Alien Desolation (Tristan Jones pitched/not happening comic/novels)

[Acid_Reign161]

I absolutely love the ideas presented here in the summary- it wasn't all that long ago I suggested something very similar in these forums (or was it on the Reddit?) about the queen being a one-off which then became the norm in its own lineage onwards (Alien 3 /Resurrection) but was not a 'thing' before Hadley's Hope. I like the Xenomorph being unpredictable, the big chap form being a result of ovomorph from eggmorphed space jockey + human host for example. The idea of the superfacehugger aberration in Alien 3... if we look at the xeno as chaotic and unpredictable as the pathogen, it's becomes so much more interesting..but with each new 'form' or 'evolution' (depending upon circumstances of its creation) able to continue that lineage so you can still have (for example) the classic 'Aliens' life cycle continue, or a totally different cycle continue from another source etc... I'm disappointed we didn't get this.

[Immortan Jonesy]

I like the ideas too. I wish it had been done.

[SiL]

"Chaotic and unpredictable" is shorthand for "can do whatever we want whenever we want", and is usually awful, lazy writing.

[Acid_Reign161]

"Chaotic and unpredictable" is shorthand for "can do whatever we want whenever we want", and is usually awful, lazy writing.

That's one interpretation. Another interpretation is that it keeps the Xenomorph 'Alien' and doesn't reduce it/ simplify it to an oversized bug. The thing is about lazy writing, especially in this franchise, is it's only ever a problem if the majority don't care for that particular movie / story (insert media format here) - if it's liked, people are more than happy to overlook, or make up head canon to 'make it work / fit' - if it's disliked, then every single one of those things will repeatedly be cited as reasons why it's terrible.

Therefore, I'd argue that the concept of a diverse biology of the Xenomorph doesn't go hand in hand with 'lazy writing' - on the contrary, it requires good writing to ensure it is done tastefully.

[tyrannosaurusjones]

Just wanted to say a quick thanks for the cheers this got... It would've been fun! Didn't expect a thread about it but figured I'd address the unsurprising...

I always loved the design of the Queen but quite hated (and still hate) the concept of the Queen, so this "one-off" really jives with me. Even so, the Queen has become such a major aspect of the Alien universe, so by writing it off like that, great bodies of work would be written off as well, which in a way would be kind of shitty, to say the least. Only Ridley Scott could get away with something like that.

Other than that I do like Tristan's idea on how to wrap it all up.

Cheers! For clarification -- I'm not writing it off. I'm reimagining its origin and evolution. Doesn't change the queen. Or any other queen. I just wasn't planning on using anything but the films and Isolation as canon.

I love his art, but some of the ideas are too far out there. Having the Queen be a mistake, a one time thing and making every other piece of material non canon would be horrible. The Queen is awesome and can be used in horrific ways if done right. I'm glad this didn't get made, his art is awesome but his distaste for anything Aliens puts me off.

Queen would still exist, and in my eyes made more horrifying. But again, you're basing everything off dot points in a tweet. I love Aliens. Just nowhere near as much as other films in the series. My problem with Aliens has always been logical inconsistencies and de-alienating the alien. It's still a fun movie with cool shit in it, but people act like it's infallible.

So basically he was trying to create a comic continuation of the prequels? Damn it Disney/Marvel. I think I would have liked going on with life not knowing he wanted to do that lol. Honestly my only two complaints of it is the queen just being a mutant and Amanda still being around by then. I like the idea of trying to make things more like Alien and not Aliens but I think the queen still works with it

Sort of, but not quite. I wanted to find a way of readdressing the continuity as a whole. Aliens changed Alien (for better or worse), Alien 3 did the same, Resurrection did the same, the prequels went a whole length further. My idea was to essentially reconcile all of those ideas my own way and show you that through Amanda, who I think is the best twist to the series yet.

I'm glad this never happened. I really don't get the point of stepping into an established IP and shitting on half of it because it's not to your tastes.

Well, that's because you didn't read it TO get it, because I wasn't shitting on anything, actually. There's a SLEW of stuff in there that directly plugs into Aliens and Alien 3, but that doesn't matter because it never happened and you can continue being glad. Re-presenting ONE idea from ONE out of 6 films to make it line up more with an actual half of them is barely there mathematically speaking, too, but again... didn't happen.

I absolutely love the ideas presented here in the summary- it wasn't all that long ago I suggested something very similar in these forums (or was it on the Reddit?) about the queen being a one-off which then became the norm in its own lineage onwards (Alien 3 /Resurrection) but was not a 'thing' before Hadley's Hope. I like the Xenomorph being unpredictable, the big chap form being a result of ovomorph from eggmorphed space jockey + human host for example. The idea of the superfacehugger aberration in Alien 3... if we look at the xeno as chaotic and unpredictable as the pathogen, it's becomes so much more interesting..but with each new 'form' or 'evolution' (depending upon circumstances of its creation) able to continue that lineage so you can still have (for example) the classic 'Aliens' life cycle continue, or a totally different cycle continue from another source etc... I'm disappointed we didn't get this.

That's kind of it -- the Hadley's Hope nest ultimately becomes a whole other thing. That's a whole new strain of animal right there. Just like how David's Alien is a whole new strain, and the Deacon, the neomorphs, etc. but there's a core. Even the Dog Alien is likely creating a new strain. There's a thing all of this has splintered off from. The pathogen is kind of key to it. Or at least A strain of it is.

