Alien anniversary

Alien vs. Predator (AVP) was released twenty years ago. It marked the first time the fan-favourite franchises clashed on the big screen, which was teased in Predator 2 and explored in the pages of Dark Horse Comics.

Nick Smith, our resident US-based xenomorph expert, goes on a bug hunt in the spooky season.

Guest post by Nick Smith

It’s not just bullied school kids who spend their time hiding in lockers.

If you’ve played Alien: Isolation and survived, you’re doubtless adept at cowering from savage xenomorph beasties. If you haven’t played the Sega survival game, I highly recommend it; with its creepy atmosphere, sympathetic heroine, terrifying jump scares and highly detailed space-bound setting, it’s truer to Ridley Scott’s original movie than any of the movie sequels.

Since it landed in 2014, Alien: Isolation has left its acid mark on several games, including last year’s Jurassic World Aftermath. Some of the locations in Alien: Romulus were eerily reminiscent of Alien: Isolation’s Sevastopol space station, adding an extra layer of fascination for gamers.

Alien: Isolation has been hailed as one of the best Alien video games, but I would go one better – it’s one of the best survival games! No wonder UK-based development studio Creative Assembly is working on a sequel, announced on the tenth anniversary of the original game. It will be years before we see this as-yet-unnamed follow-up, but in the meantime, there are several excellent Alien: Isolation DLCs and another anniversary to celebrate.

October 10th, 2004 is the day that aliens fought predators in the Antarctic, according to director Paul W. S. Anderson’s celluloid fightfest, Alien vs. Predator (AVP). Inspired by a comic book, this ambitious film does not measure up to its classic predecessors.

However, the cast alone makes AVP worthy of a watch (or rewatch) this Halloween. Sanaa Lathan is a worthy, charismatic heroine. Lance Henriksen – Bishop in Aliens – gets a well-deserved major role as bazillionaire Charles Bishop Weyland, the template for some future artificial persons. Brits Colin Salmon, Ewen Bremner (Spud from Trainspotting) and Tommy Flanagan (Cicero from Gladiator) all give memorable performances, and Raoul Bova (Emily in Paris) makes great amuse-bouche for the leading lady. There’s plenty of action, some Ancient Aliens-level myth-building, and the predators get more screen time than ever.

So watch the movie, watch the skies, and don’t spend all your time in isolation. There’s safety in numbers, right?

What are your memories of watching Alien vs. Predator and playing Alien: Isolation? Let me know in the comments below.

Nick Smith's new audiobook, Undead on Arrival, is available from Amazon (affiliate link).

Tom Veitch: Legacy of a Dark Empire

Tom Veitch has died at the age of 80 due to complications from coronavirus (COVID-19).

The comic book writer is best known to Star Wars fans (myself included) for his seminal Dark Empire trilogy, originally published by Dark Horse Comics in the nineties. Poignantly, Luke Skywalker's return in The Book of Boba Fett left me misty-eyed and yearning for a live-action adaptation on Disney+.

Nick Smith, our resident US-based comic book guru, looks back at Tom Veitch's pioneering career.

Guest post by Nick Smith

Where do we go when we die? Or, perhaps more importantly, where do we want to go? If hell is of our own making then perhaps that applies to any afterlife.

In The Light and Darkness War, Vietnam vets fight in a sci-fi Valhalla while dealing with the psychological effects of the Nam conflict. The gritty script by Tom Veitch and exaggerated, bristle-chinned characters drawn by Cam Kennedy captured my attention when the comic was first published by Epic Comics in 1988.

Lazarus Jones, the main character, has survivor’s guilt, mourning the death of his helicopter crew. As his mood and his world gets darker, he finds himself in another world where his fallen comrades fight a different war. The heroes find a solace of sorts but knowing that the battle is eternal, they don’t exactly get a happy ending.

Veitch used comic book action as a gateway to examine themes of brotherhood, loss, and how we treat veterans once a war is done. He went on to explore the sanctity and connectivity of living things in his Animal Man run for DC Comics in the early ‘90s, where down-to-earth superhero Buddy Baker learned there were other Animal Masters linked to Earth’s fauna. The natural world had to be defended, Veitch surmised, and humans had to consider the paradise they were paving.

Around the same time, Veitch and Kennedy reunited to depict another legendary conflict, this time set in the Star Wars universe. Readers were finally able to see Luke, Han and Leia again in a limited series from Dark Horse Comics that took place after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and captured the essence of the original trilogy, with high adventure, a fast pace and a spiritual subtext along with some breathtaking space battle art.

