Marvel Officially Acquires Alien and Predator Comic License

[Nightmare Asylum]

The Aliens, Predator and AVP Essential Comics Volume 2's have been removed from Dark Horse's website. They are each still showing as pre-orders on Amazon and Forbidden Planet but I've got a feeling they might have all been cancelled as a result of this deal. Shame because I was hoping to collect all of these volumes. Hopefully Marvel will do similar releases.

If they follow suit with how they handled the Dark Horse Star Wars material, there will be a lot of Alien/Predator Epic Collections in the future.

[EJA]

Well I already own all the DH Predator omnibuses, and some of the Aliens ones, so it's not really an issue for me.

[Nightmare Asylum]

Aye, more a collection of issues, I'd say.

[j0nesy]

Yeah imagine posting that much.

...




I'll just show myself out.

i could never grow tired of your delightful posts!

[426Buddy]

Aye, more a collection of issues, I'd say.

[Perfect-Organism]

I think they should do several different levels of comics.  That would solve a lot of issues.  I don't even care if there's continuity between them.

Alien comics - should be rated R and feature more body horror or just horror aspects.  It should be published under the MAX imprint.  These comics could encompass the entire Alien film series as a whole and give the darker fans among us what they are looking for.  There could be canon and non-canon stories and series here.  The Alien film logo should be used.

Alien Alternative comics - this is where film stories like adaptations of alternate scripts could exist.  The Alien logo should be redesigned to work with each alternative story, just like it is done in film.

Aliens comics - should be on the border of pg-13 and the R rating.  They should continue the action themes of the Aliens movie and perhaps even disregard Alien 3 and Resurrection.  I've said this before and I'll say it again, Aliens is practically a Disney film as it is.  Newt is a Disney princess for all intents and purposes.  Here's to happy endings.  Run with it!  This should be done with the Aliens logo.

Prometheus comics - could focus on the cosmic wonder of Engineer creation and related subjects with the occasional visit from the Aliens. Use one of the Prometheus logos for this.

Alien vs. _________ (fill in the blank) - these stories could be done as non-canon fun tales.  I want to see Hawkeye vs. Aliens.   

Predator comics - whatever.  Sorry folks, I'm not a fan, though I'm sure something along the lines of the above could be made to work.

[Voodoo Magic]

Predator comics - whatever.  Sorry folks, I'm not a fan, though I'm sure something along the lines of the above could be made to work.

"Predator comics - whatever?"

[426Buddy]

 

I love all of it - Alien, Aliens, AVP, Predator.

whatever they are just make them good.

My heart breaks for the future of the Hunters series. Predator had finally hit it's peak in the comics.

[Perfect-Organism]

Predator comics - whatever.  Sorry folks, I'm not a fan, though I'm sure something along the lines of the above could be made to work.

"Predator comics - whatever?"

https://media.tenor.com/images/78e81757e90dc6044c4c307af556fc64/tenor.gif

Sorry Bro, you're definitely entitled to like what you like.  lol.  I'm just teasing.  I'm sure some great ideas can be figured out for Predators.  Just not my thing

[Nightmare Asylum]

I don't see myself touching anything with Predator in the title either, to be honest. I enjoy the first two films a lot (especially the second one) but the concept just doesn't interest me a ton beyond that.

[Perfect-Organism]

I don't see myself touching anything with Predator in the title either, to be honest. I enjoy the first two films a lot (especially the second one) but the concept just doesn't interest me a ton beyond that.

I'm the same.  I don't know what it is.  I really tried to like them.  The predators are 2-dimensional.  They hunt for sport and that's it.  It's worn thin for me.  On the flip-side, if the predators are more than that, it feels like applying some higher purpose and calling to cousin Cletus living in the bayou.  That doesn't work either.

I enjoyed the first AVP series when it came out, and then the appeal disappeared for me.

[FK]

Great. Handed the franchise off to the WORST writers there are. Now we get virtue signaling preds and racist aliens. UHG!

