters – is that something they're used to? If Bunn knew the answer to that, he didn't convey it on these pages. Nor does Andy MacDonald's art really sell the sheer wrongness necessary to make the body horror work, so at that stage any emotional connection to what happens is relying on caring about the characters. Alas, none of them really made any impact on me either, not even the guy who, whenever all seems lost, starts reminding himself of all the women who'd be heartbroken if he died. It all wraps up with a very pat 'aaaah', and I feel no great danger of being haunted by it in years to come. Bunn has done some quality horror books in his time, but perhaps the real monster was the lack of quality control he met along the way.
(Netgalley ARC)
January 3, 2021
Rogue Planet by Cullen Bunn, Andy MacDonald, Nick Filardi is a Sci-Fi graphic novel / comic. The book starts with a bunch of astronauts going into space and suddenly finding an abandoned planet. Salvage vessel Cortes tracks the Lonely Orphan, a planet with no star system to call its own.
The graphic of this book was very harsh. I do not wish to read such Alien rip off books to be honest. The crew did not seem professional at all. The alien or whoever that creepy looking thing on the planet was starts to fight. No time to actually develop the universe in the book.
The crew actually first resembles them as Lungs!! I mean "Are You Serious?" why would you want to call it that. It was gross and not at all entertaining. How did that one crew members disappears and stays back in the rogue planet isn't clear. I did not like this book.
_____
Thank You to NetGalley and Publisher for sending an eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
The graphic of this book was very harsh. I do not wish to read such Alien rip off books to be honest. The crew did not seem professional at all. The alien or whoever that creepy looking thing on the planet was starts to fight. No time to actually develop the universe in the book.
The crew actually first resembles them as Lungs!! I mean "Are You Serious?" why would you want to call it that. It was gross and not at all entertaining. How did that one crew members disappears and stays back in the rogue planet isn't clear. I did not like this book.
_____
Thank You to NetGalley and Publisher for sending an eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
November 13, 2020
Bunn can be a good writer when he wants to be, but it really feels like he's stretching himself too thin on a lot of the books he writes, and Rogue Planet is no exception. This is just a mish-mash of sci-fi horror concepts that have been done elsewhere and better (Event Horizon, Aliens, Prometheus, The Thing, etc.). The crew of a nondescript spaceship lands on an uncharted planet full of the wreckage of other spaceships (hmm...is it a good idea to stick around?) and decides there might be all sorts of treasures for the taking. But it appears that this planet can literally bring your worst fears to life. This is a decidedly two-star story, but the artwork by Andy MacDonald brings it up a star. Nothing new to see here, but you might enjoy it if you want something quick to read.
November 22, 2020
*I received a free ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You could probably judge a book by its cover in this case, as it was about what I expected.
I thought the story and art were fun. The coloring was great. It was a creepy, quick read, but not something that leaves a lasting impression. Like a mix of Prometheus and a gory, gross B-movie- I could see this being made into a decent horror flick. The pacing was too fast to really allow for any suspense, but it was still a fun ride!
You could probably judge a book by its cover in this case, as it was about what I expected.
I thought the story and art were fun. The coloring was great. It was a creepy, quick read, but not something that leaves a lasting impression. Like a mix of Prometheus and a gory, gross B-movie- I could see this being made into a decent horror flick. The pacing was too fast to really allow for any suspense, but it was still a fun ride!
January 25, 2021
Historia de ciencia ficción con toques de horror cósmico, la tripulación de una nave dedicada al rescate y recuperación de naves aterriza en un planeta después de recibir la señal de una baliza ds emergencia. alli encontrarán un cementerio de naves estrelladas y una amenaza desconocida.
Tanto el dibujo como el guión son correctos, pero los personajes son muy planos y la trama se termina contando de una forma demasiado explícita, quizás sería mejor contar las cosas de una manera más visual, pero el caso es que al final todo se explica de forma verbal dejando poco espacio a la imaginación.
