For decades, Dark Horse Comics was the home to such legendary sci-fi properties such as Star Wars, Alien, and Predator. While Star Wars made the jump to Marvel Comics with Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm, the recent Disney/Fox merger means both the Alien and Predator franchises belong to Marvel Comics as well. Both properties, along with the crossover Alien vs. Predator, will soon launch all-new stories with Marvel Comics starting in 2021.
The news, which was revealed via IGN, reveals that several new comic series will feature both new and classic characters from Earth and beyond “to explore never-before-seen corners of both the Alien and Predator universes.” Marvel’s new stories will draw from the various iterations of each of these properties, building on decades of multimedia storytelling. Below is the first look at Marvel cover art featuring the characters by artist David Finch.
Marvel Comics
In a statement, Finch said “Alien and Predator are the two of the most identifiable, iconic characters of all time, and I love them for that. But mostly, it’s being fortunate enough to be a kid when they were new. I’ve seen every movie they’ve ever been in, and I cannot wait to see them wreaking havoc in the Marvel Universe. I drew my pictures of them with a massive smile on my face.”
Back in the ’90s, Alien and Predator frequently crossed over with DC Comics characters like Superman and Batman. Now, fans will be able to see these iconic sci-fi creatures takes on the likes of the Avengers and X-Men for the first time. (The X-Men have actually fought off the xenomprph-like Brood for years. Time to meet the real deal?) In fact, Finch’s art indicated we will see a Predator vs. Avengers book, as well as Alien vs. the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Marvel Comics
It also seems likely that Marvel will republish the old Alien and Predator comics from Dark Horse; part of the official announcement mentions both collections and reprints. (Don’t hold your breath for those old DC crossovers though). Creative teams for future titles is still being kept under wraps, but expect an announcement in the not too distant future.
Featured Image: Marvel Comics