When it was announced that Alien would be coming to Marvel, that opened up a whole world of storytelling possibilities. While most fans started dreaming up crossovers with existing Marvel characters and stories, the publisher was planning something new. Now a "never before seen" story is coming in March of 2021.
Alien #1 will be written by one of my favorites, Phillip Kennedy Johnson. He'll be joined by artist Salvador Larroca, GURU-eFX and the incredible cover by InHyuk Lee. The story promises to have a blend of classic characters and new characters, and not just from Earth. They also promise a "bold take" on the mythology, which could be just the breath of fresh air that this franchise has needed in multiple formats.
What do we know about the story so far? According to the logline, "The new story will feature a Weyland-Yutani mercenary named Gabriel Cruz as he battles a deadly new breed of xenomorph with the survival of his child hanging in the balance." So yeah, not much to go on there, but it looks like we are getting a new xenomorph. Knowing that this story involves the survival of a child, also makes me know that Johnson will give it his all. Anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes talking to Phillip Kennedy Johnson, or even just followed him on social media, knows how important his child is to him and how important being a dad is for him. Nothing wrong with infusing sci-fi horror with something that matters, if that's the route they take.
"Just as a reader and fan, I was as excited as anyone when I heard the franchise was coming to Marvel, and when they asked me to WRITE THE LAUNCH, I was floored. I've been training my whole life for this gig without knowing it," Johnson said. "Ever since seeing Ridley Scott’s ALIEN at way too young an age, I’ve been OBSESSED with the xenomorph, the single most iconic representation of terror on film."
The creative team is excited, hopefully you are too. As far as the release date goes, I'm afraid that March 2021 is the most we know right now. Keep checking back here and on our social media pages for an updated release date. You'll also want to be on the lookout for my review, when the time comes.
Photo Credit: Marvel Comics