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And is that necessarily a bad thing? We have just uploaded the 40th episode of the Alien vs. Predator Galaxy podcast (right-click and save as to download)! This latest episode sees RidgeTop host a conversation between himself, Xenomorphine and I about the current state of the expanded universe – more specifically is Fox trying too hard to create a Marvel-esque EU and is that a bad thing?

I take the time to have a gripe about all the retconing that has been taking place lately (even I can’t stomach the sounds of the new Predator prequel coming out!) and we ponder about all the attempts at trying to connect the expanded universe to one another. I will also apologise as I was ill at the time of the recording so I don’t sound my usual charming self.

You can also listen to any of our previous episodes in the Podcast section under the News tab on the main menu. What did you think of the latest episode and about the recent expanded universe releases? Let us know down below! Thanks for listening.

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Cool, checking it out now. I was in need of something to listen to tonight.

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I'm agreeing. As someone who was at the age picking up the older comics when I was a kid, I feel the EU at the moment is having too much studio interference to shoehorn stuff in & I would love them to just go off & do their own thing again. I love this franchise so much that it kills me to see it go the way it is these days.

I don't think AVP 2010 is the last of the EU. Cause it was ended with xenomorph homeworld coordinates revelation to both Yautjas and Older looking Weyland.  :o  :-  :-  :'(  ???

This is very likely due to the success of The Avengers in 2012 "the yeah Prometheus also came out" leading to most post Alien Predator EU including the games Aliens Colonial Marines/Alien Isolation ect material being handled in a cross over connected universe.

Instead of focusing on an EU, Fox needs to focus on just making a good movie.  Just make a good movie and the people will come.  Don't need to copy everything everybody else does.

QuoteFox needs to focus on just making a good movie.

While I completely agree, we all are very aware of the sole reason FOX does anything; money. I am all for an expanded universe, so long as new films/games/books/etc. support each other and don't try to contradict another (ahem Alien 5 ahem). New characters and actors are pivotal in franchises, just think if Christian Bale didn't take The Dark Knight series and we got, oh let's say George Clooney for all three. We all see how many endorsements have risen for Marvel since The Avengers, why not have a facehugger to go cup (reuseable of course ;) ) and Predator spear pens?

Hey, all we can do is try after all.

This is one awesome podcast guys. I listened to most of it this morning half asleep, but man you guys, especially Hicks, really hit the nail right on the head and kept on hitting. I will listen to it a few more times, very interesting topic.

I've been saying the EXACT same thing about the new Disney Star wars fking around and completely screwing up years of continuity just for the sake of giving us what they think fans want. And this fkin rebooting shyte, it's not really smart. Talk about diluting your franchise.

And yes 100% agree what is worse is using the same old characters and events all the time in the new stories. As if they are not smart enough to make up new events and characters etc.

That's why I like Defiance and Alien isolation. Anyways great podcast, really happy you guys think this way, have to have another listen to this or two, or 3.

Out of curiosity does anyone have the link to where Neill Blomkmap commented his like of AVP as a concept?

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DisLike, I meant his dislike of AVP

QuoteFox needs to focus on just making a good movie.

The publishing and licensing arm don't have anything to do with making films.

Sourabh Karmakar the thing is AVP 2010 is a video game, obviously, and video games tend to get a video game sequel and not comic book one, or a novel or a movie. The problem is that AVP 2010 wasn't well received by critics and most fans, so i dont think it will be getting a sequel,  I  mean im sure will be getting an AVP game sooner or later but I dont think they will follow the story of AVP 2010 unfortunately.

Nice one gents. Interesting to hear this stuff broken down a bit as I've never been hugely into the EU. Played a couple of the video games in the '90s, but didn't delve into the novels or comics much. Newt's Tale was an exception, which I cherished as a kid. Had the Colonial Marines Technical Manual as well. I thought AVP2 was fantastic, after that I didn't get lost in anything outside of the films again until Isolation. River of Pain piqued my curiosity but kind of lost interest when I heard the stuff about the marines.

Personally, I don't care a great deal what Fox does with EU/world-building in other media as long as the movies are quality.   

That's a really good question. Will listen tonight.

Just heard the 2nd half. I'm surprised there was no talk about the sort of continuity that's happening right now with Aliens Defiance and Alien Isolation. Something which if is done right, could possibly (wishful thinking here) lead to a future Alien game or even an Alien 5 movie.

