When Disney merged with 20th Century Fox, the House of Mouse acquired a long list of franchises, including Alien. Today, Marvel Comics released Aliens Vs. Avengers, a new crossover from Secret Wars creative team Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic.
Set decades into the future, the issue opens with T'Challa and his son, Prince Azari, attacking a space station where we learn that two Weyland-Yutani Corporation synthetics have plotted to seed Xenomorphs across the Marvel Universe.
"Seed Probes" were sent to several planets, including Earth, with each containing four Queen eggs. Our planet soon fell, as did Attilan, Atlantis, and Wakanda. The X-Men fled Krakoa to seek refuge on Mars, leaving only Apocalypse to battle the invading Xenomorps.
Now, the elderly Weyland hides out in the last human sanctuary alongside The Hulk, Captain Marvel, and Miles Morales Spider-Man.
They wait for Valeria Richards to return with a solution and the daughter of Reed Richards and Sue Storm (who have both died) has indeed figured out how to create a virus which will wipe out the aliens at source. Unfortunately, she's been infected by a Facehugger and dies before completing her mission.
As a result, the egg she brought back hatches and attacks Spider-Man; just as Carol Danvers prepares to burn it - and him - we learn Miles was wearing the Venom Symbiote and watch as it manages to take control of the Facehugger; as Weyland puts it, "Parasite co-opts parasite. Symbiote seemingly trumps Xenomorph."
The Venom-controlled Facehugger takes its place on Spidey's chest as the wall-crawler decides it's time for The Avengers to get the hell off Earth.
It appears the Symbiote will have an important role in this story and perhaps in stopping the Xenomorph threat; we're intrigued to learn what led to Miles wearing the alien costume, though we'd imagine it has something to do with Peter Parker falling in battle years earlier (there's no mention of him here).
There are lots of unanswered questions after this first issue but this is an intriguing new world that's been created by Hickman and Ribic and Aliens vs. Avengers #1 is a must-read. You can check out some highlights below.
Aliens vs. Avengers is set in a new timeline many years in the future and features older, grittier versions of Marvel characters. It also will be the first-time readers will see certain parts of Alien lore in the Marvel Universe – like the home of the Engineers. In this unmissable series, Xenomorphs reach Earth, and the perfect organism meets a planet of superhumans. But who will be first to fall?
ALIENS VS. AVENGERS #1 (OF 4)
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art and Cover by ESAD RIBIĆ
On Sale 7/24