Along with Timothy Zahn’s novel Heir to the Empire (also set after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi), Veitch’s world rebuilding kickstarted the deluge of Star Wars fiction and merchandise through the ‘90s, in turn, a proof of popularity that would help make the prequel trilogy a reality.

The Old Republic era was first introduced in Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, also written by Veitch and published by Dark Horse Comics. Lucasfilm Games published BioWare's award-winning Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series in the early part of this century. A movie set in that period is rumoured to start filming this year.

Although Veitch is best known as a comic book writer with a background in underground titles like Skull Comix, he was also an author and poet. He passed away on February 18th 2022 at the age of 80. Whether his own afterlife is an Eden or a Valhalla, he has left a grand legacy of storytelling, full of empathy and excitement, leaving his mark in print and in the stars.

What are your memories of reading Tom Veitch's comic books? Let me know in the comments below.

Alien Marvel

For a generation of Alien, Predator and Star Wars fans (myself included), Dark Horse Comics satiated fevered fandom between movie franchise instalments in the nineties.

When Disney bought Lucasfilm from George Lucas in 2012, Dark Horse Comics relinquished the Star Wars license back to Marvel Comics as expected. Following the House of Mouse's subsequent acquisition of Twentieth Century Fox's film and television assets, the Alien and Predator franchises have also moved from Dark Horse Comics to Marvel Comics.

Nick Smith, our US-based stellar scribe, grabs a couple of issues of Marvel Comics' all-new Alien series, from TBS Comics in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and goes on a bug hunt!

Guest post by Nick Smith

Space should be a scary place. Despite NASA’s Ad Astra derring-do and our primal desire to see what’s out there, the void beyond Earth’s atmosphere is cold, dark and full of danger.

The best Alien comics capture this sense of dread: come fly the unfriendly skies, where one misstep could cost you your chest. I’ve yet to read one that really captures the body horror, psychosexual symbolism and bleak outlook of the original movie. Dark Horse’s 1989 spin-off Aliens, by Mark Verheiden and Mark A. Nelson, came closest, a benchmark for high-quality comics, benefiting from its black and white interiors.

Later efforts suffered from out-of-place Sam Kieth art (in Earth War), cardboard characterisations and horrible retro-edits to make them fit into a continuity nobody wanted. A slew of one-shots and mini-series seemed like mere moneymakers.

Five years after the last drop of synthetic milk was squeezed from Dark Horse’s cash cow, Marvel presents a new take on Ridley Scott and HR Giger’s nightmare vision. The result is one of the best storylines since Verheiden’s run.

In issue #1 we’re introduced to Gabriel Cruz, who retires from running Epsilon Orbital Research and Development Station and tries to reconnect with his estranged son. Their reunion doesn’t go very well and the son causes trouble for Cruz in unexpected ways. Meanwhile, Cruz is beset by post-traumatic flashes of a previous encounter with the xenomorphs. Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson really makes us feel like we’re involved in the action and we care about Cruz from the get-go.

Disappointingly, artist Salvador Larroca’s art doesn’t really work for this kind of story. The images are too clean and the characters have plastic avatar faces. It’s a testament to Johnson’s work that we still sympathize with them and want to know what happens next.

Larroca can draw a mean alien, though, and his human faces improve in issue #2. It’s a little late though, because a whole bunch of humans end up dead thanks to the freaky creatures loose on the station.

As Cruz prepares to face the aliens again, he also encounters homages to the first two Alien movies. There’s a Newt-like little girl, military grunts who expect a traditional ‘bug hunt’ and are unprepared for xenomorphs, and biological research that you just know is a bad idea.

Other Marvel revamps – Conan, Star Wars – have succeeded by maintaining a respect for the source material. So far Marvel’s Alien does the same, finding just the right balance between something old (a version of Bishop, the ‘artificial person’ from Aliens), something new (Gabriel Cruz), something borrowed (facehuggers hiding in nooks and crannies) and something silently screaming in the blackness of space.

Far superior to Dark Horse’s later comics, this 4-issue series is recommended for readers who like to take their sci-fi with a splash of acid blood.

Aliens Omnibus Vol. 1 (affiliate link) is available for pre-order.

Are you reading Marvel Comics' Alien series? Let me know in the comments below.

Alien and Predator move to Marvel

For a generation of Alien, Predator and Star Wars fans (myself included), Dark Horse Comics satiated fevered fandom between movie franchise instalments and Kenner (bought by Hasbro) produced an amazing line of tie-in toys, available at Argos, in the nineties.

