Alien and AvP comic reading order

[lightsyder]

I need some help figuring out the best reading order for the Aliens and AvP comics.  I recently finished a re-read of the Predator comics, Fire & Stone and Life & Death so Aliens and AvP are up next.  I plan to get everything I can that I don't already own via the Comixology sale (maybe even rebuy the physical stuff) but i'm having a hard time figuring out a good reading order.  I know we have a pre-Alien 3 continuity, then that got reworked to work post Alien 3.  Then Alien Resurrection messed it up again which led to a "Big Deletion" or something like that continuity band-aid to make it all stay valid.  Then we have the post-Prometheus stories which from what I can tell ignores all that came before.  Is everything post-Prometheus canon to each other?

So, what are some good reading orders for the various "continuities" in the Aliens and AvP world?  maybe a classic Dark Horse order and a modern one?

[SM]

Anything that came out starting with Book 1 aka Earth Hive aka Outbreak can be read in publication order.

For the Machiko Noguchi saga it's AvP - AvP Duel - AvP: War - AvP Three World War.  'Side stories' are Aliens Berserker which serves as a prequel to AvP: War and Aliens More Than Human which features one character from Three World War prior to the events of that story.  The continuity effectively started again with Aliens Defiance.  Again - read stuff in publication order.

[lightsyder]

Gotcha.  I had Machiko's stuff in that order so I guess I was on the right track..lol.  So we effectively have two continuities of dark horse alien comics then, pre and post Defiance?  How about Fire & Stone and Life & Death?  Do they fit in with either or are they a third one?

[Xiggz456]

They were part of the 2014 reboot along with "Isolation" and the Titan novels "Out of the Shadows", "Sea of Sorrows" and "River of Pain". Specifically "Fire and Stone" has characters that were mentioned in Titan's novel "River of Pain" and the events from "Fire and Stone" were also mentioned in "The Weyland-Yutani Report" (alongside events from "Isolation" and "Out of the Shadows"). As for "Life and Death" it involves the corporation Seegson from "Isolation". Lastly, LV-223 and the ecosystem shown in F&S and L&D are included in the new Alien RPG game that came out last year.

[lightsyder]

They were part of the 2014 reboot along with "Isolation" and the Titan novels "Out of the Shadows", "Sea of Sorrows" and "River of Pain". Specifically "Fire and Stone" has characters that were mentioned in Titan's novel "River of Pain" and the events from "Fire and Stone" were also mentioned in "The Weyland-Yutani Report" (alongside events from "Isolation" and "Out of the Shadows"). As for "Life and Death" it involves the corporation Seegson from "Isolation". Lastly, LV-223 and the ecosystem shown in F&S and L&D are included in the new Alien RPG game that came out last year.

Interesting.  Thanks for the info!  I was surprised to see Seegson get used in L&D.  So the Defiance and late comics don't contradict F&S, L&D and the novels?  I still need to get those to read...so much catching up to do...

[Xiggz456]

Nope not at all. Some folks don't like the crossover aspect so they tend to exclude it but considering all the connective tissue within the newer timeline (the most recent being the RPG) many of us do indeed include it in the "current" timeline. But alas this current timeline will most likely be rebooted next year anyway.

[lightsyder]

I love everything interconnecting!  I'm working on a giant reading/viewing/playing order for a merged Alien, AvP, Predator, Prometheus universe.  Trying to work in a piece to differentiate differing continuities.  Sounds like DH with have pre and post 2014 versions

Any other insight you have on the other Alien novels would be very much appreciated as I have yet to ready any except the adaptations of Outbreak, Nightmare Asylum, Female War and genocide

[SM]

The most recent continuity didn't include any crossover material - so no F+S and L+D.

[lightsyder]

Hmm, so it's kind of its own stand alone sequel tied to Prometheus

[SM]

More or less.

[SpaceKase]

In general, Publication Order is always the way to go. But, just for fun, if you want to read the stories Chronologically, here's something I've been putting together, or, at least the Aliens & AvP sections

The Date format is yyyy.mmdd
Many of these figures disagree with SM's, but each deviation has precise and specific reasoning behind it; which I'm happy to go into if anyone is curious enough. But, given that many of these are Comic specific, it's all been Banned by Corporate Governor's decree, anyway!

Note: Just "Ctrl F" on your keyboard to locate any specific title, and Have a Blast!