Imagine a game (or movie) where the now crew of 3 pick up Amanda and continue to different space stations, shipyards, planets trying to eradicate the Alien from spreading. A game where you can take control of Davis the android as well and run some missions with him/it and the other different characters.

Damn that would be awesome...

SM, that is the whole point of an extended universe.  Everything works together. Books, movies, comics, etc.  Fox owns it, they have control over it.

The problem is, a lot of the time it hasn't worked together. SM's done some excellent work on figuring out all the time-line (and other) inconsistencies.

Considering Scott's fondness of the concept, I'm pretty much 90% sure that the new Blade Runner coming up will be a part of this EU. As for The Predator, I'd say a stand-alone Yutani Corporation cameo would be the most logical.

I for one welcome our new expanded universe overlords. :P

#VickersTheReplicant

QuoteSM, that is the whole point of an extended universe.  Everything works together. Books, movies, comics, etc.  Fox owns it, they have control over it.

And they are making the most concerted effort to try and make everything work together, more than any other time in the franchise's history.

This is entirely separate to 'Fox should just make a good movie' however.

Great podcast once again guys!

Not much to add other than I like the new EU mostly. I enjoiyed fire and stone but l&d isn't doing much for me. Defiance has been amazing. However I have only listened to the "out of the shadows " audio drama, I have not read any of the new books.

Out of the shadows left a bad taste for me and haven't been to keen to pick up the other books anyway. The covers don't help.

If there is one constant, it's that fans know what they like when they get it, but when you ask them what they want, it can get a bit confused.

Some of the replies make me wonder if I put myself across properly. Personally I don't have any problem with a "Marvel-esque" EU because as far as I'm concerned, that is how the Alien films and Alien comics started. They all had connected narratives and elements running through them from the very start. I don't think the Fire and Stone or Life and Death series have had the various other series shoehorned in, I think they just did the wrong story (at least in F&S, can't judge L&D yet) and weren't able to really do anything with where it went.

My issues are with the retcons and shoehorning elements into that. There was no need for Ripley in Out of the Shadow, there was no need for Colonial Marines in River of Pain and while I can't really judge the Predator prequel thing, I really don't see any need for that proposed story.

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 03, 2016, 08:06:40 AM
I don't think the Fire and Stone or Life and Death series have had the various other series shoehorned in, I think they just did the wrong story (at least in F&S, can't judge L&D yet) and weren't able to really do anything with where it went.

I disagree here. In my opinion, F&S had a great story to tell that was hampered by trying to fit everything together instead of focusing on the Black Goo Biome and survival with Aliens in the wild. They had so many great ideas that ended up going nowhere because each player had to have a chance to hold the ball.

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 03, 2016, 08:06:40 AM
My issues are with the retcons and shoehorning elements into that. There was no need for Ripley in Out of the Shadow, there was no need for Colonial Marines in River of Pain and while I can't really judge the Predator prequel thing, I really don't see any need for that proposed story.

This is the big issue here, the face-hugged elephant in the room. They're saying "This is popular! Put this in!" and it just convolutes everything. Ripley served zero purpose in Out of the Shadows, the story still would have worked without her. As much as I liked Sea of Sorrows, Decker's connection to Ripley and the Alien picturing her as "The Enemy" and thus imprinting that onto Decker was equally unnecessary. I haven't read River of Pain yet but, from what I hear, it flies in the face of established lore.

An Aliens Cinematic Universe would be amazing, and Fox needs to realize that a Universe is massive. Not everything needs to connect directly and they certainly don't need to retcon things that have been established.

As for the Predator novel... I don't even have words.  :(

Quote from: Kurai on Oct 03, 2016, 09:05:18 AM
I disagree here. In my opinion, F&S had a great story to tell that was hampered by trying to fit everything together instead of focusing on the Black Goo Biome and survival with Aliens in the wild. They had so many great ideas that ended up going nowhere because each player had to have a chance to hold the ball.

The problem was it couldn't tell that story for fear of stepping on Prometheus 2's toes. It was the wrong story to tell because they couldn't do anything with it. They should have done something completely different.

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Oct 03, 2016, 08:06:40 AM
This is the big issue here, the face-hugged elephant in the room. They're saying "This is popular! Put this in!" and it just convolutes everything. Ripley served zero purpose in Out of the Shadows, the story still would have worked without her. As much as I liked Sea of Sorrows, Decker's connection to Ripley and the Alien picturing her as "The Enemy" and thus imprinting that onto Decker was equally unnecessary. I haven't read River of Pain yet but, from what I hear, it flies in the face of established lore.

