Alien: Romulus has revitalized the esteemed Alien franchise, intertwining iconic references from earlier films with fresh and exhilarating narrative elements. With the surge of excitement among fans, the question arises: what direction will the Alien series take next? Fortunately, there is a promising path laid out in the form of an extensive collection of comic books that have already explored thrilling avenues within the Alien universe, and it would be advantageous for the movies to draw from those engaging stories.
The original Alien comic series made its debut through Dark Horse Comics in 1988, just two years after the successful release of Aliens. Initially, this series served as a direct sequel to Aliens, leading Dark Horse Comics to label the collection as Aliens instead of Alien.
The inaugural story from this series, originally named “Aliens” but later retitled “Aliens: Outbreak, ” centers on Newt and Hicks as they endeavor to reintegrate into society following the traumatic events at Hadley’s Hope. The subsequent tale, Aliens: Nightmare Asylum, culminates with Ripley rallying Newt and Hicks to resume their battle against the Xenomorphs.
Over time, Dark Horse Comics expanded the Aliens universe, branching into various arcs presented through one-shot comics and limited series. Although some stories continued to follow the further exploits of Ripley, Newt, and Hicks (despite the latter characters being rebranded as Billie and Wilks post their canonical demise in Alien 3), many narratives charted new horizons with innovative characters and ideas. These less-explored arcs are ripe for adaptation in the Alien film franchise.
Key Dark Horse Alien Comics for Future Film Inspiration
Essential Titles: Aliens: Genocide, Aliens: Music of the Spears, & Aliens: Colonial Marines
Given the current narrative landscape, it’s become impractical for the Alien film franchise to revisit the journeys of Ripley, Newt, and Hicks as they were historically depicted in the Dark Horse comics. Thus, any future adaptations should prioritize the captivating limited series featuring new characters. Among the numerous Aliens stories, three notable titles stand out: Aliens: Genocide, Aliens: Music of the Spears, and Aliens: Colonial Marines.
While it’s essential that the films do not simply reproduce these narratives literally, integrating specific concepts from these three standout stories is crucial for revitalizing the film series. For example, Aliens: Genocide unveils the Xenomorph homeworld and introduces a civil conflict between Red and Black Xenomorphs, an intriguing scenario just waiting for cinematic exploration. Moreover, this storyline presents the idea that pharmaceutical substances can be harvested from the Queen Xenomorphs’ “Royal Jelly”.
The notion of Xenomorph-derived drugs is expanded upon in Aliens: Music of the Spears, which explores Big Pharma’s fascination with these extraterrestrial beings. This narrative also details the emergence of cults that revere the Xenomorphs, with ritualistic consumption of Royal Jelly enabling telepathic connections with them, fostering a desperate desire within humans to become hosts while worshiping the aliens as deities.
These Xenomorph cultists provide a riveting new antagonistic force within the Alien franchise! Aliens: Colonial Marines further elaborates on this theme, depicting how individuals consuming Xenomorph-derived substances experience grotesque mutations, becoming Xenomorph-like beings referred to as ‘Bug-Men’.These mutants passionately advocate for the expansion of their alien counterparts, exemplifying an innovative class of villains in the Alien narrative. From the Xenomorph’s origins to the drug culture surrounding them, these compelling stories offer a treasure trove of lore that the films should incorporate.
Diversifying the Alien Franchise: Targeting Children
Considering Aliens: Space Marines and Kenner Products
With Alien: Romulus garnering unprecedented popularity, now presents an opportune moment for the franchise to reach out to a new audience: children. While the previously mentioned comics offer narratives suited for mature viewers, Dark Horse Comics have also produced engaging content specifically aimed at younger audiences, which could seamlessly translate into a children’s animated series.
One of the standout series is Aliens: Space Marines, a limited minicomic series published in collaboration with Kenner Products. Accompanying each Kenner action figure were issues that provided official lore related to those toys.Aliens: Space Marines introduced viewers to inventive Xenomorph hybrids while tracking the exhilarating adventures of the space marines assigned to subdue them, each installment showcasing a different hybrid—such as the Rhino Alien, Scorpion Alien, and Mantis Alien—each more thrilling than the last.
Although there were rumors in the 1990s about a planned children’s cartoon titled “Operation: Aliens, ”it ultimately turned out to be a multimedia campaign developed by Kenner in conjunction with their action figure line and the Aliens: Space Marines comic series.
Adapting Aliens: Space Marines into a kid-friendly animated show could open new pathways for younger fans to engage with the Alien narrative. As Alien: Romulus has successfully reignited interest among adult audiences, why couldn’t a similarly crafted adaptation of Aliens: Space Marines captivate children? This could create a fresh segment within the Alien franchise, accessible for all ages, utilizing existing storylines as a base for broader engagement.
Reviving the Alien Franchise: A Focus on Alien vs. Predator
Dark Horse Comics Mastery of the AvP Shared Universe
Additionally, it’s noteworthy that the Alien franchise is not the sole Sci-Fi property experiencing a renaissance; the Predator series has also gained traction with the recent release of Prey. Enthusiasm for both franchises has reached new heights, especially considering their shared continuity crafted by Dark Horse Comics.
Dark Horse Comics was instrumental in popularizing the concept of Alien vs. Predator, establishing a compelling formula with its success. From the original Aliens vs. Predator comic series to crossover titles like Fire and Stone, which adeptly wove in Prometheus lore, Dark Horse demonstrated exceptional storytelling prowess within the AvP universe. Consequently, studios should prioritize Dark Horse Comics as a key reference when advancing this cross-franchise.
As we stand at the brink of new possibilities within the Alien universe, one cannot help but feel exhilarated. The Sci-Fi realm is ripe with potential to further expand its rich lore, particularly following the transformative impact of Alien: Romulus. As fans rally together, the road ahead is clearly illuminated by the captivating narratives provided by Dark Horse Comics, guiding the future of the Alien franchise.
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