When Disney bought Lucasfilm from George Lucas in 2012, as expected, Dark Horse Comics lost the Star Wars license back to Marvel Comics. Following the House of Mouse's acquisition of Twentieth Century Fox's film and television assets, the Alien and Predator comics are also moving from Dark Horse Comics to Marvel Comics.

"There's nothing more thrilling than a story that will keep you at the edge of your seat, and Alien and Predator have delivered that time and time again!" C.B. Cebulski, Editor-in-Chief of Marvel, told IGN. "I can clearly remember where I was when I saw each of these modern masterpieces for the first time, and reveling in how both masterfully weave extraterrestrial dread and drama into some of the most iconic scenes we've ever seen on film. And it's that legacy that we're going to live up to!"

"The incredible legacies of both franchises offer some of the most compelling and exciting worldbuilding in all of science fiction," said Marvel Editor Jake Thomas. "It is a thrill and an honor to be able to add to that mythology and continuity with all-new stories set within those universes."

"Alien and Predator are the two of the most identifiable, iconic characters of all time, and I love them for that," said comic book artist David Finch. "But mostly, it's being fortunate enough to be a kid when they were new. I've seen every movie they've ever been in, and I cannot wait to see them wreaking havoc in the Marvel Universe. I drew my pictures of them with a massive smile on my face."

"As a visual medium, comics are the perfect place to build on those moments, and we here at Marvel are honored to begin telling these stories for fans everywhere," added Cebulski. "As our release schedule continues to return, we can't wait to share more in the coming months!"

Due to the Disney takeover and coronavirus pandemic, director Ridley Scott's Alien prequels remain in cryostasis for now. However, there's talk of an Aliens live-action spin-off series coming to Hulu.

Alien and Predator begin their all-new comic book turf war in 2021.

The official synopsis for Solo: A Star Wars Story

Whilst Star Wars fans (myself included) anxiously await a trailer. Lucasfilm has published an official synopsis for Solo: A Star Wars Story.

"Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in Solo: A Star Wars Story, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes."

Finally, fans will see how Han and Chewie first met. This isn't the first time the story has been told, it appeared in Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars: Chewbacca miniseries in 2000, but this is official canon. I recall excited discussions with college friends postulating how Han was an imperial officer in the Empire and saving Chewie changed his life forever. Imagine if there's a cameo from Darth Vader?

Solo: A Star Wars Story, directed by Ron Howard, is in cinemas 25th May.

Predator returns to UK cinemas for 30th anniversary

Get to da choppa! Thanks to the folks at Park Circus Films, fans of the original Predator can celebrate the 30th anniversary of Arnold Schwarzenegger's classic sci-fi action movie, directed by John McTiernan, on the big screen.



Predator sees Arnold joined on his quest to defeat an invisible alien hunter by Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Sonny Landham, Elpidia Carrillo, Richard Chaves, Jesse Ventura and Shane Black. The latter is directing next year’s reboot The Predator.

The movie was a box office hit, spawning a successful video game tie-in, Dark Horse Comics series, sequels and Aliens vs. Predator spin-off franchise.

Predator returns to UK cinemas from 9th November. Park Circus Films will also release Predator in selected international markets throughout the autumn and winter.

Marvel launches Star Wars Debut on ComiXology

Marvel has released collections of Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars back catalogue on ComiXology.

Under Marvel's rebranded label, Star Wars Debut, comic book fans can collect classic comics including the fabled Dark Empire Trilogy and many more.

Incidentally, Marvel's Star Wars #1 debuts next week. I'll be downloading day-one from ComiXology. The perfect early birthday present for this fan.

Marvel to publish Star Wars comics in 2015

Ending months of speculation since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012!

Marvel will reprise publishing Star Wars comics in 2015 prior to the theatrical release of Episode VII. Both brands are owned by Disney.

Here's the press release:

The Walt Disney Company’s Lucasfilm Ltd. and Marvel Entertainment are joining forces to bring new Star Wars adventures to readers across the galaxy, with Marvel granted exclusive rights to create and publish Star Wars comics and graphic novels beginning in 2015.

The agreement marks a homecoming for the Star Wars comic books. Marvel Comics published the first Star Wars comic book, STAR WARS #1, in March 1977, which went on to sell more than 1 million copies. Marvel Comics published its STAR WARS series for nine years. In 1991, Dark Horse Comics took over the license, publishing fan-favorite titles like Dark Empire and Star Wars: Legacy. Last year, Dark Horse released The Star Wars #1, an adaptation of George Lucas’ original rough-draft screenplay for the film, garnering rave reviews and national media attention and ranking among the top-selling Star Wars comics of all time.

