Here’s some comic book news you’ll be simply mad about: Paul Reiser is returning to one of his most famous characters to write Aliens: What If? for Marvel Comics. No, not Paul Buchman; Carter Burke.
Not a hoax, not an imaginary story (other than the imaginary story in the comic book). Paul Reiser, star of Mad About You, Stranger Things, and many more shows and movies will co-write the March 2024 debuting one-shot, which will imagine what might have happened if Reiser’s character Carter Burke survived the events of Aliens.
Here’s the official solicit text for the book, via Marvel:
For years, fans of James Cameron’s legendary Aliens questioned whether Carter Burke, a company man more hateable than the Xenos themselves, had actually survived the traumatic events on the terraforming colony Hadley’s Hope. Now the actor behind the beloved villain, Paul Reiser, joins his son Leon and the star-studded team of writers and producers Adam F. Goldberg, Brian Volk-Weiss and Hans Rodionoff for a journey back to Hadley’s Hope and the twisted escape of a man who should have died.
Reiser is a successful stand-up comic, and author with three published books; but some quick googling doesn’t turn up a lot of connections to comic books. That said, Reiser did play The Legend on The Boys, a character inspired by Stan Lee in the comic books, though more of a Robert Evans/Hollywood producer type on the show.
It’s possible the Marvel Comics pitch came from Leon Reiser. Not only did the elder Reiser’s son convince him to join Stranger Things, he did the same for The Boys. While it doesn’t look like Leon Reiser has much experience with comic books, either, he certainly knows geek stuff.
However this came about, the new issue is a surprising and welcome extension of Marvel’s rapidly expanding line of books with 20th Century. Those include the main Alien comic, the Alien: Black, White and Blood, Predator, and now Planet of the Apes comics as well.
Aliens: What If?… #1 Solicit Info And Covers:
You can check out the full solicit text for the issue, as well as three covers, below:
ALIENS: WHAT IF?… #1
Paul Reiser, Leon Reiser, Adam F. Goldberg, Hans Rodionoff & Brian Volk-Weiss (W)
Guiu Vilanova (A) • Cover by Phil Noto • VARIANT COVER BY ADI GRANOV
VIRGIN VARIANT COVER BY ADI GRANOV
VARIANT COVER BY PEACH MOMOKO • VARIANT COVER BY LUCIO PARRILLO
VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG • VARIANT COVER BY SKAN
WHAT IF…CARTER BURKE HAD LIVED?
For years, fans of James Cameron’s legendary Aliens questioned whether Carter Burke, a company man more hateable than the Xenos themselves, had actually survived the traumatic events on the terraforming colony Hadley’s Hope. Now the actor behind the beloved villain, Paul Reiser, joins his son Leon and the star-studded team of writers and producers Adam F. Goldberg, Brian Volk-Weiss and Hans Rodionoff for a journey back to Hadley’s Hope and the twisted escape of a man who should have died.
40 PGS./Parental Advisory …$5.99
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