Tanto el dibujo como el guión son correctos, pero los personajes son muy planos y la trama se termina contando de una forma demasiado explícita, quizás sería mejor contar las cosas de una manera más visual, pero el caso es que al final todo se explica de forma verbal dejando poco espacio a la imaginación.
January 13, 2021
A solid scifi horror story!
August 17, 2021
It was alright. Kind of followed the wow an alien planet sure there will be nothing murderous on here" sort of vibe. The art was nice and the colors were high in intensity.
December 5, 2020
This was fun but it felt really incomplete. 140 pages of graphic novel is an incredibly small span to be working with, but other authors have formed a complete story--even if it's just a portion of the universe in which it occurs. When I read the first few pages, I expected this to be an ongoing story based on the immediate set up and I'm disappointed at the end that everything seems to be contained in this one collection. From the first issue, there was a *lot* going on without any instant explanation. And that's totally fine! I enjoy when stories gradually reveal themselves, but this one felt rushed. In the end, I think I have an outline of what happened in the story with some gorgeous art. There aren't enough details to complete a full, comprehensive picture here--at least not the one I wanted based on my initial expectations. The story was 2 stars because it felt incomplete and the stunning, horrifying illustrations elevated it to a solid 3 stars.
*I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2021
I received an ARC copy of Rogue Planet from Netgalley in return for an honest review. Rogue Planet is a sci-fi horror story. I enjoyed it, but it didn't wow me.
Positives
I enjoyed the aesthetic of this book. The spaceship and its interior seem influenced by the Nostromo from Alien. Similarly, the arrival of humans on an alien inhabited planet that goes pear-shaped bears more resemblance to Aliens or Prometheus. The world-building in this book is very light outside this specific planet, but I did get similar vibes of late capitalism in space as with the Aliens universe. As the horror in space combination is something I like, this book worked for me.
I read comics for the art, so I'm always going to have a soft spot for books that nail that aspect even if the writing is not brilliant. Rogue Planet definitely scratches the itch for art (with some minor quibbles), particularly the covers.
Although most of the story didn't blow me away (see below), the reveal of the mystery at the end was a definite highlight. I'm not sure I would call it a twist, but it was creative regardless.
Negatives
The pacing for this seems a bit off. The characters drop down onto the planet and are immediately beset by horrors. I would've preferred a slow burn on revealing the horror aspects. I usually lean towards those stories that amp up the tension by hiding the monster for most of story, rather than those that reveal the monster early on and then rely on it to carry the horror element by itself. It's rare that the monster-revealed is as terrifying as the monster imagined. In this instance, we have a lot that happens/is revealed in Issue #1.
The general story is well-worn and with the exception of the reveal, I don't think this did much new. This doesn't bother me too much, but I would call it a negative. My bigger complaint is more that the characters have left little to no lasting impact. I don't think I could name a single one. Admittedly, that's also true for the majority of players in other horror works.
I said I loved the art, but I will say that certain representations of the antagonists fell flat. They just look like bunches of intestines. Would have preferred something a bit different.
Conclusion
I loved the art and overall aesthetic, but the writing and characters could have been better.
Rating: 3.5
Positives
I enjoyed the aesthetic of this book. The spaceship and its interior seem influenced by the Nostromo from Alien. Similarly, the arrival of humans on an alien inhabited planet that goes pear-shaped bears more resemblance to Aliens or Prometheus. The world-building in this book is very light outside this specific planet, but I did get similar vibes of late capitalism in space as with the Aliens universe. As the horror in space combination is something I like, this book worked for me.
I read comics for the art, so I'm always going to have a soft spot for books that nail that aspect even if the writing is not brilliant. Rogue Planet definitely scratches the itch for art (with some minor quibbles), particularly the covers.
Although most of the story didn't blow me away (see below), the reveal of the mystery at the end was a definite highlight. I'm not sure I would call it a twist, but it was creative regardless.