“Dark Horse Comics published exceptional Star Wars comics for over 20 years, and we will always be grateful for their enormous contributions to the mythos, and the terrific partnership that we had,” said Carol Roeder, director of Lucasfilm franchise publishing, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “In 2015, the cosmic adventures of Luke, Han, Leia and Chewbacca will make the light speed jump back to Marvel, to begin a new age of adventures within the Star Wars universe.

“We here at Marvel could not be more excited to continue the publication of Star Wars comic books and graphic novels,” said Marvel Worldwide Publisher and President, Dan Buckley. “The perennial brand of Star Wars is one of the most iconic in entertainment history and we are honored to have the opportunity to bring our creative talent pool to continue, and expand Star Wars into galaxies far, far away.”

Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson released a statement, as well:

All things come to pass. So too, do all licensed deals. I am sad to report that Disney, the new owner of Lucasfilm, has notified us here at Dark Horse of their intention to move the Star Wars publishing license to another of their recent acquisitions, Marvel Comics, beginning in 2015. This will end a partnership that has lasted more than two decades.

For those who are new to the industry, Dark Horse revolutionized the treatment of comics based on films. After a history of movie properties being poorly handled with little regard for execution and continuity, Dark Horse took a new approach, carefully choosing licenses and approaching them with excitement and creative energy. Our goal was to create sequels and prequels to the films we loved, paying careful attention to quality and detail, essentially treating those films as though they were our own. Star Wars has been the crown jewel of this approach. We began chasing the title as far back as 1989, and with the launch of Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy’s Dark Empire, a new era in comics was born. I’m not ashamed to admit that we were Star Wars geeks, and we have been determined to spare neither effort nor expense in the pursuit of excellence.

It is ironic that this announcement comes at a time when Dark Horse is experiencing its most successful year ever. For obvious reasons, we have prepared for this eventuality by finding new and exciting projects to place on our schedule for 2015 and beyond. Will they take the place of Star Wars? That’s a tall order, but we will do our best to make that happen. In the meantime, 2014 may be our last year at the helm of the Star Wars comics franchise, but we plan to make it a memorable one. We know that fans of the franchise will expect no less. The Force is with us still.

Something stirred, something Alien…

This weekend I watched Prometheus on Blu-ray disc. Twice in quick succession - unprecedented for me - in an effort to collate my thoughts into something remotely coherent. Artistic ambition has returned to the Alien franchise on an epic scale.

I wholeheartedly agree with John Rivers' excellent review! For all its precarious narrative flaws. Prometheus remains utterly enthralling: a compelling collusion of cerebral and visceral thrills.

The Engineer (AKA Space Jockey) as alien Adonis taps into the mythological underpinnings (a reprise of Star Trek V with 2001: A Space Odyssey aspirations) wrapped around amorphous Alien DNA. I won't go into story specifics per se. But, was delighted to see some of the mysteries surrounding the derelict spacecraft (Alien) answered in a way that, selfishly, satiated my college conjectures. Dark Horse Comics for the win.

Damon Lindelof's (co-creator of Lost) pedigree for episodic television is unimpeachable. Yet, here there are too many characters for a two-hour multiplex pleaser. Cut out the Ensign Red contingency and you're left with a nuanced performance from Noomi Rapace, an ice maiden personified in Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender's scene stealing android. Frankly, Fassbender delivers one of the best acting performances in recent years. David's enigmatic introduction is director Ridley Scott's love-letter to silent filmmaking.

The ending is, arguably, anticlimactic when viewed in the context of a standalone film (a criticism that could be levelled at The Empire Strikes Back)! There's a nagging sense of a work-in-progress rushed to meet a studio-imposed summer deadline and the commercial necessity for a sequel. Presumably Prometheus will be followed by the search for Paradise? Make it so, Sir Ridley Scott.

It would be remiss of me, as a self-confessed Whovian, not to mention Dr Liz Shaw (Noomi Rapace)! Surely a Doctor Who in-joke and not coincidence?

From a technical standpoint. The Blu-ray disc is reference material and will reveal any weaknesses inherent in your home cinema setup. Therefore, it maybe worth digging out that old copy of Digital Video Essentials (DVE) on DVD before you can fully appreciate the deep focus photography captured using Carl Zeiss lenses.

Blu-ray disc with thanks @petehotchkiss.