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Alienated #1-6
Alienated
Que faire du pouvoir de changer le monde si nous ne sommes pas prêts à l’utiliser ?
Samuel, Samantha et Samir, tous trois un peu à la marge, chacun à sa façon, voient leur destin basculer quand ils découvrent une entité extraterrestre s’éveillant à la vie. Liés par le secret et connectés par les pouvoirs incroyables de cette créature, plus rien ne leur semble hors de portée pour la première fois.
Mais ils ne tardent pas à comprendre que leur nouveau compagnon – si attachant au premier abord – est un futur prédateur en quête de proies...
D’abord guidés par les meilleures intentions, les trois adolescents plongent rapidement dans une spirale toxique de jalousies, de vengeances et d'erreurs funestes.
Simon Spurrier (John Constantine Hellblazer, Coda) et Chris Wildgoose (Batgirl, Batman: Nightwalker) livrent un récit initiatique délicat et subversif d’une justesse remarquable.
« Un concept brillant, des illustrations sublimes, et l’un de mes auteurs préférés. » Brian K. Vaughan, Saga
« J’ai explosé de joie quand on m’a pitché l’histoire. Spurrier et Wildgoose sont des forces de la nature, rien ne peut les arrêter. » Kieron Gillen, Once & Future
« Alienated retranscrit la splendide terreur que représente chaque jour dans la vie d’un adolescent. » Dan Watters, Lucifer
« Quel bonheur de pouvoir lire quelque chose de si frais, si unique, et pourtant si familier. » Comicsbookcase.com
« Un premier tome fantastique qui donne envie de se précipiter sur la suite. À lire d’urgence ! » Graphicpolicy.com
Samuel, Samantha et Samir, tous trois un peu à la marge, chacun à sa façon, voient leur destin basculer quand ils découvrent une entité extraterrestre s’éveillant à la vie. Liés par le secret et connectés par les pouvoirs incroyables de cette créature, plus rien ne leur semble hors de portée pour la première fois.
Mais ils ne tardent pas à comprendre que leur nouveau compagnon – si attachant au premier abord – est un futur prédateur en quête de proies...
D’abord guidés par les meilleures intentions, les trois adolescents plongent rapidement dans une spirale toxique de jalousies, de vengeances et d'erreurs funestes.
Simon Spurrier (John Constantine Hellblazer, Coda) et Chris Wildgoose (Batgirl, Batman: Nightwalker) livrent un récit initiatique délicat et subversif d’une justesse remarquable.
« Un concept brillant, des illustrations sublimes, et l’un de mes auteurs préférés. » Brian K. Vaughan, Saga
« J’ai explosé de joie quand on m’a pitché l’histoire. Spurrier et Wildgoose sont des forces de la nature, rien ne peut les arrêter. » Kieron Gillen, Once & Future
« Alienated retranscrit la splendide terreur que représente chaque jour dans la vie d’un adolescent. » Dan Watters, Lucifer
« Quel bonheur de pouvoir lire quelque chose de si frais, si unique, et pourtant si familier. » Comicsbookcase.com
« Un premier tome fantastique qui donne envie de se précipiter sur la suite. À lire d’urgence ! » Graphicpolicy.com
160 pages, Hardcover
Published January 20, 2021
3 people are currently reading
340 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
February 18, 2022
I didn't like it at all, but I'm in the minority so check out all of the glowing reviews.
This one was just really weird and hard for me to get through. It may be because I'm not an angry youth anymore, and (with the exception of Samantha) a lot of their problems seemed like shit everyone goes through in one way or another. Ranty teenage angst. Blech
Samantha and Vern were likable, though.
My biggest problem was that the plot was just so out there. Some reality-warping alien baby attaches itself to 3 random kids in the woods because this is how they do the 'growing up' thing on planet Noneeverfindsout. What?
This is a terrible idea, sir. And this can't be the only time where the alien baby got used for bad things and then the life form it attached itself to wouldn't let it go.
Anyway. I didn't find this enjoyable.
BUT!
All of my friends loved this one, so there's a good chance I'm just an old fart.
This one was just really weird and hard for me to get through. It may be because I'm not an angry youth anymore, and (with the exception of Samantha) a lot of their problems seemed like shit everyone goes through in one way or another. Ranty teenage angst. Blech
Samantha and Vern were likable, though.
