The Rage War: A three part Alien / Predator epic by Tim Lebbon

[RakaiThwei]

I still see all these books and comics as one continuity, btw.

Funny, I thought you were coming to the whole multiverse/alternate timeline idea with Blomkamp's movie on the way.

[predxeno]

That's the one exception to the rule actually, and it's a movie not a comic or book.

[RakaiThwei]

That's the one exception to the rule actually, and it's a movie not a comic or book.

Movies take precedence over comics. I'd say the multiverse idea, assuming that is the case, also applies to the EU. What with the Hish mythos and EU reboot being all, and so far we've had two reboots.

[HuDaFuK]

I think the key thing to consider is that those events are completely innocuous continuity-wise to every continuity out there, which IMO is why they can be canon.  Verheiden's material works with them.  Alien 3 and AR works with them, etc.  Are they EU, yes, but until something comes along that negates these events, I just figure we can include them.

Again though, that wasn't my point. My point was they said they were starting afresh with these new books... but then decided to actively acknowledge the old stuff by include material from it. I just found that strange.

[RakaiThwei]

Again though, that wasn't my point. My point was they said they were starting afresh with these new books... but then decided to actively acknowledge the old stuff by include material from it. I just found that strange.

Actually some works which do start out as restarts sometimes acknowledge old works, but not necessarily the entire old continuity as a whole. I could list some franchises which do this but I think I'd be beating a dead horse there.

[Ultramorph]

Exactly. The Newt's Tale stuff was just a one-off thing, not a big statement on canon.

[predxeno]

That's the one exception to the rule actually, and it's a movie not a comic or book.

Movies take precedence over comics. I'd say the multiverse idea, assuming that is the case, also applies to the EU. What with the Hish mythos and EU reboot being all, and so far we've had two reboots.

The author of the Hish, John Shirley, himself stated that he didn't see any reason the Yautja and Hish couldn't exist simultaneously and even had plans to pen a new novel that would incorporate the two, sadly it seems things fell through on that book.

Exactly. The Newt's Tale stuff was just a one-off thing, not a big statement on canon.

The author of AVP: Fire & Stone said he didn't want to include any AVP movie material in his story since a lot of fans seem to have placed the films in a separate universe but in the end even he had to go back on his word and include elements from the separate universe into his story.

[RakaiThwei]

The author of the Hish, John Shirley, himself stated that he didn't see any reason the Yautja and Hish couldn't exist simultaneously and even had plans to pen a new novel that would incorporate the two, sadly it seems things fell through on that book.

The Yautja and the Hish COULD theoretically exist in the same universe if there is some retcon going on. For example, the Super Predators, considering their behavior and how they hunt-- they are so close to the Hish that it could be easy to label them as such.

Infact, the Super Predators are being treated as a separate race from the Yautja. Like Vulcans and Romulans. If the NECA backstories are to be considered canonical in any form (I find them very questionable), Scavenger's backstory list him as a Yautja/Super Predator hybrid. Seems more and more, the Super Predators are not being treated as Yautja anymore.

The author of AVP: Fire & Stone said he didn't want to include any AVP movie material in his story since a lot of fans seem to have placed the films in a separate universe but in the end even he had to go back on his word and include elements from the separate universe into his story.

You're referring to the whole blooding mark, right? That more or less might be on Ariel Olivetti's part. I don't see any other elements from the AvP movies being used in Fire and Stone.

[predxeno]

The author of the Hish, John Shirley, himself stated that he didn't see any reason the Yautja and Hish couldn't exist simultaneously and even had plans to pen a new novel that would incorporate the two, sadly it seems things fell through on that book.

The Yautja and the Hish COULD theoretically exist in the same universe if there is some retcon going on. For example, the Super Predators, considering their behavior and how they hunt-- they are so close to the Hish that it could be easy to label them as such.

Infact, the Super Predators are being treated as a separate race from the Yautja. Like Vulcans and Romulans. If the NECA backstories are to be considered canonical in any form (I find them very questionable), Scavenger's backstory list him as a Yautja/Super Predator hybrid. Seems more and more, the Super Predators are not being treated as Yautja anymore.

