As previewed in the superhero crossover Marvel vs. Aliens covers, a new Alien series begins next month under the Marvel Comics label, and it’s going to arrive with a first issue full of variant editions.  The best news?  You’ll meet a new Jonesy-inspired cat aboard the ship, this time a black cat, likely to blend in the shadows.  So let’s see Marvel’s take on the franchise–below check out an inside look at the new franchise cat, a dozen Alien series covers, and a shiny tie-in comic storage box available at comic shops.  And in case you missed the Marvel vs. Aliens covers, we’ve included the 22 covers Marvel is rolling out, too.

Here is Marvel’s preview of the story concept:

Gabriel Cruz gave his life to Weyland-Yutani–In the case of an alien attack he barely survived, almost literally!  Recently retired, Cruz is trying to patch things up with his abandoned son with the help of his friend, a Bishop-model android, but his re-entry into civilian life is not going smoothly and his encounters with the deadly Xenomorph are far from over. 

The new series lead sounds quite similar to Michael Mammay’s Colonel Carl Butler in his superb Spaceside series, so at least the starting point is a solid concept.  Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Marvel Zombies) and artist Salvador Larroca (Doctor Doom) team up with colorist Jochen Weltjens aka Guru-eFx to tell the story.  Look for several Marvel artists creating covers for the Alien series as well as the superhero crossover covers.

Here are the Alien series covers and a look inside:

And here are the Marvel vs. Aliens covers:

It’s always a sad day when a corporate behemoth pulls a license from an independent, and that’s certainly the case with Disney gobbling up the rights to Alien and Predator franchises.  As with the Star Wars comics license and Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics licenses, Disney pulled the licenses inside to its Marvel Comics division and away from Dark Horse Comics, doing the corporate thing corporations do when acquiring everything in their path.  Anyone who read either Star Wars or Buffy the Vampire Slayer over Dark Horse’s reign with these brands knows the best stories of the franchises outside the original source material came from that publisher’s arsenal of creators.  But as they say, “that’s showbiz.”  If you want to read some great stories, check out the volume of Dark Horse’s comics we’ve previewed and reviewed here at borg, or any of the exciting novels we’re been reviewing here over the past decade, which feels like a lifetime working at Weyland-Yutani or serving in the Colonial Marines. 

Add Marvel’s new Alien series to your weekly pull list at Elite Comics–and don’t forget the tie-in storage box. The series is scheduled to launch in late March 2021.

C.J. Bunce / Editor / borg