Resident Alien: The Suicide Blonde #1
Written by Peter Hogan
Illustrated by Steve Parkhouse
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: September 11, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Your friendly neighborhood alien is back! Resident Alien: The Suicide Blonde #1 written by Peter Hogan and illustrated by Steve Parkhouse marks the next thrilling era for the visitor from another world. With a new mystery to solve, federal agents on his trail, and friends secretly protecting his identity, what will become of Harry as he continues to integrate himself into small town life?

As the quiet town of Patience suffers yet another tragic death, Harry — the shipwrecked alien turned doctor — and sheriff Mike investigate the crime scene. Set up to look like a suicide, Harry and Mike learn that the murder victim is not actually from Patience, but hails from Seattle. With a sufficient amount of data gathered, it would seem that the prime suspect is none other than Bert, the mayor of Patience. Using his enhanced empathic abilities while listening to Bert’s statement, Harry learns that Bert is not the killer, in fact, and decides to take the case into his own hands to clear his friend’s name; however, it looks as though Harry could use some help, as he remains unaware that a team of federal agents have discovered his secret and are closing in on him.

The character development from the first issue of Resident Alien to Resident Alien: The Suicide Blonde #1 has been managed with excellent pacing. While reading, I understood Harry’s eagerness to be involved. It’s not just the fascination with forensics anymore, he’s becoming a part of the town. Living amongst the people of Patience, Harry is forming friendships, building bonds, and becoming human. Hogan has done a fantastic job at creating the realistic relationships that move the story along while at the same time, slowly but surely presenting outside threats that seek to tear those very relationships apart.

Parkhouse’s art remains strong in this issue. I was especially pleased with the detailed facial expressions that wonderfully relayed emotions such as sadness, anger, frustration, and shock. His masterful drawing style mixed with his color palette choices — using many shades of one color — present a wide range of unique character likenesses.

Resident Alien: The Suicide Blonde #1 offers a lot of insight as to where the series and the relationships within are headed, while never making it an easy task to guess what might happen next. I’m excited to see exactly where the creative team leads the characters in the next issue. If you haven’t checked this series out yet, give Harry a chance to be a part of your world by following his curious adventure.