Well as you said, many of the new DH Press novels incorporated stuff from the older EU.  For Aliens: Steel Egg, John Shirley (also author of Predator: Forever Midnight) actually went back and researched Aliens EU so he could be as accurate to the series as possible which is why that novel has psychic Aliens and drones growing into Queens.

The author of AVP: Fire & Stone said he didn't want to include any AVP movie material in his story since a lot of fans seem to have placed the films in a separate universe but in the end even he had to go back on his word and include elements from the separate universe into his story.

You're referring to the whole blooding mark, right? That more or less might be on Ariel Olivetti's part. I don't see any other elements from the AvP movies being used in Fire and Stone.

I don't think there are any other references needed, I think it's pretty clear though that the blooding was put in the story because of its relation to the movie.

[Ultramorph]

I didn't love the Hish, but I remember actually kind of liking Forever Midnight, in an oddball sort of way. But I read it back when it first came out, so it's been quite some time since I read it.

[RakaiThwei]

Well as you said, many of the new DH Press novels incorporated stuff from the older EU.

I never said anything in regards to the DH Press books. At least the stuff published from 2005 to 2007.

I don't think there are any other references needed, I think it's pretty clear though that the blooding was put in the story because of its relation to the movie.

Which was later changed to a different blood marking without any explanation to why it was changed. Also, I found it very baffling that Ahab was "hugging" Elden who is something else by now, and yet Predators treat Machiko like shit despite being marked as a Hunter.

[predxeno]

I don't think there are any other references needed, I think it's pretty clear though that the blooding was put in the story because of its relation to the movie.

Which was later changed to a different blood marking without any explanation to why it was changed. Also, I found it very baffling that Ahab was "hugging" Elden who is something else by now, and yet Predators treat Machiko like shit despite being marked as a Hunter.

The blood marking is the same in the AVP arc of Fire & Stone, also the Predators disliked Machiko because she was of the species they hunted, Elden wasn't.  I can imagine a LOT of human hunters wouldn't be pleased if they had to treat deer like equals, same thing goes with fishers and fish.

[Corporal Hicks]

I didn't love the Hish, but I remember actually kind of liking Forever Midnight, in an oddball sort of way. But I read it back when it first came out, so it's been quite some time since I read it.

It was...poor. In my opinion, anyway. But the core philosophy of the Hish I prefer to the Yautja. The second book, Flesh and Blood handled it much better from what I remember.

[RakaiThwei]

It was...poor. In my opinion, anyway. But the core philosophy of the Hish I prefer to the Yautja. The second book, Flesh and Blood handled it much better from what I remember.

I may not have read the Hish mythos but I felt as if they were... out there to say the least. From what I have heard, I didn't like the changes which were made. Namely with the Hish being able to changes sexes involuntarily, the kill gland which caused them to go into a berserker rage, setting fire to newborn Hish to see who was worthy to live, Hish kiddies playing Mortal Kombat with real live humans who were under some mind control, Hish being conquerors and slavers.... It was ridiculous.

The Hish are what made me put down the novels for a very long time and I don't think I'll be picking up these new ones whatsoever. I mean I don't know what Tim's plans are, but while everyone is all Alien centric, I'm all about the Predators and that's what I'm into. I'm more concerned about how they are portrayed, and I hope Lebbon doesn't do anything outlandish. Personally, as much as I love the Yautja concept, I don't want him messing with that.. Keep that preserved the way it is, don't mess with something like that for fans who don't want to see it "fixed" when it ain't broken.

[Corporal Hicks]

I may not have read the Hish mythos but I felt as if they were... out there to say the least. From what I have heard, I didn't like the changes which were made. Namely with the Hish being able to changes sexes involuntarily, the kill gland which caused them to go into a berserker rage, setting fire to newborn Hish to see who was worthy to live, Hish kiddies playing Mortal Kombat with real live humans who were under some mind control, Hish being conquerors and slavers.... It was ridiculous.

Like I said - the first novel was poor. But Flesh and Blood took the aspect I liked - the thrill of the hunt, not the space samurai stuff and made the Predators brutal. Just how I liked it.