A Guide to Traversing the Furthest Reaches of the Alien Franchise

The *Alien* franchise is famous for its films – from truly scary horror movies to action-packed adventures and even stories that delve deep into the world of the Xenomorphs (though some, like *Alien vs Predator: Requiem*, are… unique). But the terrifying creatures haven’t been confined to the big screen! There’s a whole universe of *Alien* stories in other formats, and you’d be missing out if you didn’t explore them. So, like a wary traveler approaching a strange, throbbing egg, let’s see what the Xenomorph has been up to in…

The Best Alien Comics

Aliens: Salvation (1993)

Dark Horse Comics started in the late 1980s and quickly became known for publishing popular licensed properties like *Star Wars*. It also gained a reputation as a publisher that gave creators a lot of freedom. This made it a great home for *Alien*, a franchise that has always benefited from allowing its storytellers creative control. *Aliens: Salvation*, which follows a religious crew member and his captain as they struggle to survive on a strange planet after their ship is overrun by Xenomorphs, perfectly showcases the exciting stories that resulted from this combination.

Okay, so I just finished watching *Salvation*, and while it doesn’t exactly break new ground, it’s surprisingly effective. It’s crafted by the incredibly talented Mike Mignola – you know, the artist behind *Hellboy* – and written by Dave Gibbons, a key creative force on *Watchmen*. What really sets this apart isn’t the monster itself, but the creeping psychological dread. Mignola brings that signature atmospheric, shadowy style he’s known for, and it quickly transforms what starts as a space adventure into a truly terrifying fight for survival. Honestly, the ending is just…intense. A complete and utter inferno. And somehow, it feels perfectly right.

Aliens: Labyrinth (1995)

Let’s be honest, the *Alien* stories often end on a somber note. It’s rare to finish one feeling truly optimistic, and *Aliens: Labyrinth* really exemplifies this. The story centers around the unsettling Dr. Church, a military expert consumed by studying the Xenomorph, desperately trying to understand and ultimately control it. While there are supporting characters, like Crespi who’s investigating Church, *Labyrinth* largely focuses on Church himself, which actually works in its favor.

The comic series *Labyrinth* expertly balances intense horror-like a particularly disturbing issue where Church is trapped in an alien hive-with the strangely commonplace aspects of studying Xenomorphs. Jim Woodring, known for his surreal comics, perfectly captures Church’s growing mental instability, drawing readers into his experience. And Kilian Plunkett, a newcomer to comics at the time, delivers stunningly detailed and gruesome artwork, making the Xenomorphs look more terrifying than ever.

Aliens: Dead Orbit (2017)

I’ve been following James Stokoe for a while now, and he consistently delivers comics that feel both new and respectful to the properties he works with. Honestly, I think his *Godzilla: The Half-Century War* is the best Godzilla comic out there. His *Aliens: Dead Orbit* doesn’t reinvent the wheel – it’s a ship crew fighting for survival against a Xenomorph, with a ticking clock – but the artwork is just incredible. You can tell Stokoe really loves both Godzilla and *Alien*; he clearly grew up with all those iconic images. And let me tell you, if you’re looking for some classic, intense moments – he doesn’t shy away from the chest-bursting scenes!

Even though *Dead Orbit* tells a classic *Alienstyle story, it’s not outdated. The *Alien* films *Prometheus* and *Alien: Covenant*, released in the 2010s, tried to broaden the *Alien* universe with complex stories about origins and the meaning of life. *Dead Orbit*, by focusing on a simple, suspenseful “haunted house” scenario, recalls what originally made *Alien* so effective.

The Best Alien Video Games

Alien vs. Predator (1994)

Despite starting as a comic and becoming a movie, *Alien vs. Predator* is best known as a fantastic arcade beat-’em-up. The 1994 game trades the scary feel of the *Alien* films for non-stop action. Players can choose from four characters: two different Predators, a cyborg woman wielding a katana, and Major Dutch Schaeffer – a character inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger from the original *Predator* movie, so much so that it almost led to a lawsuit! Their goal is simple: save California (and anywhere else that needs help) from hordes of Xenomorphs.