An Aliens Cinematic Universe would be amazing, and Fox needs to realize that a Universe is massive. Not everything needs to connect directly and they certainly don't need to retcon things that have been established.

Agreed. Thankfully Alien seems to be moving away from it now. The Rage Wars was completely different with nothing new. Defiance, despite the small cameos by Amanda, is moving off and doing its own thing. I still feel like Amanda may be introduced for an arc down the line that serves as an Isolation 2 though.

QuoteAs for the Predator novel... I don't even have words.  :(

I'm gonna read it and I'm going to try and go in with an open mind but ... What is even the point? 

Quote from: Kurai on Sep 30, 2016, 08:59:53 PM
Considering Scott's fondness of the concept, I'm pretty much 90% sure that the new Blade Runner coming up will be a part of this EU. As for The Predator, I'd say a stand-alone Yutani Corporation cameo would be the most logical.

I for one welcome our new expanded universe overlords. :P

#VickersTheReplicant

Blade Runner with the Alien/Predator EU? No way.

Quote from: EJA on Oct 03, 2016, 04:00:30 PM
Blade Runner with the Alien/Predator EU? No way.

Well Prometheus had various bits and pieces alluding to it. Outside of the bonus BluRay content, IIRC, the writing on one of the pyramid walls translated to the big Belt of Orion speech, though I can't find the link to that now so I might be remembering wrong. The real sign that this is a real possibility is that Ridley wanted the Tyrell Corporation to be a part of Prometheus and thought it was "A really cool idea" and hey, guess who's producing Blade Runner 2 (which may be a remake)?

Found it: http://www.scified.com/topic/24216

Quotethe first two sentences are on the screenshot eghom vivizat hjae nahman veragnan mekjahu-bhoruktaj agne-ghwrnaj ghunakt' orjon' i've seen things you people wouldn't believe attack ships on fire off the should of orion i watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the tannhauser gate all those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain time to die for the interested based on this screenshot i was able to create a font of the engineer's writings.

Quote from: EJA on Oct 03, 2016, 04:00:30 PM
Blade Runner with the Alien/Predator EU? No way.

Blade Runner had its own version of Weyland-Yutani (aside from Tyrell) called the Shimata-Dominguez Corporation.  That's the company who was advertising the off-world colonies on that futuro blimp over LA.

I wouldn't mind a reference to them as a competitor to Weyland-Yutani.

(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.tinypic.com%2F347b48m.png&hash=bdc454ed8da3c3b3a6a1d9e36db5e00eb44c7fcb)

QuoteMy issues are with the retcons and shoehorning elements into that. There was no need for Ripley in Out of the Shadow, there was no need for Colonial Marines in River of Pain and while I can't really judge the Predator prequel thing, I really don't see any need for that proposed story.

"NO RETCONS AND SHOEHORNING! 

EXCEPT FOR ISOLATION!!!  MORE OF THAT, LESS OF EVEYRTHING ELSE!!"

QuoteRipley served zero purpose in Out of the Shadows, the story still would have worked without her.

No it wouldn't.  It would've needed to be a different story.

As for the title of the podcast - it's misnamed.  What Fox is doing isn't Marvel-esque.  Marvels comics and the films based on them wildly differ, and are separate continuities.  What Fox is doing is trying to is what Star Wars did with it's EU - trying to make the films and EU as cohesive as possible.

The Marvel movies barely differ and they do go towards a bigger continuity. Look at the Cap.America movies. They're not stand alone movies, they branch off of whatever happened in a previous Marvel movie and you're lost if you didn't watch the previous movie. They can barely even do stand alone movies anymore without at least another hero or 2 showing up in the movie. Marvel's stuff is getting beyond boring. And no I'm not for throwing in Blade Runner into the Alien EU, they are separate entities having nothing to do with one another and should stay that way.

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 07:58:07 PM
"NO RETCONS AND SHOEHORNING! 

EXCEPT FOR ISOLATION!!!  MORE OF THAT, LESS OF EVEYRTHING ELSE!!"

Hear hear!  :D

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 07:58:07 PM

QuoteRipley served zero purpose in Out of the Shadows, the story still would have worked without her.

No it wouldn't.  It would've needed to be a different story.