1950      Aliens - Earth Angel   reasoned deduction
1995.0900   Aliens - Incubation   dead reckoning
1999      AvP - e. Old Secrets   reasoned deduction
2004      Alien vs Predator [Film]   explicitly stated
2004.1000   AvP - Requiem   reasoned deduction
2007      AvP - Sand Trap   dead reckoning
2009      Predator - Prey to the Heavens   reasoned deduction
2014      Predator - Captive   reasoned deduction
2024      AvP - Eternal   reasoned deduction
2030      Predator - Concrete Jungle (Eurocom, PS2 Xbox game)   explicitly stated
2053      Predator - Xenogenesis   dead reckoning
2058      Aliens - Steel Egg   refine this
2093      Prometheus   explicitly stated
2099      Aliens - Elder Gods (Special - b)   explicitly stated
2099      AvP - Xenogenesis   dead reckoning


2103      Alien - Covenant - Origins   reasoned deduction
2104      Alien - Covenant   explicitly stated
2115      Alien - Echo   refine this
2119.0801   Alien 40th Anniversary Short - Harvest   dead reckoning
2122.0603   Alien   reasoned deduction
2125      Alien 40th Anniversary Short - Alone   refine this
2125      Alien 40th Anniversary Short - Containment   refine this
2125      Alien 40th Anniversary Short - Ore   refine this
2125      Alien 40th Anniversary Short - Specimen   refine this
2135      Aliens - Bug Hunt - a. Chance Encounter   refine this
2137.1117   Aliens - Defiance   explicitly stated
2137.1206   Alien - Isolation (comic tie-in)   reasoned deduction
2137.1211   Alien - Isolation (Sega, PS4 Xbox One game)   explicitly stated
2137.1211   Alien - Isolation [novel, unclear designation]   refine this
2137.1225   Alien Blackout (D3 Go!, FoxNext mobile game)   reasoned deduction
2138      Alien Anthology - 6-Part Dossier   reasoned deduction
2140.1100   Aliens - Prototype   refine this
2140.1200   Aliens - Resistance   explicitly stated
2141      Aliens - Fast Track to Heaven   reasoned deduction
2142      Aliens - Apocalypse   reasoned deduction
2142      Aliens - Once in a Lifetime   refine this
2142.0500   Aliens - Colonial Marines - Rising Threat   dead reckoning
2145      Aliens - Rescue   refine this
2150      AvP - Thicker Than Blood   wild speculation
2155      Aliens - Bug Hunt - p. Distressed   wild speculation
2159      Alien - Out of the Shadows   explicitly stated
2160      Aliens - Inhuman Condition   refine this
2164.0204   Alien 40th Anniversary Short - Night Shift   explicitly stated
2173      Aliens - Xenogenesis   dead reckoning
2174      Aliens - Bug Hunt - b. Reaper   refine this
2175      Aliens - Bug Hunt - f. Exterminators   refine this
2176      Aliens - Bug Hunt - e. Blowback   refine this
2176.0300   Aliens - Bug Hunt - d. Reclamation   dead reckoning
2178      Aliens - Bug Hunt - c. Broken   refine this
2179      Aliens   explicitly stated
2179      ACM - Stasis Interrupted (Gearbox, Darkside, DLC)   dead reckoning
2179      Alien - River of Pain   refine this
2179      Aliens - Bug Hunt - g. No Good Deed   refine this
2179      Aliens - Bug Hunt - i. Dark Mother   refine this
2179.0621   Aliens - Newt's Tale   reasoned deduction
2179.0703   Fire and Stone - 03 Aliens   explicitly stated
2179.0727   Fire and Stone - 02 Aliens - Field Report   explicitly stated
2179.0808   Alien 3   refine this
2179.0821   Aliens - Bug Hunt - k. Deep Background   refine this
2179.1124   Aliens - Colonial Marines - No Man Left Behind   explicitly stated
2180      Aliens - Space Marines [Kenner]   dead reckoning
2180      Aliens - Bug Hunt - j. Episode 22   refine this
2180.0114   Aliens - Colonial Marines (Gearbox, PS3 Xbox360 game)   explicitly stated
2180.0720   Alien - The Cold Forge   explicitly stated
2181      Aliens - Survival   dead reckoning
2182.0709   Aliens - Bug Hunt - h. Zero to Hero   explicitly stated
2183      Aliens - Bug Hunt - n. Hugs to Die For   reasoned deduction
2183.0117   William Gibson's Alien 3   reasoned deduction
2185      AvP - Deadspace   refine this
2187      Operation - Aliens (comic)   reasoned deduction
2188      Aliens vs. Predator {3} (Rebellion, PS3, PC game)   dead reckoning
2189      Aliens versus Predator (Rebellion, PC game)   explicitly stated
2189      Aliens - Bug Hunt - o. Deep Black   explicitly stated
2190      Aliens - Theory of Alien Propagation   reasoned deduction
2191.0300   Aliens vs. Predator (1989 short story)   reasoned deduction
2191.0405   Aliens vs. Predator (series aka Prey)   reasoned deduction
2191.1001   Aliens - Outbreak (aka Earth Hive, aka Book 1)   explicitly stated
2192.0400   AvP - Blood Time   reasoned deduction
2193.0600   Aliens vs. Predator (epilogue 1991 short story)   dead reckoning
2193.0603   Aliens - Countdown   reasoned deduction
2193.0722   Aliens - Nightmare Asylum   reasoned deduction
2193.0800   Aliens - Earth War (aka Female War)   reasoned deduction
2193.0901   Aliens - The Alien   reasoned deduction
2193.1031   Aliens - Crusade   reasoned deduction
2194.0300   Aliens vs. Predator II (aka War #0)   reasoned deduction
2194.0600   AvP - Duel   reasoned deduction
2194.0700   Aliens - Berserker (aka Frenzy)   reasoned deduction
2194.0800   AvP - War   refine this
2195      Aliens - Tribes   reasoned deduction
2197      Aliens - Bug Hunt - l. Empty Nest   refine this
2198      Aliens - Rogue   refine this
2199      Aliens - Colonial Marines   reasoned deduction