Often considered one of the greatest arcade and beat-’em-up games ever made, *Alien vs. Predator* is a fast-paced, action-packed experience. As you defeat enemies, they frequently drop powerful weapons like grenade launchers and flamethrowers, leading to frantic competition with your friends to grab the best gear. The game focuses purely on exciting combat, proving that the *Alien* franchise can succeed in any genre as long as the gameplay is solid.

Aliens: Infestation (2011)

The *Alien* movies have inspired many games, and one of the most notable is Nintendo’s *Metroid*, a series about bounty hunter Samus Aran’s adventures across the galaxy. It was only a matter of time before we got a really great *Alien* game made in the same style-a “Metroidvania”-and *Aliens: Infestation* on the Nintendo DS delivers. This exciting game sends a team of space marines to investigate ships and planets overrun with dangerous creatures. What makes it stand out is its “perma-death” feature: when a marine dies, they’re gone for good, adding a lot of tension to the gameplay, especially for a handheld title.

Despite being connected to the large-scale game *Aliens: Colonial Marines*, *Aliens: Infestation* turned out much better. *Colonial Marines*, released on consoles like PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, was criticized for its easy difficulty, largely due to poor enemy AI. *Infestation*, developed for the Nintendo DS, understood what made the *Aliens* universe exciting and has since become a hidden gem for DS owners.

Alien: Isolation (2014)

The original 1979 film *Alien* always seemed like a difficult movie to adapt into a good video game. With only one terrifying creature, a claustrophobic setting, and characters who felt very vulnerable, a game version risked being relentlessly grim. Fortunately, *Alien: Isolation* successfully captured that intense atmosphere in a way no game had before. You play as Amanda Ripley, the daughter of Ellen Ripley from the first movie, searching for answers about her mother’s disappearance. She quickly finds herself trapped on a failing space station, relentlessly hunted by a single Xenomorph.

Alien: Isolation expertly switches between intense, desperate runs and careful, quiet sneaking. When you *can* fight back – like against broken androids – it’s only to create a temporary window of opportunity. The same is true for anything you do to briefly distract or slow down the Xenomorph. Like her mother in the original film, Amanda learns that you can’t actually *defeat* this monster – only survive it. If any video game truly captures the feel of *Alien*, it’s *Isolation*.

The Best Alien Fan Film

Batman: Dead End (2003)

I remember when fan films were a niche thing, but the internet really changed everything. One of the most talked-about early examples was *Batman: Dead End*. It wasn’t just a cool-looking film – the cinematography was surprisingly good, and the costumes really captured the comic book feel. But what *really* blew people away was the crazy crossover – they brought in both *Alien* and *Predator*! Batman had teamed up with those characters in comics before, but seeing it happen on screen for the first time was a huge deal.

The short film *Dead End* made a stunning first impression when it premiered at San Diego Comic-Con in 2003, especially considering the legal issues surrounding it. Looking back, it’s clear director Sandy Collora had a strong vision for his work. He didn’t compromise on details, particularly the costumes – and the Xenomorph design is remarkably impressive for a film reportedly made with a $30,000 budget. As a celebration of fan culture, *Batman: Dead End* remains unmatched.

The Best Alien Novels

Alien (1979)

It’s common for movies to be turned into books, but these novelizations don’t usually mirror the film exactly-they’re often based on the original screenplay, including scenes that didn’t make the final cut. Alan Dean Foster, a master of movie novelizations (and author of *Splinter of the Mind’s Eye*, a *Star Wars* sequel George Lucas commissioned as a precaution), wrote the novel for *Alien*. While it doesn’t quite capture the same impact as the film, it’s a more sensationalized horror story and surprisingly true to H.R. Giger’s original alien designs.

Compared to the movie, the novel loses some of the original’s sense of mystery. A key element – the large “pilot” creature found in the abandoned ship – is missing, which diminishes the story’s unique mythology. However, the book leans into the style of classic “creature feature” sci-fi films that inspired *Alien*. The “facehugger” has a prominent eye, the “chestburster” is a fully developed monster, and the alien kills with its hands when hunting. The book also reveals the android Ash’s betrayal much more directly when the crew questions him. Overall, the novel presents *Alien* as a straightforward monster movie.