Negatives
The pacing for this seems a bit off. The characters drop down onto the planet and are immediately beset by horrors. I would've preferred a slow burn on revealing the horror aspects. I usually lean towards those stories that amp up the tension by hiding the monster for most of story, rather than those that reveal the monster early on and then rely on it to carry the horror element by itself. It's rare that the monster-revealed is as terrifying as the monster imagined. In this instance, we have a lot that happens/is revealed in Issue #1.
The general story is well-worn and with the exception of the reveal, I don't think this did much new. This doesn't bother me too much, but I would call it a negative. My bigger complaint is more that the characters have left little to no lasting impact. I don't think I could name a single one. Admittedly, that's also true for the majority of players in other horror works.
I said I loved the art, but I will say that certain representations of the antagonists fell flat. They just look like bunches of intestines. Would have preferred something a bit different.
Conclusion
I loved the art and overall aesthetic, but the writing and characters could have been better.
Rating: 3.5
February 15, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Oni-Lion Forge Publishing for a chance to read and review!
Rogue Planet intrigued me as soon as I set eyes on the cover. Andy Macdonald that real quirky sci-fi flare that I love to see in space themed graphic novels.
Rogue Planet is simply: weird (but you know I love weird).
It follows the crew of the salvage vessel Cortés as they land on a rogue planet after receiving a distress signal. The crew arrive hoping to make big money from salvaging the wreckage they expect to see, but instead find themselves in a life or death situation.
Without spoiling the novel, I can’t go in to detail of the plot. But what I can say is that Rogue Planet was a freak-you-out kind of deal. The prologue scene immediately sets the tone for the story to come, showing infatuation, obsessive worship and violence. And from there on it’s a wild ride. There is an obstacle at every turn for the crew, and a unique concept behind the goings on in this novel.
This is the kind of story you could imagine HBO picking up and making in to a smash hit TV series.
The only downside for me is that the story did move along very quickly, and I could have done with a few more panels on some scenes. Overall though, I enjoyed Rogue Planet, and would recommend it to sci-fi lovers who don’t mind graphic gore and language.
Rogue Planet intrigued me as soon as I set eyes on the cover. Andy Macdonald that real quirky sci-fi flare that I love to see in space themed graphic novels.
Rogue Planet is simply: weird (but you know I love weird).
It follows the crew of the salvage vessel Cortés as they land on a rogue planet after receiving a distress signal. The crew arrive hoping to make big money from salvaging the wreckage they expect to see, but instead find themselves in a life or death situation.
Without spoiling the novel, I can’t go in to detail of the plot. But what I can say is that Rogue Planet was a freak-you-out kind of deal. The prologue scene immediately sets the tone for the story to come, showing infatuation, obsessive worship and violence. And from there on it’s a wild ride. There is an obstacle at every turn for the crew, and a unique concept behind the goings on in this novel.
This is the kind of story you could imagine HBO picking up and making in to a smash hit TV series.
The only downside for me is that the story did move along very quickly, and I could have done with a few more panels on some scenes. Overall though, I enjoyed Rogue Planet, and would recommend it to sci-fi lovers who don’t mind graphic gore and language.
March 12, 2021
In terms of sci-fi horror, Rogue Planet doesn't break any new ground. But the comic also manages to elevate above being a completely awful rip-off. There's enough here - between the intriguing concepts and provocative artwork - to keep readers engaged in the story, even when they're confused or find themselves feeling déjà vu. Though previous entries in the genre have tackled the same concepts with better results, the creepy images and stellar coloring make this one still worth a read. Just lower your expectations and have fun with it.
Full review will be posted at www.puzzleboxhorror.com
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Full review will be posted at www.puzzleboxhorror.com
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
November 24, 2020
I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for giving me access.
Where to begin....the moment I was getting into this, it was over. I was left wanting more. More story, more backstory, just more.
The story was hard to follow and I wasn't 100% sure what was happening until over half way in. The artwork and idea of the storyline was great.