I disagree 100%, but I see where you're coming from. The same characters and situation would have led to an interesting story with or without Ripley. The goals without the Narcissus there would be different but the exact same story beats could have been followed without Ripley. But that's not a discussion for here.  :P

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 07:58:07 PM
As for the title of the podcast - it's misnamed.  What Fox is doing isn't Marvel-esque.  Marvels comics and the films based on them wildly differ, and are separate continuities.  What Fox is doing is trying to is what Star Wars did with it's EU - trying to make the films and EU as cohesive as possible.

Indeed. Going along a MCU style would be closer to what Fire and Stone/Life and Death are up to in the comics but with somewhat connected stand alone Alien-Predator-Prometheus-AvP movies coming out fairly regularly.

I don't think Scott has ever provided any inclination that any of his movies are part of any shared Universe.  'Thelma and Louise' doesn't get a mention in 'The Counselor' or 'Matchstick Men'.  The events of 'Kingdom of Heaven' are not a part of 'Robin Hood'.  'Blade Runner' has no real connection to 'ALIEN'. 

Why should he start now?  Maybe he will tie both series together but I think it's very unlikely.  He tends to treat each movie as its own piece of cinematic art form, unnassociated with any of his other movies.   Why stop at connecting 'Blade Runner' and 'ALIEN'?  Otherwise, why not just connect them all? 

Maybe Ripley is descended from Robin of Loxley, after all.  lol.

-Windebieste.

QuoteThe Marvel movies barely differ and they do go towards a bigger continuity.

Which is separate to the comic book source material, which was my point.  The Civil War storyline depicted in the original comics bares little similarity to how it played out in the Captain America film.

QuoteI disagree 100%, but I see where you're coming from. The same characters and situation would have led to an interesting story with or without Ripley.

Ripley's presence along with the Narcissus and Ash working at odds to the characters are integral to the story. You might have had an interesting story without them, but you can't just cleanly lift them out.  And as such I find some of the 'you didn't need Ripley in that story' criticisms a bit misguided.  Without her - it's not the same story, so you kinda do need her.

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 09:29:41 PMWithout her - it's not the same story, so you kinda do need her.

Does the story explain how they opened the shuttle's hatch without disturbing the harpoon gun?

Quote from: windebieste on Oct 03, 2016, 09:03:25 PM
I don't think Scott has ever provided any inclination that any of his movies are part of any shared Universe.

The inclination is very much there, the Blu-Ray disc was chock full of references to Blade Runner and Ridley Scott innitially wanted to name Weyland Industries Weyland-Tyrell.

QuoteThere's one idea that I'm very sad that we didn't do. Ridley, one day, came in and said, "You know, I'm thinking what if it's the Weyland-Tyrell Corporation? Is that cool?" And we're like, "Dude, that's really cool. You gotta do it!"

http://www.firstshowing.net/2012/does-this-prometheus-easter-egg-hint-at-a-blade-runner-tie-in/

Will they do it? Like I said, Ridley Scott is producer for the upcoming Blade Runner movie, so... Who knows?  :P

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 09:29:41 PM
Ripley's presence along with the Narcissus and Ash working at odds to the characters are integral to the story. You might have had an interesting story without them, but you can't just cleanly lift them out.  And as such I find some of the 'you didn't need Ripley in that story' criticisms a bit misguided.  Without her - it's not the same story, so you kinda do need her.

That's exactly the point. Methinks you're seeing things as "This is how it was done, thus it couldn't have been different."  ??? We aren't talking about a rewrite of the story simply excluding Ripley, it's all about what could have been and how Ripley being left out would have been beneficial. Would the same starting story branch out differently without Ripley? Yes, that's the point.  ::)

There's also the point that no Ripley makes more sense in terms of the greater picture of continuity.  :P

QuoteThe inclination is very much there, the Blu-Ray disc was chock full of references to Blade Runner and Ridley Scott innitially wanted to name Weyland Industries Weyland-Tyrell.

All of which has been well documented as a joke.

QuoteMethinks you're seeing things as "This is how it was done, thus it couldn't have been different."

I'm not sure you youthinks that, since I said "You might have had an interesting story without them, but you can't just cleanly lift them out."

[insert condescending rolling eyes smiley]

Quote from: Kurai on Oct 03, 2016, 09:50:17 PM

Quote from: windebieste on Oct 03, 2016, 09:03:25 PM
I don't think Scott has ever provided any inclination that any of his movies are part of any shared Universe.