My biggest problem was that the plot was just so out there. Some reality-warping alien baby attaches itself to 3 random kids in the woods because this is how they do the 'growing up' thing on planet Noneeverfindsout. What?
This is a terrible idea, sir. And this can't be the only time where the alien baby got used for bad things and then the life form it attached itself to wouldn't let it go.
Anyway. I didn't find this enjoyable.
BUT!
All of my friends loved this one, so there's a good chance I'm just an old fart.
November 29, 2020
Three outcast teenagers come across an alien in the woods that gives them powers. If this sounds like Chronicle, that's because it is. The only change is there is a literal alien monkey on their back absorbing their negative emotions. Still it's very well written and Chris Wildgoose's art is great. I especially liked the surreal art as we venture across alien landscapes and trippy headspaces.
September 30, 2020
I just tore through this one in one sitting and I loved every minute of it. The artwork was great and the story was a wonderful slice of SF/Horror/Bildungsroman. I've always had a lot of time for Simon Spurrier but this may be my favourite work of his so far. SO powerful! All the stars!
March 3, 2022
Oh. My. Gosh. This earned its spot on my All Time Faves shelf, for sure!
An absolute rollercoaster ride of emotions and pain. The plot was so tumultuous and it was cleverly reflective of a teenager's jumbled mess of thoughts. The characters and the character development were genuine and astounding.
The descent into madness reminded me of The Vision, Volume 2: Little Better than a Beast but even better and more hard-hitting because the teen character were easier to understand and relate to more than the robot Visions.
The ending was bittersweet considering the way everything went so very, very wrong. I would've liked to know what actually happened to And, as for Also what happened to the
All of these questions I have just goes to show that the epilogue wasn't enough and I would love more issues of this! I think the story told here isn't over and there's so much more that can be done with it!
An absolute rollercoaster ride of emotions and pain. The plot was so tumultuous and it was cleverly reflective of a teenager's jumbled mess of thoughts. The characters and the character development were genuine and astounding.
The descent into madness reminded me of The Vision, Volume 2: Little Better than a Beast but even better and more hard-hitting because the teen character were easier to understand and relate to more than the robot Visions.
The ending was bittersweet considering the way everything went so very, very wrong. I would've liked to know what actually happened to And, as for Also what happened to the
All of these questions I have just goes to show that the epilogue wasn't enough and I would love more issues of this! I think the story told here isn't over and there's so much more that can be done with it!
December 29, 2020
I like how people who have died, are dead. There's a tendency in this kind of story to magically undo everything, Spurrier avoids that trope.
May 7, 2021
Don't ask why it took me so long to read this.
Alienated is about the three Sams: three teens named Samuel, Samantha, and Samir. They find some sort of extraterrestrial creature that they eventually name Chip who grants them the powers of telepathy, mind manipulating, empathy (as in emotional manipulation, not being aware of others' feelings), and some other abilities. After Chip ends up erasing a violent boy from their school, things start to come to a boil with Samuel's mother enacting a police investigation and the three Sams trying to sort out their personal problems while using Chip to solve them.
To be honest, the best thing about this comic was the art. Chris Wildgoose's art is amazing. He can capture a range of the characters' emotions and everyone just looks great in general. His design for Chip is a lovely cherry on top.
Unfortunately, the comic's weakest aspect is its writing which I feel declined at some point. It starts off strong, because all three Sams are of different personalities and interests and have their own issues they're trying to work through before the end of high school. Their initial interactions were great. This is a coming-of-age story meshed together with some commentary on privilege, getting what one wants, and questioning whether if life is beautiful or not. Its execution gets very edgy and angsty to the point of utter grating. The boy that Chip disappears in the beginning is a standard homophobic, racist (even has the confederate flag in his room to let you know) kid who just hates everybody. Later, Samuel, who is the edgy anti-establishment-Guy Fawkes/Anonymous wannabe-this world is dumb and corrupt-I'm better than anyone because I'm no sheeple-goes own his rampage that is meant as a parallel to the first kid.
Like, I get the point, but it is done so ham-fistedly with such corny dialogue.
Samantha is the strongest of the characters and most nuanced. She ultimately learns the revelation that the reasons they did everything with Chip is because they were stupid kids who did terrible things and they have to own that. Okay...sure, but being a kid is no justification for some of the things some of the characters did, like Samuel.
