Where Roche Limit felt like Total Recall (Arnold Schwarzenegger), Roche Limit: Clandestiny feels like Aliens.

From Image Comics:

It’s 75 years after the events that left the Roche Limit colony in flames. When a crew of military and science personnel are sent to the forgotten and desolate planet on a mysterious expedition, they quickly learn its dark secrets—and that their mission is not what they thought it to be. With danger lurking all around, the crew members fight to find a way off the planet and resist the mysterious presence that haunts them all.

The book is written by Michael Moreci, with art by Kyle Charles, and colors by Matt Battaglia.

What Moreci does well in Clandestiny is that you don’t need to read the first story to understand this book. He sets up the plot very quickly, gives you and emotional attachment to a few characters, and then throws a couple of curveballs at you. Hey future comic book writers! That’s how you setup a first issue for success. Where as the first series Moreci used monologues to set up the individual issue, Clandestiny punches you in the face to get your heart pumping.

“Are you out of your fucking mind?!” – Elbus, Roche Limit: Clandestiny #1

The best comparison I can come up with is that Roche Limit had an indie film feel and Roche Limit: Clandestiny feels like a big budget sequel. There are expectations with this bigger budget but the last page of the issue adds another dynamic to the storyline and ups the ante of the series.

Kyle Charles is simply a professional, his character designs for Roche Limit: Clandestiny are superb. We are introduced to about 10 characters in the first issue and each character has a distinct personality and emotions. This is a great example of the artist and writer being on the same page. There are several action movements in the book that look bad-ass and gets me excited for when the action really starts in the series.

What’s great about three arc storytelling is you can play with many aspects of the story. To where Roche Limit has a very orange/ brown look to the book, the second arc has a brilliant purple/blue feel. The colorist Matt Battaglia takes a definitive different direction with book. He use of colors to highlight action is excellent. I read the first issue on tablet and the book just glowed with color. It will be interesting to see how that translates to paper.

Roche Limit: Clandestiny #1 is must read for the week!