The inclination is very much there, the Blu-Ray disc was chock full of references to Blade Runner and Ridley Scott innitially wanted to name Weyland Industries Weyland-Tyrell.

I see, it will be very interesting to see how this all pans out, then. 

Personally, I don't see the necessity for it.  These properties work well independently.  'Weyland-Tyrell' is conceptually redundant, therfore completely irrelevant, now. There's no reason to an obsolete moniker of that nature is any reason to believe intended continuity any more than Easter Eggs on a DVD/BluRay are intended to connect such universes.  They're gags and homages.  Does that mean the appearance of the Millenium Falcon in 'Blade Runner' (which is prominently onscreen for several seconds right in front of the viewer as an architectural feature) connects 'Blade Runner' to 'Star Wars'? 

To my knowledge ( I may be wrong - wouldn't be the first time.  lol.)  Scott has never openly stated these Universes are connected.  Until that happens, it's all speculation.  Besides.  These Universes are properties of very, very different owners.  The likelihood of them ever dovetailing is near non-existent.

We get the 'AvP' EU simply because 20th Century Fox owns them both.  It's why IronMan and Thor can be in the same Universe because Disney owns Marvel.  'Superman vs Batman' is based on characters and situations owned by DC.

'Blade Runner' and 'ALIEN' together in the same Universe is as unlikely as 'Batman vs IronMan' ever happening.  The ownership is completely different.  Crossover licences such as 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' are extremely rare.  I don't expect Fox and Warner to indulge in such a collaboration.  It's just too expensive and risky.

So, different Owners.  Different Universes.

-Windebieste.

He's talked about similarities between the Company and Tyrell on commentaries, but never in a way that says they're linked.  Damon Lindelof talks about it on the Prometheus commentary as well and flat out says they're not linked.

You'll see Mickey Mouse team up with Spiderman before Blade Runner operatives are seen carrying pulse rifles. 

-Windebieste.

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 10:19:52 PM
All of which has been well documented as a joke.

Need I remind you, AvP has its' origins in a very similar headnod "joke".  :laugh:

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 10:19:52 PM
I'm not sure you youthinks that, since I said "You might have had an interesting story without them, but you can't just cleanly lift them out."
[insert condescending rolling eyes smiley]

Ripley was shoehorned in, Lebbon did his best but she was still a detriment to the story in my opinion and the story could have been just as good, if not better, without her. They can be cleanly lifted out and yes, the story would change, but she isn't integral, as you put it. The Dog-Alien civilization is interesting without her, the failing ship is interesting without her, the character interaction is interesting without her and the mining facility is interesting without her.

Quote from: windebieste on Oct 03, 2016, 10:21:35 PM
So, different Owners.  Different Universes.

You're quite right there, Warner Bros is doing the Blade Runner movie. We're more likely to have Batman tangle with Replicants than Engineers. Sad, but that's the way of the world.  :(

Quote from: Kurai on Oct 03, 2016, 11:21:20 PM

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 10:19:52 PM
All of which has been well documented as a joke.

Need I remind you, AvP has its' origins in a very similar headnod "joke".  :laugh:

For sure; and it's funny on the surface.  Keep in mind, there's a very clear issue of Ownership going on there.  That 'gag' was largely possible because Dark Horse was in possession of both 'ALIEN' and 'PREDATOR' licences to begin with.  Licences both granted by Fox so organising the legal side would have been relatively easy - and inexpensive. 

Without that connection of Licencing along with Ownership, the chances of 'ALIENS vs PREDATOR' ever happening would have been severely diminished.  You won't see Mickey Mouse's head in a Predator trophy collection without some kind of agreement on the part of both 20th Century and Disney.  Now that would be funny.  :laugh:  Unfortunately, as good as it sounds it's not likely to happen.

Things like 'Archie vs Predator' don't happen without a lot of legal leg work behind the scenes.  That is, a lot of expensive legal leg work.  I sometimes wonder how a comic like that even gets to hit store shelves...

-Windebieste.

You should give Sea of Sorrows a try. Its got minimal references to the films and their characters, making it truly an ORIGINAL story, unlike the other two books claim. Its also very well balanced: its got the build up, character development, suspense and then the action, unlike Out of the Shadows "And there was blood" and dropships start crashing already on the second page, or its cliche lines like "structure seems intact, they still have power", or River of Pain 75% of it was just describing the love interest between the main character and Anne, and then when the aliens come it was like 'oh, 15-20 were taken yesterday, oh those that stayed behind (about 50 people) were taken, it just ends very quickly.

