Alien is one of the biggest horror and sci-fi franchises, but we often forget its popularity isn’t limited to movies. The Xenomorphs are also a big hit in comics, having been a part of both Dark Horse and now Marvel. With Alien: Earth releasing weekly on Disney+, there’s no better time to learn about their vast history.
If you’re a fan of the films — or even if you haven’t watched them — the comics offer an insane amount of exciting storytelling. Whether a story focuses on the Xenomorphs, the humans escaping them, or other beings, they’ll leave a mark on you. Let’s dig into the franchise’s history with 11 incredible Alien comics in order to understand why almost no one survives the ultimate life form.
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1. Aliens: Salvation
Writer: Dave Gibbons
Artist: Mike Mignola, Kevin Nowlan
Mignola’s art is breathtaking, as always, and fits the desolate world of Aliens incredibly well. The religious element of Salvation is also tied beautifully with the artwork and the story. In it, a devout crewman and his captain have to abandon their ship, but its dreadful cargo won’t let them go so easily.
2. Aliens vs. Avengers
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Esad Ribić
After so many crossovers with the Predator, it was time for the Marvel Universe to face the perfect organism. It’s a very fast-paced book in which many things happen, but Hickman makes it flow flawlessly. Even if you aren’t familiar with Alien lore (or Marvel lore), it’s an easy and exciting read.
Get Aliens vs. Avengers on Bookshop
3. Aliens: Dead Orbit
Writer: James Stokoe
Artist: James Stokoe
Dead Orbit presents a dual timeline, with a crew being picked off by aliens and its sole survivor attempting to escape. Stokoe’s detailed art fills the pages with tension, as if the Xenomorph could be in any corner, waiting to attack.
4. Aliens: Outbreak
Writer: Mark Verheiden
Artist: Mark Nelson
Newt and Hicks continue their adventures after the movie Aliens, and they’ll do everything to get rid of the horrifying creatures… Even if they have to give their homeworld a visit and annihilate everything there.
5. Aliens: Sacrifice
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Paul Johnson
Aliens: Sacrifice takes a different, but compelling route for the franchise. It’s a folk horror with a very emotional story set in a remote village. Ann McKay must confront her inner demons while facing an almost literal devil in the form of the Alien to protect the people of her little hamlet.
6. Aliens: Labyrinth
Writer: Jim Woodring, Ryder Windham
Artist: Kilian Plunkett
The Woodring and Windham duo turn the tables on the creatures. This time, a dangerous mad scientist makes them his new hobby, and we get a new side of the brutal killers. Still, it’s as terrifying and raw as you would want an Alien story to be.
Get The Complete Aliens Omnibus, Volume 3 on Bookshop
7. Alien: Bloodlines
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Artist: Salvador Larroca
Alien‘s Marvel debut! Gabriel Cruz, a veteran, works to fix the relationship with his son, but an encounter with the deadly Xenomorph will make that even harder. The art might take some getting used to, but it’s great for the horror bits of the story, and totally worth the effort.
Get Alien: Bloodlines on Bookshop
8. Aliens Versus Predator
Writer: Randy Stradley
Artist: Phillip Norwood
The inhabitants of planet Ryushi become the unlucky part of the Predators’ coming-of-age ceremony. However, the hunters are after far more dangerous creatures than the calm civilians. Watch as the peaceful place becomes the stage of a hardcore action story full of exciting moments and twists.
9. Aliens: Genocide
Writer: Mike Richardson, John Arcudi
Artist: Damon Willis, Karl Story
The Xenomorphs aren’t only a threat to humans, but to themselves as well. When a billionaire decides to lead an expedition to their planet, he finds himself in the middle of an Alien war. If you’ve ever wondered how the ultimate life form would fare against itself, you must read this.
Get The Complete Aliens Omnibus, Volume 2 on Bookshop
10. Aliens: Nightmare Asylum
Writer: Mark Verheiden
Artist: Den Beauvais
Nightmare Asylum is a sequel to Aliens: Outbreak, following Newt and Hicks as they return to Earth. Now, they have to work with other survivors to reclaim their planet in a dark and tense story. The comic features incredible artwork and creative decisions, like surreal and frightening dream sequences.
Get The Complete Aliens Omnibus, Volume 1 on Bookshop
11. Alien: Black, White & Blood
Writer: Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Bryan Hill, Cody Ziglar, Stephanie Williams, Pornsak Pichetshote, Stephanie Phillips, and others
Artist: Michael Dowling, Dev Pramanik, Marcelo Ferreira, and others
Black, White & Blood is a nine-story anthology solely relying on the three colors (and green, which is used strikingly well later on). It explores a variety of subjects, from the normal “alien hunting humans” stories to motherhood. But the standout is “Utopia,” which focuses on colonists searching for the ideal world for hundreds of years, and might just be one of the best Alien comics ever.
Get Alien: Black, White, & Blood on Bookshop
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