Where to begin....the moment I was getting into this, it was over. I was left wanting more. More story, more backstory, just more.
The story was hard to follow and I wasn't 100% sure what was happening until over half way in. The artwork and idea of the storyline was great.
December 14, 2020
A decent sci-fi horror plot that lives from its awesome illustrations, which were the main reason for me to read this latest work by the author. I just love his style, and the 'Rogue Planet' makes no exception.
(thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
(thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
August 22, 2025
I understand the complaints that this story feels influenced by Alien, but by the end I wasn’t noticing that as much. Any space horror is bound to carry some similarities, but I found the characters interesting enough to stand on their own. The pacing worked, the atmosphere was creepy, and the ending was satisfying. Overall, a solid space horror read that delivers tension and payoff.
November 9, 2020
Way better than expected! I was going in it kind of blind and not expecting much, but it was a lot of fun. Science-fiction horror with big cosmic lovecraftian monster of some sort. Nothing groundbreaking but a fun and entertaining comic which was well done! I enjoy it!
January 18, 2021
At first I felt like this Horror SciFi was playing too heavily off of the scripts of those that came before it but it ended up with a few nicely placed twists that helped set it apart. Very well illustrated too. Really enjoyed this.
December 6, 2021
I liked the art and that cover.
November 6, 2020
Standard sci-fi horror comic, that takes risks with how derivative it gets before it proves it's not completely an Alien rip-off. It's certainly not sinfully bad, but it's certainly no great shakes.
February 21, 2021
Actual rating 3.5
I came in expecting sci-fi horror and that is what I got. There was plenty of blood and gore and death.
I really enjoyed much of what I read; however, I didn't really understand it either.
One character was obviously trying to inform us, as the reader, about why stuff was happening. But it was still so vague and I didn't understand.
My enjoyment of this was definitely tempered by the fact that I was confused and wanted more of an explanation for what was going on.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I came in expecting sci-fi horror and that is what I got. There was plenty of blood and gore and death.
I really enjoyed much of what I read; however, I didn't really understand it either.
One character was obviously trying to inform us, as the reader, about why stuff was happening. But it was still so vague and I didn't understand.
My enjoyment of this was definitely tempered by the fact that I was confused and wanted more of an explanation for what was going on.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2024
A planet where nightmares are not indigenous. Slow descent into madness and death. I have no fear.
January 29, 2021
Full Review
A solid work of sci-fi horror.
A solid work of sci-fi horror.
December 19, 2020
I'll be 100% honest here! I loved this book! 😀😀 it was amazing 👏 it had the feeling and theme the original alien had, where a team follows a distress signal to a planet and they get more than they bargained for! That and mixed in with the speare by Michael crichton, where all your fears come real, the planet feeds off emotion and in turn amplifies that to real life! The art is beautiful! the gore is amazing, honestly one of the best short graphic novels I've read this year 😀😀
4.5/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
94/100 buckets of blood 🩸
4.5/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
94/100 buckets of blood 🩸
August 3, 2022
Man, Cullen Bunn is REALLY hit or miss with me, and honestly, he's mostly a miss. I know he's fairly well loved, and there are projects of his that I REALLY like, but all in all, this was not one of them. I mean it wasn't bad. Just kind of okay. Which I guess is saying something pretty good about Bunn in a way. That even his "bad" stuff is just kind of meh and his good stuff can be awesome.
The art by Macdonald is what stands out the most to me here, although I have to admit that I do kind of like the colors.
It's a fast, what I like to call, airplane read in that you can take it with you, crush it in one sitting and leave it behind for someone else to enjoy (hopefully).
Check it out if you like Bunn or SciFi flicks along the lines of Alien.
The art by Macdonald is what stands out the most to me here, although I have to admit that I do kind of like the colors.
It's a fast, what I like to call, airplane read in that you can take it with you, crush it in one sitting and leave it behind for someone else to enjoy (hopefully).
Check it out if you like Bunn or SciFi flicks along the lines of Alien.
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