If the story is changed (no means of escape, and no antagonist other than the Aliens) - then how is her presence not integral?  The story as it is, needs her.  Without her, it's not the same story.  It might have the same premise, but would go off in different direction after that.  Unless it's just some random shuttle that turns up with it's own evil AI and sleeping woman called Billie.

QuoteNeed I remind you, AvP has its' origins in a very similar headnod "joke".

I don't believe Dark Horse regarded their comics as a "joke".  Nor do many fans.

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 11:40:16 PM
If the story is changed (no means of escape, and no antagonist other than the Aliens) - then how is her presence not integral?  The story as it is, needs her.  Without her, it's not the same story.  It might have the same premise, but would go off in different direction after that.  Unless it's just some random shuttle that turns up with it's own evil AI and sleeping woman called Billie.

Without Ripley, the crew would have fought harder for the Samson, the lander ship. You're right, it would go off in a different direction after that, that's kind of the whole point of what I was saying... We're going to go in a loop here again because I'm talking about how the story could have worked without her and you're talking about how the exact same end point couldn't be reached without her. You're right, but that's not what I've been talking about.

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 11:40:16 PM
I don't believe Dark Horse regarded their comics as a "joke".  Nor do many fans.

Sigh... Alien skull, Predator 2, head nod, reference. Joke was in quotation marks because you called the Prometheus Blu-Ray content and Scott's consideration for the name a joke. If you or anyone is offended by that then... Just sigh...  :(

AvP had its origins in Dark Horse comics, that predate Predator 2 by about a year.

QuoteJoke was in quotation marks because you called the Prometheus Blu-Ray content and Scott's consideration for the name a joke.

But it was literally a "very lightly intentioned joke (http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/scifi/prometheus-bluray-producer-downplays-blade-runner-connection.html)".

I'm not sure the sighing is helping reinforce anything.

Quote from: SM on Oct 03, 2016, 07:58:07 PM
"NO RETCONS AND SHOEHORNING! 

EXCEPT FOR ISOLATION!!!  MORE OF THAT, LESS OF EVEYRTHING ELSE!!"

Granted. However, that didn't turn out to really be shoehorned. It ended up being very fluid and natural to the story. The retcon - yeah, it was a retcon to what we're presented with on-screen in the SE but it wasn't intrusive or as unlikely as the others, I don't think.

Quote
As for the title of the podcast - it's misnamed.  What Fox is doing isn't Marvel-esque.  Marvels comics and the films based on them wildly differ, and are separate continuities.  What Fox is doing is trying to is what Star Wars did with it's EU - trying to make the films and EU as cohesive as possible.

Blame RidgeTop for that one.  :laugh: It's a bit of misnomer, I think, but people seem to think of these big multiarcing stories as a Marvel-type thing now-a-days.

Quote from: SM on Oct 04, 2016, 12:01:39 AM
AvP had its origins in Dark Horse comics, that predate Predator 2 by about a year.

First AvP Comic = June 1st 1990
Predator 2 = November 19th 1990

Huh, 5 months apart with AvP coming first. Honestly thought Predator 2 was an 80s movie for some reason. Ah well, the more you know! Thanks :D

Quote from: SM on Oct 04, 2016, 12:01:39 AM
But it was literally a "very lightly intentioned joke (http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/scifi/prometheus-bluray-producer-downplays-blade-runner-connection.html)".

Never said it wasn't a joke. :)
But alas, different companies puts out that fire of hope that lore from a new Blade Runner could flesh out the Universe. >_<

So yeah, the correlations could be drawn closer to Star Wars rather than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. AvP and AvP:R is a thing, but we won't really know until Covenant if there's a chance in hell of them still being canon.

Prometheus
Alien prequel Trilogy
Alien Quadrilogy

We need a new AvP movie that follows the lore of the universe, a USCM solo movie or a new movie following a different story all together in the same universe for it to really be Marvel-esque. :D

Quote from: The Bonus Situation on Oct 03, 2016, 11:38:16 PM
You should give Sea of Sorrows a try. Its got minimal references to the films and their characters, making it truly an ORIGINAL story, unlike the other two books claim. Its also very well balanced: its got the build up, character development, suspense and then the action, unlike Out of the Shadows "And there was blood" and dropships start crashing already on the second page, or its cliche lines like "structure seems intact, they still have power", or River of Pain 75% of it was just describing the love interest between the main character and Anne, and then when the aliens come it was like 'oh, 15-20 were taken yesterday, oh those that stayed behind (about 50 people) were taken, it just ends very quickly.