Samir is gay and from a Muslim family, but his father left them because he could not stand to be around Samir. Part of Samir's arc is coming to terms with anger towards his father. I was dissatisfied with how this arc ended. It just like an "Oh, nevermind" solution.
Samuel is as I said he was. He could've been nuanced and stuff, but he quickly fell into kind of a predictable fate.
I would rate this 2.85/5 stars. Others may like it more, perhaps I'm just cynical. But I will keep an eye out for Wildgoose's art.
Alienated is about the three Sams: three teens named Samuel, Samantha, and Samir. They find some sort of extraterrestrial creature that they eventually name Chip who grants them the powers of telepathy, mind manipulating, empathy (as in emotional manipulation, not being aware of others' feelings), and some other abilities. After Chip ends up erasing a violent boy from their school, things start to come to a boil with Samuel's mother enacting a police investigation and the three Sams trying to sort out their personal problems while using Chip to solve them.
To be honest, the best thing about this comic was the art. Chris Wildgoose's art is amazing. He can capture a range of the characters' emotions and everyone just looks great in general. His design for Chip is a lovely cherry on top.
Unfortunately, the comic's weakest aspect is its writing which I feel declined at some point. It starts off strong, because all three Sams are of different personalities and interests and have their own issues they're trying to work through before the end of high school. Their initial interactions were great. This is a coming-of-age story meshed together with some commentary on privilege, getting what one wants, and questioning whether if life is beautiful or not. Its execution gets very edgy and angsty to the point of utter grating. The boy that Chip disappears in the beginning is a standard homophobic, racist (even has the confederate flag in his room to let you know) kid who just hates everybody. Later, Samuel, who is the edgy anti-establishment-Guy Fawkes/Anonymous wannabe-this world is dumb and corrupt-I'm better than anyone because I'm no sheeple-goes own his rampage that is meant as a parallel to the first kid.
Like, I get the point, but it is done so ham-fistedly with such corny dialogue.
Samantha is the strongest of the characters and most nuanced. She ultimately learns the revelation that the reasons they did everything with Chip is because they were stupid kids who did terrible things and they have to own that. Okay...sure, but being a kid is no justification for some of the things some of the characters did, like Samuel.
Samir is gay and from a Muslim family, but his father left them because he could not stand to be around Samir. Part of Samir's arc is coming to terms with anger towards his father. I was dissatisfied with how this arc ended. It just like an "Oh, nevermind" solution.
Samuel is as I said he was. He could've been nuanced and stuff, but he quickly fell into kind of a predictable fate.
I would rate this 2.85/5 stars. Others may like it more, perhaps I'm just cynical. But I will keep an eye out for Wildgoose's art.
November 16, 2020
2.75 stars. I read the first issue several months back and remembered really liking it. I thought that this book had so much potential. Anyway, I eventually got the entire run and jumped in. The book took a turn away from what I thought was going to go down. The book follows Three kids, the Sams if you will ( Samuel, Samantha and Samir) due to different reasons, Samantha and Samuel are loners and Samir tries to fit in by trying to please everyone. They all end up walking to school in the woods and stumble across something not of this world. They notice now they can communicate with each other mentally and do some other things dealing with the mind. Two of the kids use this to do things for their own selfish reasons but realize their error and stop. But Samuel goes too far. The problem I had is that the Samuel character becomes a serious douchebag. Like real scum of the earth type stuff. He gets on some ol “ me, me, me” kick. Nothing about his background or the way he was written allows me to buy into his change. So when he did what he did at the end, it took me out of the story. Also in the last issue it was mentioned that a certain character meet a certain fate. I was like wait, I don’t remember that happening. So I went back the previous issue and looked and I was right, that didn’t happen. Bad job for the writer and the editor to miss that major plot hole. Toward the end, I started getting some vibes of the movie Chronicle. In the end, the story ended up being just average.
January 18, 2021
A really cool story I didn't expect to love as much as I did.
Alienated is about 3 teenagers who find a alien who links their minds together so they can read each others thoughts. They are all suffering past issues, trying to get through high school, and also hide a robot looking alien who can warp and go inside people's minds and feed on hate. It's a interesting concept and the end result, while familiar sometimes, works really well.