Alien: The Cold Forge (2018)

The powerful and secretive Weyland-Yutani corporation is at the heart of many *Alien* stories. But even they aren’t safe from betrayal, and *Alien: The Cold Forge* explores a web of deception within the company. The story follows Doctor Blue Marsalis, a brilliant but disabled scientist, who is tasked with studying Xenomorphs for potential weaponization. However, Marsalis has her own agenda: she hopes to unlock the secrets of the Xenomorphs’ incredible healing and adaptability to create new medicines – and possibly even a cure for her own illness.

Marsalis is a compelling main character, and the author, Alex White, cleverly utilizes his power over ‘synthetics’ and other abilities. But he’s up against a truly terrifying villain in the world of *Alien*: Dorian Sudler. A powerful executive at WY, Sudler is driven by nothing but greed and rage, and might actually be more monstrous than the Xenomorphs. Unlike most *Alien* stories, which are about surviving the creatures themselves, it’s incredibly rewarding when Sudler finally meets his end. When your enemy is a person like that, who needs aliens?

Aliens: Phalanx (2020)

The *Predator* series has seen a resurgence with recent films like *Prey* and *Killer of Killers*, which offer intense survival action set in the past. While *Alien* hasn’t had the same success on screen, fans looking for a historical *Alien* story should check out *Aliens: Phalanx*. This novel takes place in a medieval world completely separate from the usual *Alien* universe-you won’t find Weyland-Yutani, androids, or spaceships here. It follows a small group of humans struggling to survive on a planet overrun by Xenomorphs.

Unlike previous stories, *Phalanx* builds its own unique mythology around the Xenomorphs. The people of this new setting, hardened by a harsh environment, don’t use the familiar terms we associate with the *Alien* universe. They simply call the creatures “demons,” and their understanding of them is rooted in local legends. *Phalanx* immediately challenges everything we think we know about the Xenomorphs, presenting a fresh take on how to understand and fight them. It proves that *Alien* stories can move beyond simply recreating elements of the original film in a new setting.

The Best (Only) Alien TV Series

Alien: Earth (2025)

Right from the start, *Alien: Earth* aims to explore big ideas alongside its scary Xenomorphs. The show delves into how technology impacts humanity and our sense of self – a theme that becomes just as important as the creatures’ transformations. Even when it doesn’t quite reach the depth it’s aiming for, this ambitious approach makes *Earth* engaging. Plus, the show frequently references classic *Alien* moments, with one episode feeling like a modern update of the original 1979 film.

Despite being the first TV series in the *Alien* franchise, *Alien: Earth* delivers. Noah Hawley, known for his work on *Legion* and *Fargo*, and his team shine when they focus on creating chaos, suspense, and relatable characters, rather than trying to convey a grand message. The series proves why *Alien* has been captivating audiences for almost 50 years – it’s simply great entertainment, and it understands the power of both symbolism and thrilling storytelling.

The Best Alien Audio Drama

Alien 3 (2019)

Before the release of the often-debated *Alien 3*, filmmakers hired science fiction author William Gibson to write an early version of the screenplay. This draft, now a legendary “lost” script in Hollywood, was packed with action and delved deeper into the established backstory of the *Alien* universe, particularly the biology and reproduction of the Xenomorphs. Ultimately, Gibson’s work was scrapped, and the script remained unseen for many years.

Gibson’s screenplay experienced a quick resurgence, being adapted into both a comic book and an audio drama. While the comic is well-done, the audio drama is particularly interesting and enjoyable, especially because it features Lance Henriksen and Michael Biehn reprising their iconic roles as Bishop and Hicks. Though the story shifts focus away from Ellen Ripley, it’s fascinating to consider how Gibson’s vision might have played out as a full-fledged production. For dedicated *Alien* fans, it’s a real find.

2025-09-22 20:58