here's a thought...

[nchurch81]

Now I'm a huge fan of the comic books... Unfortunately I'm sick and tired of not even an ounce of attention being put forth to generate even the semblance of continuity.  The problem of course comes from the fact that there is no "canon" outside of the movies so the writers can just go willy-nilly however they want when they put together a story.  Thankfully we can turn to the comic book people who have been at it for years for inspiration.  Marvel and DC tidy this stuff all the time with one simple little concept... ALTERNATE UNIVERSES!!!

It's beautifully simple and the quickest way out of any literary jam.  And the great thing about them is that now you can write whatever kind of story you want!  Marvel can kill off whom ever they want... but wait... no worries... ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. 

Ripley died... tough titties!... she's alive and well in an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE.

It's so damn simple. 

I suggest creating a "WHAT IF" series based on this very concept.  Screw continuity 'cause there ain't any and just write whatever whacky Alien story your heart desires. 

I want to see a story line that deals with what happens when our genetic tinkering goes too far.  BAM... the human race is being taken out by aliens that have been engineered to be smart enough to use and create technology. 

Or we discover that the aliens we encountered are actually the remnants of a technologically superior race of beings that we thought had been wiped out millions of years ago... nope!  they're still around and now they're read to go all "final solution" on the human race.

Or!! We discover that the Aliens are actually spread through space as a massive galactic spore ridden dust cloud that sweeps by every so many millions of years... depositing the spores on planets that are habitable and eradicating all the indiginous (sp?) on that world.  And the dust cloud is artifical in nature... NO it's the universe's defense against nasty sentient beasties... NO! they are the lost children of Cthulu! it doesn't matter because it's all an ....


alternate universe.

Just a thought.

[Corporal Hicks]

What If's could be awesome! I would love an Alien 3 What If.

[SiL]

We did.

It was called 'Book One'. Then 'Earth Hive'. Then 'Outbreak'.

And each iteration sucked hairy donkey balls like you wouldn't believe.

[CplWilks]

We did.

It was called 'Book One'. Then 'Earth Hive'. Then 'Outbreak'.

And each iteration sucked hairy donkey balls like you wouldn't believe.

In your oppinion.  Personally, I found them to be a good read

[Corporal Hicks]

I meant new ones you smart arse. 

[SiL]

They'd still just turn into Aliens 2.

[SM]

Most comic fans consider them to be alternate universe anyway and have done so for years.

[nchurch81]

True... but in the instance of the "What if" series there would be no sad attempt to create some sort of continuity.. it would be caution to the wind and whatever happens, happens.

[SM]

Think DH have done that already to be honest.  There's little effort to maintain continuity with the novels these days.  Corp Hicks can confirm this or not but I think John Shirley recently made up the name Hish for the Predators, unaware they were already called Yautja by the Perry's.

[SiL]

Shirley and Carey have pretty much said they haven't read the other EU, don't care about it, are doing their own thing, and that Fox is fine with that.

[nchurch81]

So we've established that they've already thrown continuity out the window... now all they need to do is take it to extremes... which is why firmly establishing the alternate universe is nice.  The writers always talk about how they don't want to stray too far from the core stories (i.e. the movies).  There probably a good many legal reasons for this and they don't want to piss off the fan base too much.  But with AU's you can go as crazy as you want with zero consequences. 

I like the idea that the aliens are a multi-dimensional constant.  If you could pop around the different universes you would find the aliens inhabiting each and every one of them.  Or maybe the aliens themselves are an extra-dimensional being that keeps spreading throughout the habitable multiverse (DC term... or marvel... whichever).  So the aliens don't have a home "world" necessarily, but rather a home "universe". 

[SM]

Maybe DH think that by officially branding everything alternate universe they're giving in to a cheap cop out.

It's not like the Star Wars Infinities titles that deliberately changed one event then went off in a different direction.

[nchurch81]

well it could be seen as a cheap cop out...  but when ever it's used that's exactly what it is.  That's now DC and Marvel gets itself out of sticky messes.  Age of Apocalypse didn't really happen... it was an alternate universe so it doesn't mess the rest of the comic books.  But in such a scenario we get to see what happens when shit hits the fan with out actually putting any ripples in the water (for my next trick I will create a sentence with ten cliche phrases!).  I think something very similar could be done with the Aliens/Predator Universe.

[SM]

Yeah but that reduces the chance of anything bad really happening.  So no tension or uncertainty and you have to wonder what's the point?  You build up characters throughout a story, then kill a bunch of them off - want them back for another story?  Simple - the previous story was in an alternate universe.

[Corporal Hicks]

Think DH have done that already to be honest.  There's little effort to maintain continuity with the novels these days.  Corp Hicks can confirm this or not but I think John Shirley recently made up the name Hish for the Predators, unaware they were already called Yautja by the Perry's.

I think it was more to do with DH Press deciding not to use the old EU. Shriley and Carey weren't aware of any prior stuff. And TBH, it works for me. I consider the DH Press an AU EU anyway, which is why I hate all the Yautja fan boys who are pissed at the Hish and want it all fixed.