I think I enjoyed Sea of Sorrows the most out of that trilogy. It felt like the old EU to me. Still had some issues with it - pacing grinding to a halt in the middle, a few too many throw-away characters and again, a forced relation to Ripley but I still enjoyed it. I didn't hate any of the initial trilogy, I thought they were all solid reads but I did take issue to with some key aspects of them.

QuoteFirst AvP Comic = June 1st 1990
Predator 2 = November 19th 1990

The comics go further back to Dark Horse Presents #34 in November 1989.

Quote from: SM on Oct 04, 2016, 08:28:58 AM
The comics go further back to Dark Horse Presents #34 in November 1989.

Wasn't that a solo Aliens story? I haven't read it and I'm not saying you're wrong, but it would be cool just for general posterity if we could get a screenshot of the crossover. :D

The first true AvP comic, as far as I can tell, was in Dark Horse Presents #36 in February 1990. Still before the first AvP comic book.  :)

Quote from: The Bonus Situation on Oct 03, 2016, 11:38:16 PM
You should give Sea of Sorrows a try. Its got minimal references to the films and their characters, making it truly an ORIGINAL story, unlike the other two books claim. Its also very well balanced: its got the build up, character development, suspense and then the action, unlike Out of the Shadows "And there was blood" and dropships start crashing already on the second page, or its cliche lines like "structure seems intact, they still have power", or River of Pain 75% of it was just describing the love interest between the main character and Anne, and then when the aliens come it was like 'oh, 15-20 were taken yesterday, oh those that stayed behind (about 50 people) were taken, it just ends very quickly.

ROFL at the name man :) nice one, and welcome to the boards. I'm stuck halfway through Sea of Sorrows since June, just as they're checking out the Ship underground...getting interesting. Need to finish it...too many graphic novels left lying around here..

Quote from: Kurai on Oct 04, 2016, 10:01:02 AM

Quote from: SM on Oct 04, 2016, 08:28:58 AM
The comics go further back to Dark Horse Presents #34 in November 1989.

Wasn't that a solo Aliens story? I haven't read it and I'm not saying you're wrong, but it would be cool just for general posterity if we could get a screenshot of the crossover. :D

The first true AvP comic, as far as I can tell, was in Dark Horse Presents #36 in February 1990. Still before the first AvP comic book.  :)

Technically titled Aliens, but showed  a Queen laying eggs on a Predator ship.  DHP 34-36 was collected into AvP #0.

To hard? The Expanded Universe is one of the best parts about this series in my opinion and then has a strong base to go off of, I like it.

I'm all for a rich and strong EU to keep it interesting, but only as long as they don't mix it into each of the movie universes of Alien (and Prometheus), Predator and AVP.

SM, my point was instead of going through all of this trouble to get things to tie together and copy what Marvel has done....Fox just needs to focus on making a good movie instead of spending time and effort in making an EU.  No EU...just good Predator and Alien movies.

What difference would it make if they weren't trying to exploit their IP?

Is Prometheus still a possible movie name or is it dead? I mean, Covenant is technically a sequel to it, but it's an Alien movie. What I mean is, do you think we have a chance of getting a new "Prometheus" movie, focusing solely on the Engineers without Aliens?

Quote from: SM on Oct 04, 2016, 10:51:11 AM
Technically titled Aliens, but showed  a Queen laying eggs on a Predator ship.  DHP 34-36 was collected into AvP #0.

That's really pretty cool, I think I have AvP #0 laying in a box somewhere but didn't realise it was a compilation. I have a vague memory of Predators chilling out at a table and lots of narration.

Predators drinking mead and such, I now want a movie where Predators are the inspiration for Norse mythology. If we're going to have a Marvel-esqu Cinematic Universe then we can have PredaThor! :D

QuoteIs Prometheus still a possible movie name or is it dead? I mean, Covenant is technically a sequel to it, but it's an Alien movie. What I mean is, do you think we have a chance of getting a new "Prometheus" movie, focusing solely on the Engineers without Aliens?

Depends how Covenant plays.