I loved the pacing and dialogue. Read this is two sittings, and it was well worth it. The ending is a tad shocking at first but plays well. The fact these kids have to suffer consequences for their actions is great. The whole "rebel without a cause" is perfectly done. I really can't say enough about how AWESOME the art is. Really unique and captures emotions so well.
This one is a winner. A nice surprise of the year. Simon Spurrier tells a tale that might seem like read it before but the heart of the story is so well done it kept me reading throughout. A 4.5 out of 5.
Alienated is about 3 teenagers who find a alien who links their minds together so they can read each others thoughts. They are all suffering past issues, trying to get through high school, and also hide a robot looking alien who can warp and go inside people's minds and feed on hate. It's a interesting concept and the end result, while familiar sometimes, works really well.
I loved the pacing and dialogue. Read this is two sittings, and it was well worth it. The ending is a tad shocking at first but plays well. The fact these kids have to suffer consequences for their actions is great. The whole "rebel without a cause" is perfectly done. I really can't say enough about how AWESOME the art is. Really unique and captures emotions so well.
This one is a winner. A nice surprise of the year. Simon Spurrier tells a tale that might seem like read it before but the heart of the story is so well done it kept me reading throughout. A 4.5 out of 5.
November 6, 2020
Simon Spurrier really can't do any wrong at the moment. His latest six issue mini-series at Boom! stars three kids all named Sam (Samuel, Samantha, and Samir) as they discover an alien named Chip, and their entire lives fall apart around them.
If you're expecting a coming of age story, or a cutesy ET book, you a) don't know Spurrier and b) are in the total wrong place. This book is heavy, dark, and tough to read at times, but it's fucking wonderful regardless. It doesn't shy away from the hard questions, and in the space of six issues it manages to disassemble three characters and make you love and hate them all at the same time. It's masterfully done, as are most of Spurrier's plots.
Chris Wildgoose's artwork is a great sell as well - his characters all feel alive and real, and the transformations that Chip goes through as the series progresses go from adorable to horrifying; his emotional storytelling is top notch. I'd only really known Wildgoose from his run on Batgirl, which was fine, but I'm really impressed by his art here.
Alienated's not your normal teenage alien story; it's so much more, and it's so much better. Fantastic art, intense, unapologetic storytelling, and a hell of a lot to say about being a kid. Highly recommended.
If you're expecting a coming of age story, or a cutesy ET book, you a) don't know Spurrier and b) are in the total wrong place. This book is heavy, dark, and tough to read at times, but it's fucking wonderful regardless. It doesn't shy away from the hard questions, and in the space of six issues it manages to disassemble three characters and make you love and hate them all at the same time. It's masterfully done, as are most of Spurrier's plots.
Chris Wildgoose's artwork is a great sell as well - his characters all feel alive and real, and the transformations that Chip goes through as the series progresses go from adorable to horrifying; his emotional storytelling is top notch. I'd only really known Wildgoose from his run on Batgirl, which was fine, but I'm really impressed by his art here.
Alienated's not your normal teenage alien story; it's so much more, and it's so much better. Fantastic art, intense, unapologetic storytelling, and a hell of a lot to say about being a kid. Highly recommended.
March 5, 2021
Three teens find a psychic alien baby and it bonds with them; naturally they manipulate it for their own selfish ends. It's about the corrupting nature of power, I guess. It's okay, I wasn't feeling it (I think, because they dove into the deep end too quickly, instead of a gradual easing; ). However, props to the author for remembering what it was like being a teenager--not the sanitized and idealized and nostalgic stuff of an adult looking back on his youth, but the selfishness and angst and anger and need to be liked and hurts we inflicted on others.
It has potential. It's not too bad and maybe, if it wasn't so condensed, it could've been good. But we weren't given time to get to know the three main characters--nor they the space to develop (and one of them was a really unlikable self-righteous prick)--and its premise wasn't interesting enough. I'm don't care for it.
It has potential. It's not too bad and maybe, if it wasn't so condensed, it could've been good. But we weren't given time to get to know the three main characters--nor they the space to develop (and one of them was a really unlikable self-righteous prick)--and its premise wasn't interesting enough. I'm don't care for it.
March 2, 2022
4.5 Stars
I very nearly 100% loved this! It was FANTASTIC.
~The art!
~The characters!