2200      Aliens - Advent-Terminus   educated guesswork
2201      Aliens - Lucky   reasoned deduction
2201      Aliens - Reapers   dead reckoning
2201      Aliens - Stalker   refine this
2202.0315   Aliens - More Than Human   reasoned deduction
2203.1205   Aliens - Music of the Spears   reasoned deduction
2204      AvP - Three World War   refine this
2209      Aliens - Bug Hunt - q. Dangerous Prey   wild speculation
2211      Aliens - Dust to Dust   dead reckoning
2211      Aliens - Sacrifice   refine this
2212.1000   Aliens - Horror Show   reasoned deduction
2213.0600   AvP - Deadliest of the Species   reasoned deduction
2213.0700   Aliens - Taste   dead reckoning
2213.0800   Aliens - Backsplash   refine this
2213.1100   Aliens - Salvation   refine this
2213.1200   Aliens - Cargo   refine this
2214      Aliens - Genocide   reasoned deduction
2214.0100   Aliens - Alien   dead reckoning
2214.0500   Aliens - Stronghold   refine this
2214.0600   Aliens - Mondo Pest   dead reckoning
2214.1200   AvP - Hunter's Planet    refine this
2215      Aliens - Hive (aka Harvest)   dead reckoning
2216      Aliens - Renegade   reasoned deduction
2216.0200   Aliens - Mondo Heat   dead reckoning
2216.1200   Aliens - Lovesick   dead reckoning
2217.0100   Aliens - Headhunters   dead reckoning
2217.0300   Aliens - Pig   dead reckoning
2217.0500   Aliens - Borderlines   refine this
2217.0610   Aliens - 45 Seconds (Special - a)   dead reckoning
2217.0630   Aliens - Havoc   dead reckoning
2217.0800   Aliens - Purge   reasoned deduction
2217.1200   Aliens - Kidnapped   refine this
2218      Aliens - No Exit   refine this
2218      Aliens - Bug Hunt - m. Darkness Falls   refine this
2218.0200   Aliens - Tourist Season   refine this
2219      AvP - a. Hell-Bent   dead reckoning
2219      AvP - b. Pursuit   reasoned deduction
2219      AvP - c. Lefty's Revenge   dead reckoning
2219.0112   Fire and Stone - 01 Prometheus   explicitly stated
2219.0122   Fire and Stone - 04 AvP   explicitly stated
2219.0123   Fire and Stone - 05 Predator   explicitly stated
2219.0409   Fire and Stone - 06 Prometheus - Omega   explicitly stated
2220.0420   Life and Death - 01 Predator   reasoned deduction
2220.0421   Life and Death - 02 Prometheus   reasoned deduction
2220.0428   Life and Death - 03 Aliens   reasoned deduction
2220.0429   Life and Death - 04 AvP   reasoned deduction
2220.0430   Life and Death - 05 Prometheus - Final Conflict   reasoned deduction
2222      AvP - Booty   refine this
2223      Aliens - Labyrinth   refine this
2225      Aliens - Glass Corridor   reasoned deduction
2227      Aliens - Wraith   reasoned deduction
2228      Aliens - Criminal Enterprise   refine this
2230      Aliens versus Predator 2 - Primal Hunt   explicitly stated
2231      Aliens versus Predator 2 (Sierra, PC game)   explicitly stated

