STAN LEE’S ALLIANCES: ORPHANS, from Dynamite Comics on October 12th, 2022, recounts an edgy, weighty, thought-provoking tale from the edge of the universe where Orphans, the last of their respective species, team up to stop a universe-ending catastrophe.
The Details
- Written by: Stan Lee, Luke Lieberman, Ryan Silbert
- Art by: Bill Sienkiewicz, Szymon Kudranski
- Colors by: Bill Sienkiewicz, Jorge Sutil
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: Bill Sienkiewicz
- Cover price: $19.99
- Release date: October 12, 2022
Is It Good?
STAN LEE’S ALLIANCES: ORPHANS is practically impossible to encapsulate in a single review, so we’ll try anyway. This Original Graphic Novel (OGN) is an “epic” sci-fi novel in the truest sense of the word. The scale and scope of the story span galaxies, the characters are eclectic beyond belief, and the quest to save the universe is science fiction in its purest, best form. If this OGN doesn’t earn at least a Hugo Award nomination, something is wrong with the Hugo selection committee.
The concept, devised by the legendary Stan Lee, Luke Liberman, and Ryan Silbert, centers around a ragtag group of space bandits who are the sole survivors of their respective races – hence the name Orphans. They roam the galaxy looking to steal back or destroy lethal weapons left behind by the long-since-vanished Inventor. Now, the first creation of the Inventor threatens to twist reality into chaos, and the Orphans must find the courage to stop it.
The concept sounds simple enough in summary but interlaced through that premise are emotional rollercoasters of grief and trauma, villains emerging for generations of greed and vicious breeding, and the merging of biology and technology into powers that can’t be contained. There’s more than enough world-building and character-building to keep readers engaged for over 150 pages.
However, the building is coupled with brisk pacing that keeps the story moving without a single lull, excellent dialog, tight space battles, kinetic hand-to-hand combat action, and eye-popping space spectacle. In other words, the creators strike a remarkably even balance of science, action, and drama.
If the legendary Stan Lee’s participation in creating this OGN wasn’t enough, legendary artist Bill Sienkiewicz lends his talents in addition to Szymon Kudranski’s excellent art on the main story. In truth, we’re fans of clarity in both the writing and the art, so we prefer Kudranksi’s style, but the art is fantastic, regardless of the style you prefer. The space scenes are mesmerizing, the action is expertly choreographed, and the dramatic acting from the characters is spot-on.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a prologue detailing the Hive’s goal of becoming the dominant species in the Universe. When the Hive decimates a world, it leaves one member of that world’s species alive, an Orphan, in servitude to the Hive’s leader, Xal. One such Orphan, name the Inventor, spends years building magnificent machines and weapons for the betterment of the Hive.
The Inventor’s first and greatest invention is called the Mammoth, a giant ring that draws power from a massive black hole called the Maw. The Inventor uses Mammoth’s power and Nia’s process to enable time-folding jump points across the Universe, allowing the Hive to jump to any point in space, giving the Hive a tactical advantage over their prey. In a final act of revenge for his lost homeworld, the Inventor tricks the Hive into merging with Nia to become more powerful, but the merging destroys the Hive and their network.
The Inventor left, taking Nia with him, to ensure the AI is never used to power the jump points again. Now, the remaining group of Orphans bears the burden of tracking down the Inventor’s remaining inventions before they become weapons in the wrong hands. Unfortunately, the Inventor’s first invention, the Mammoth, is creating a side effect with the Maw that threatens to destroy reality. We continue the OGN with apex predators, sacrifice, the price of power, competing forces, and letting go of the past to protect the future.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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STAN LEE’S ALLIANCES: ORPHANS is the kind of science fiction OGN most creators dream about creating. The characters, the battles, the epic space spectacle, and the quest have a firm foundation in science gone mad but with a “human” heart at the core of every character’s motivation. The spectacular art matches the spectacular writing for an OGN that’s a must-have for sci-fi fans.
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