~CHIP (🖤🖤🖤)!!!
~The architecture of the manga itself, with wonderful layouts and really clear formatting for dialogue/personal thoughts.
The pacing was fast, tight, exciting.
~And then the powerful themes: the wonderful rep, the desire to be invisible, the desire to be seen, the need to be special, the screaming need to seize control in your own life. Regret, pain, rage, loss, compassion. I don't personally come from the same generation as the teens depicted, but I could still piercingly relate to their various perspectives and drives.
While there is some cuteness, this is NOT a cutesy tale. It's more heart-wrenching than heartwarming. It's dark dark dark, not grim dark, but dark and disturbing and even gory. Definitely check content warnings!
There's a strong arc of getting to play out revenge fantasies, and it is fascinating! From straight up fun, to guilty-pleasure fun, to whoops-we've-gone-off-rails-now disaster, to downright evil.
It wasn't a full unqualified five stars, only because the story broke my heart a little more than I would have preferred (so damned DARK!). But the skill and the craft was totally there. Respect!
***
Pre-review:
Holy smokes! That's was incredible!!
***
Pre-read notes:
Oooh I'm getting some cool Gorillaz vibes from the cover and opening pages 🖤🖤🖤
***
GR Personal Rating System:
★★★★★ 5 Stars ~ LOVED
★★★★☆ 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED
★★★☆☆ 3 Stars ~ LIKED
★★☆☆☆ 2 Stars ~ MEH
★☆☆☆☆ 1 Star ~ NOPE
I very nearly 100% loved this! It was FANTASTIC.
~The art!
~The characters!
~CHIP (🖤🖤🖤)!!!
~The architecture of the manga itself, with wonderful layouts and really clear formatting for dialogue/personal thoughts.
The pacing was fast, tight, exciting.
~And then the powerful themes: the wonderful rep, the desire to be invisible, the desire to be seen, the need to be special, the screaming need to seize control in your own life. Regret, pain, rage, loss, compassion. I don't personally come from the same generation as the teens depicted, but I could still piercingly relate to their various perspectives and drives.
While there is some cuteness, this is NOT a cutesy tale. It's more heart-wrenching than heartwarming. It's dark dark dark, not grim dark, but dark and disturbing and even gory. Definitely check content warnings!
There's a strong arc of getting to play out revenge fantasies, and it is fascinating! From straight up fun, to guilty-pleasure fun, to whoops-we've-gone-off-rails-now disaster, to downright evil.
It wasn't a full unqualified five stars, only because the story broke my heart a little more than I would have preferred (so damned DARK!). But the skill and the craft was totally there. Respect!
***
Pre-review:
Holy smokes! That's was incredible!!
***
Pre-read notes:
Oooh I'm getting some cool Gorillaz vibes from the cover and opening pages 🖤🖤🖤
***
GR Personal Rating System:
★★★★★ 5 Stars ~ LOVED
★★★★☆ 4 Stars ~ ENJOYED
★★★☆☆ 3 Stars ~ LIKED
★★☆☆☆ 2 Stars ~ MEH
★☆☆☆☆ 1 Star ~ NOPE
December 7, 2020
Another great story from Spurrier, this time about the teenage desire to be seen and feel appreciated and fix the ills of the world that seem so obvious. Each of the main trio is coping with their own relatively heavy issues, and this initially feels more grounded and YA than Spurrier’s other (mostly fantasy) stories I’ve read. Soon enough though, they come into contact with an alien that lets them enact some of the change they desire, and that power tempts them to make decisions that don’t always reflect their own seemingly good intentions. And it’s all drawn brilliantly, particularly the psychedelic splash pages that are gorgeous while also clearly presenting the intense teenage emotions of the moment.
October 21, 2020
Three teens named Sam discover an alien in the woods on their way to school one day - an alien that unites their minds, allowing them to see each other's thoughts. What else can this alien do, and what can they force it to do for them?
This had great coloring and good art, and I enjoyed the commentary on entitlement. However, the storyline was a bit challenging to follow, and a lot of it just didn't sit right with me.
This had great coloring and good art, and I enjoyed the commentary on entitlement. However, the storyline was a bit challenging to follow, and a lot of it just didn't sit right with me.
dnfed
December 2, 2020Dnf page 70
Is it so hard to add trigger warnings? Or just not show self harm explicitly?