--BD--

2271      AvP - The Web   reasoned deduction
2295      Aliens - Dead Orbit   explicitly stated
2307      Aliens - Alchemy   reasoned deduction
2350      AvP - Thrill of the Hunt   refine this
2351      AvP - Civilized Beasts   refine this
2381      Alien Resurrection   reasoned deduction
2385      Aliens - Original Sin   refine this
2441      AvP - d. Chained to Life and Death   wild speculation
2497      Alien - Sea of Sorrows   explicitly stated
2525.0600   Aliens - Phalanx   reasoned deduction
2688      Predator - If It Bleeds - a. Devil Dogs   refine this
2690      Aliens - Bug Hunt - r. Spite   refine this
2692.0300   Rage War - Predator - Incursion   explicitly stated
2692.0600   Rage War - Alien - Invasion   explicitly stated
2692.0900   Rage War - AvP - Armageddon    explicitly stated

[lightsyder]

Very awesome SpaceKase!  This is exactly what I'm building and I have this complete for the Predator side if you'd like to take a look.  My end goal is a massive chronological order with continuity selectors so you can hide / view based on what era or canon level your are looking for.  Can't wait to pursue this list!

[SpaceKase]

Very awesome SpaceKase!  This is exactly what I'm building and I have this complete for the Predator side if you'd like to take a look.  My end goal is a massive chronological order with continuity selectors so you can hide / view based on what era or canon level your are looking for.  Can't wait to pursue this list!

Aw, thanks man! Yeah, it's been keeping me sane through this traumatic year we're living though.

I've got the Predator ones integrated into my list too, I just posted a big Hunting Grounds detailed breakdown in another thread, but I only put up the Aliens and AvP specific ones in this thread since that was the topic, let me know if you want to see the grand list altogether sometime. It's always being tweaked and refined as I integrate more perspectives, so it's sort of a living document. Most recently I've been adding-in the rad Aliens: Decent stuff that Ridgetop just wrote about. I'd love to see where you placed some of the more ambiguous stories from the Pred side of the 'verse.

[lightsyder]

Yes, researching this kind of stuff is kinda therapeutic.  Good excuse to re-read and buy the stuff I was missing too!  Lol

For a lot of the DH Predator stuff I just placed them as happening when they were published since they were basically current events story setting wise.

What's Aliens Decent?

I've been trying to track down stuff for the Alien RPG and some NECA card backs lately while working in n the re-read

[SpaceKase]

Yes, researching this kind of stuff is kinda therapeutic.  Good excuse to re-read and buy the stuff I was missing too!  Lol

For a lot of the DH Predator stuff I just placed them as happening when they were published since they were basically current events story setting wise.

What's Aliens Decent?

I've been trying to track down stuff for the Alien RPG and some NECA card backs lately while working in n the re-read

Check out this sweet retrospective that RidgeTop just published:
https://www.avpgalaxy.net/website/articles/express-elevator-to-hell-alien-descent-attraction-retrospective/

It seems like it was a part of the Josh Izzo-era "Read. Watch. Play." initiative from a couple years back when every thing coming out was super connected. It appears to be set very shortly after Sea of Sorrows since the story returns to a devastated LV-178. The orientation video has a somewhat cockamamie map based on the Chung>Middlebrook>de Lauzarika map that's been developing the last several years and is the basis for the new RPG's map, although they've all got some artistic interpretations going on. Pretty rad still.

But yeah man, they whole reason I've been working on this is to build a foundation for the 3D star map I've been putting together, but the timeline itself is a right starbeast all on its own, it's too cool that you're diving in as well. Have you gotten your hands on any of the 4 DH Press Pred novels? They are painful gaps in my dataset that I've only been able get 2nd hand info on.