Title: Cowboys and Aliens

Author: Van Lente, Foley, Callero, Lima, Rosenberg

Publisher: It Books 2011

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Rating: 3/5 stars     Movie  4/5

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novels; TBR Pile; Book to Movie; Bingo -- 4 from TBR

How I Got It: I own it

Arizona. 1873. The ultimate showdown between cowboys and Indians is interrupted… by an alien invasion.Every conqueror believes himself moved by a higher power, his destructive actions justified by necessity, compassion, or divine providence. In the greatest and most deadly expansion the world has seen, European settlers pushed west, decimating the native population without a second thought. But when aliens invade, they give the cowboys the fight of their lives, forcing them to pair with the Indians in a battle for control of the planet.The Old West will never be the same…

So, I'm a bit underwhelmed with this one.  I like the idea: cowboys and natives versus aliens.   This sounds like a great story.  Unfortunately, the story seems very short and undeveloped.  We don't spend any real time with the characters before the aliens land.  The action is choppy and not very exciting.  The ending does have a great cliffhanger, but something comes of it.

Movie

The movie is very different from the book.  We get a story of cowboys versus aliens, but that's really where the similarities stop.  I enjoyed the movie if nothing more than a fun action movie. Daniel Craig is the convincing stoic cowboy with a shady past.  Harrison Ford is great as the craggy grumpy old man.  The action sequences are fun and full of fun special effects.  This is anything ground-breaking, but I did enjoy the movie.  My only issue is Olivia Wilde's character.  I could have done without her...