[Immortan Jonesy]

Alien vs. _________ (fill in the blank) - these stories could be done as non-canon fun tales.  I want to see Hawkeye vs. Aliens.   

Speaking of Hawkeye, I bet a Predator completely true to his code would be delighted to hunt down a human who despite having no powers is a superhero.

BTW I have a question.

There is no Predator superhero yet? I being serious, as I am not an expert in EU.

[Ultramorph]

Having thought a bit more about this, and I'm feeling more optimistic. It's obviously jarring to see the license leave Dark Horse, where it has been before I was even born, but there's no reason to assume that Marvel will do a bad job with the comic side of things. This will be a great time to go back and read the old Dark Horse stuff and reflect on it all. I would echo a few other posters that a lot of our love for the DH stuff is colored by rose tinted glasses. They did some amazing books like Book One and some of the recent minis, but the DH line also suffered from weird editorial choices and from trying to play catch-up with the movies. Remember how the original trilogy was clearly setting up the Jockeys as the next big bads, only for that to get thrown out in a little one-shot? That's not at all to dismiss what Dark Horse did with the license, and I still love a LOT of the old books, but we shouldn't pretend everything has been perfect. And given how much of the recent material was stewarded by people like Brian Wood, a change isn't necessarily unwelcome.

As far as what Marvel does with it, I think it's accurate to say they'll go the Conan route IE a separate line of books in their own continuity along with separate "in continuity" crossovers with the main Marvel universe. I don't think Marvel or Disney are dumb enough to dilute the horror aspect of these brands, so I am not worried (at least not yet) about them being PG-13-ified. I also can't be mad that the inevitable crossovers, given that DH and DC have been doing them for years. I'd much rather read a Venom vs Aliens book than AvP vs Batman and Superman again. And honestly, I'd be lying if I didn't think it would be cool if Marvel's big 2021 event was "Alien and Predator invade the Marvel Universe." Give it to the creative team that did Absolute Carnage last year, or the Immortal Hulk team, and you could have a great little horror event. Marvel did it with Godzilla back in the 70's and it was great.

I just hope at the end of the day that this leads to more Alien and Predator comics. DH has definitely upped their regular output in recent years, but I still want the promise of an Alien ongoing fulfilled.

My only real question is what become of the Prometheus side of things. Will Marvel and Disney abandon it if they don't move forward with Scott's last movie, or will they allow that story to be told in the comics?

[Voodoo Magic]

Alien vs. _________ (fill in the blank) - these stories could be done as non-canon fun tales.  I want to see Hawkeye vs. Aliens.   

Speaking of Hawkeye, I bet a Predator completely true to his code would be delighted to hunt down a human who despite having no powers is a superhero.

BTW I have a question.

There is no Predator superhero yet? I being serious, as I am not an expert in EU.

Wha? Predator superheroes? Like in capes and can fly? 

Errr. Umm. No. 

I don't see myself touching anything with Predator in the title either, to be honest. I enjoy the first two films a lot (especially the second one) but the concept just doesn't interest me a ton beyond that.

I'm the same.  I don't know what it is.  I really tried to like them.  The predators are 2-dimensional.  They hunt for sport and that's it.  It's worn thin for me. 

See, that's interesting. If anything feels limited dimensionally to me, it's the Xenomorph. That's why Ridley turned to the black goo and took the position that the beast is cooked, even compared it to a shark a few times I believe. With Predators there's technology, culture, religion, history, science, so many societal facets to delve into. Even on its own, a Predator can refresh itself with the variations in helmet, weapon, jewelry and skin pigmentation.. where a human "born" Xeno remains relatively the same.

But, let me follow that up that, to me, the beast isn't cooked and I'm very much a fan of. I own the films, have an Eaglemoss Alien Queen currently a foot away from me, was just playing Blackout again, anticipating the Alien original screenplay comic which is on my pull-list, etc. etc.