"Chaotic and unpredictable" is shorthand for "can do whatever we want whenever we want", and is usually awful, lazy writing.

The alien is anything but chaotic and unpredictable, but reducing it to an insect is also lazy writing.

[BlueMarsalis79]

Still waiting for an explanation as to why literally nobody got left onboard the Sulaco during Aliens, beyond simply allowing for the plot to happen, so I agree with your view that it is not as infallible as people tend to make it out.

As for your ideas, it is a in my opinion a very interesting creative endeavour that I am sad did not reach any fruition, particularly when I am enamoured with your visualisations of the Engineer concept.

As for the reception to Desolation on here... Like Prometheus to Alien, the Pilot in the original did not suddenly become a man in a suit, it is still what it is...

Likewise with your idea... it is just a new take on the Alien Mythology, not the new take that overrides all others.

[Acid_Reign161]

Still waiting for an explanation as to why literally nobody got left onboard the Sulaco during Aliens, beyond simply allowing for the plot to happen, so I agree with your view that it is not as infallible as people tend to make it out.

THIS. I agree wholeheartedly, it makes zero sense other than "plot requires it, else another drop ship would be sent down". Can you imagine an aircraft carrier sailing into foreign waters, and the entire crew disembarking and just leaving it afloat unattended? 😂 Is there even any point to the ship having a bridge (beyond potential space battle with another ship?) we see the whole crew wake up from cryo and dine together, including the one synthetic on board (which according to new entries in the franchise didn't even need to be in cryo- Ash only did so to hide who he really was) - nobody is doing system checks, nobody is trying short range comms with the colony, no kind of manual helm control to take the ship into orbit required..it's simply wake up, corn bread, and drop prep... same with drop prep really...the crates etc all had to be loaded on the ship to begin with, so didn't need to stay in the loading bay, they could have already been where they were supposed to be, but it was a plot requirement to show Ripley's new forklift and loader skills to set up the final act... but shhhh.. we're only allowed to pick holes in Alien 3 onwards 😂🤫

Just wanted to say a quick thanks for the cheers this got... It would've been fun!

Thank you for taking the time to address some of our comments! 😁

So, ballpark figure, what's it gonna set us back to commission this as a complete story / unofficial fan comic? 😂😂😂😂

[Kradan]

Still waiting for an explanation as to why literally nobody got left onboard the Sulaco during Aliens, beyond simply allowing for the plot to happen, so I agree with your view that it is not as infallible as people tend to make it out.

Why haven't Narcissus had enough cryotubes other than because plot required it ?

Spoiler

Yeah, I'm totally being snarky here

[close]

[BlueMarsalis79]

Because the company does not even do the bare minimum when it comes to keeping the employee safe.

[SiL]

The alien is anything but chaotic and unpredictable, but reducing it to an insect is also lazy writing.

"Insect" in terms of "mindless swarm", absolutely, but that's on many later writers not bothering to put any effort into it, not on the existence of the Queen.

The entire unique selling point of the Alien was its lifecycle, which was taken directly from insects. Insects such as the praying mantis informed its movements. It makes gooey insect like nests.

Adding the Queen didn't reduce it to being an insect any more than making it an interstellar wasp made it an insect in the first place. Lazy writers saying "Well that funny line said bees and ants and when I see them I just see swarming masses so I guess I'll call it a day" did.

Re-presenting ONE idea from ONE out of 6 films to make it line up more with an actual half of them is barely there mathematically speaking, too, but again... didn't happen.

I'm not sure what you're saying here. The Queen is in 3 movies and a key point in all of them.

Still waiting for an explanation as to why literally nobody got left onboard the Sulaco during Aliens, beyond simply allowing for the plot to happen, so I agree with your view that it is not as infallible as people tend to make it out.

Why haven't Narcissus had enough cryotubes other than because plot required it ?

Spoiler

Yeah, I'm totally being snarky here

[close]

Because space is big and the concept of a lifeboat on an interstellar ship is actually kind of ridiculous.

[Local Trouble]

Because the company does not even do the bare minimum when it comes to keeping the employee safe.

One might suggest that overconfidence and budget cuts are why the Sulaco didn't have any redundancy of personnel.

[SiL]

It's almost like it's a recurring theme that large faceless organisations are indifferent to the suffering of individuals.

[Immortan Jonesy]

[BlueMarsalis79]

Because the company does not even do the bare minimum when it comes to keeping the employee safe.

One might suggest that overconfidence and budget cuts are why the Sulaco didn't have any redundancy of personnel.

Even so, what harm would leaving any one of the faceless marines onboard do just in case of this exact scenario?

It is just f**king nonsense to get the ball rolling.

[SiL]

Yeah Crowe on his own would absolutely save the day?

To avoid the issue you'd have another squad and to have another squad you're going to end up with more money on what was a modestly budgeted film.

EDIT

Ripley's superhuman arm would be a better example of a lazy out. She can suddenly hold up a 14 foot Alien being dragged by the escaping atmosphere? Come on.

And for what it's worth I didn't accuse Tristan of being lazy, that was directed elsewhere.