Is it so hard to add trigger warnings? Or just not show self harm explicitly?
May 6, 2022
A great stand alone comic. Love the characters, especially Chip! Such a cutie! A great way to explore the kids emotions and feelings. Will definitely check out more by this author and illustrator.
January 4, 2022
Literally would be 5 stars if Samir had lived.
I genuinely loved the book, until Samir's death. And no, I don't think all gay poc should always live in stories. I understand some deaths are necessary to some plots, and it's subjective. But his death felt unnecessary.
Part of what made this book so great was issue 4, which was entirely about Samir's pain and growth. But with him dying, it feels like the story just used a gay brown boy's pain then discarded him afterwards. It ruins a plot I actually loved.
His story, about how he thought his dad left because he was gay or because he wasn't Muslim enough, but actually his dad left because he wasn't happy and it had nothing to do with Samir? It worked. Samantha convincing Samir that he was hurting Chip the way his dad hurt him, convincing Samir to let his anger go? Brilliant. And having Samuel accidentally kill Samir's dad was a great plot twist.
But all the good will I had for this story is thrown out in the next issue. Samir isn't even mad at Samuel for what happened, and the majority of the issue is about Samuel because we have to set up his villain turn. And then Samir just dies to motivate his white friends - except not really, because they both have other motivation (Samantha to save Chip, Samuel his mother's death and his petty revenge). In the end, Samir isn't even important. He's disposable.
The worst part is that he doesn't even die on panel. The white boy writer is so focused on the white boy pain of the guy who kills Samir that it's the focus, not another main character's death. And in the end, Samantha barely mourns him.
And the themes of anger and power, I didn't even mention them, because in the end Samir didn't matter enough to factor into the story's conclusion about anger and acceptance. Despite being a main character with in entire issue about his story
I genuinely loved the book, until Samir's death. And no, I don't think all gay poc should always live in stories. I understand some deaths are necessary to some plots, and it's subjective. But his death felt unnecessary.
Part of what made this book so great was issue 4, which was entirely about Samir's pain and growth. But with him dying, it feels like the story just used a gay brown boy's pain then discarded him afterwards. It ruins a plot I actually loved.
His story, about how he thought his dad left because he was gay or because he wasn't Muslim enough, but actually his dad left because he wasn't happy and it had nothing to do with Samir? It worked. Samantha convincing Samir that he was hurting Chip the way his dad hurt him, convincing Samir to let his anger go? Brilliant. And having Samuel accidentally kill Samir's dad was a great plot twist.
But all the good will I had for this story is thrown out in the next issue. Samir isn't even mad at Samuel for what happened, and the majority of the issue is about Samuel because we have to set up his villain turn. And then Samir just dies to motivate his white friends - except not really, because they both have other motivation (Samantha to save Chip, Samuel his mother's death and his petty revenge). In the end, Samir isn't even important. He's disposable.
The worst part is that he doesn't even die on panel. The white boy writer is so focused on the white boy pain of the guy who kills Samir that it's the focus, not another main character's death. And in the end, Samantha barely mourns him.
And the themes of anger and power, I didn't even mention them, because in the end Samir didn't matter enough to factor into the story's conclusion about anger and acceptance. Despite being a main character with in entire issue about his story
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2020
Copy provided by BOOM! Studios.
Loved the artwork, mostly loved the storyline, was hoping for a less whiny Sam. I did find the Sam/Sam/Sam to be humorous. There were some good moments, but also a lot of confusion as nothing really gets explained. Kind of wished there was more to it. Really enjoyed it though.
Loved the artwork, mostly loved the storyline, was hoping for a less whiny Sam. I did find the Sam/Sam/Sam to be humorous. There were some good moments, but also a lot of confusion as nothing really gets explained. Kind of wished there was more to it. Really enjoyed it though.
February 24, 2022
This was remarkably sad.
Read
April 4, 2021The midpoint between ET and Heathers that I never knew I needed. Three kids called Sam*, late for school, find something strange in the woods, and spend the ensuing day able to read each other's thoughts. Which seem surprisingly chaste for teenagers, but all the same, if there's one thing few of us would like, and typically tangled Spurrier characters are going to like even less, it's having random acquaintances in your head. So they go back after school, looking for a solution, and instead find the local bad kid about to make an even poorer choice than usual, after which the odd item reveals itself as an alien. From which point, events take on their own terrible momentum. The school's queen bee is a performatively religious, wannabe celebrity who always teeters just on the edge of caricature but is probably ghastly enough to be 100% plausible; soon she's pretending to care about the missing shithead, talking about what a terrible hole he's left in everyone's lives even though she had no more time for him than anyone else, and rightly so. But our leads, while possibly more relatable to Alienated's readership, are no paragons either; the would-be revolutionary YouTuber, the class joker, and the kid who just wants out as quickly and quietly as possible, are all high on their own brands of bullshit too. And is the alien starting to get bigger? Certainly it's getting more dangerous, but what do you expect once it's been thrown into contact with humanity, "Like a slap. Like falling forever. Bitter and broken and needy." It's not the first time Spurrier has poked at the way those who decry entitlement the most are often just as gripped by it, or how an awful lot of revolutionaries seem more excited about the broken eggs than the omelette, but he does it so well. The art is from Chris Wildgoose, and a lot livelier than I'd have expected from his work on the eerie Porcelain; it does the high school black comedy and the extraterrestrial weird shit equal justice. Also, it proves what idiots modern DC are that they don't revive Chase just to put him on the book.
*This is less confusing than it sounds, since each abbreviates it from something different, and I'm not just saying that because I have experience in the field gained from marrying another Alex.
*This is less confusing than it sounds, since each abbreviates it from something different, and I'm not just saying that because I have experience in the field gained from marrying another Alex.
August 13, 2025
Chapter 1: THREE KIDS CALLED SAM GO WALKING IN THE WOODS
Simon Spurrier's Alienated treads some familiar territory over the course of six issues, but he manages to breath a little freshness into some stale tropes. Three teens encounter an alien entity (think E.T.!) which establishes a telepathic link between the three of them. Since all three of our intrepid teens are struggling with teen issues, the story quickly comes down to absolute power often corrupts absolutely--or something like that.
I did not like the artwork for the alien. It really is juvenile. But the character portrayals and the format of this comic are well-done. The use of different colored text to indicate who is speaking was most welcome and provides a means to demonstrate how the thoughts of our protagonist overlap and interweave.
The ending is a bit over-the-top and a tad disappointing. Spurrier goes for the obvious conclusion, which, after some fascinating creative forays in plot and artwork, makes this decision even more perplexing and frustrating.
You could have taken this work somewhere special, Spurrier. You should have taken this work somewhere special.
Worth an afternoon's read.
March 12, 2021
Simon Spurrier is one of my favorite comic writers of the new generation. He takes crazy high-concept ideas, writes exceptionally tight plots around them that tell emotionally powerful stories, while he keeps the characters sounding real and relatable amidst all the weird speculative elements. Alienated might be the best story I've read about teenage angst for the sheer fact that I not only did not hate characters but was able to connect to them on a deep level, even though I usually hate books centered around high school drama.
February 24, 2022
It was interesting, but there were certain things that I think warranted content and trigger warnings. Granted, it is rated PA (parental advisory, 15+) but I think it's a bit mature. Granted, I was more sensitive at 15 than a lot of kids.
But there is literally a scene involving self-harm to the point of hospitalization, not mention a few other scenes that could be distressing, disturbing, or triggering to the reader. Please read with caution.
But there is literally a scene involving self-harm to the point of hospitalization, not mention a few other scenes that could be distressing, disturbing, or triggering to the reader. Please read with caution.
December 26, 2021
Very well told story with fully developed characters. It short but felt fully explored. I had a few moments that I flipped back to check something and strangely there are no images in any of the picture frames or TVs used in backgrounds but overall, both story and art were well above par.
December 15, 2020
لعنتی:)
نمیدونم چی بگم:)
خدا بود:)
نمیدونم چی بگم:)
خدا بود:)
March 10, 2021
3.5/5 Stars
February 28, 2022
loved the art wish the story took a bit of time to breathe though.
October 18, 2021
The story didn't go the way I had thought. It become a personal drama about teens going through stuff. Some succeeding and others failing to overcome personal demons. Highly recommend!
February 9, 2022
Wow that was a sad story. I really loved chip most of all, but they were all interesting characters. The artwork was really cool. Meaningful story.
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