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Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

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Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Old 07-02-20, 11:11 AM
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Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Not surprising, since technically Disney (Marvel's parent) now owns the Aliens and Predator franchise after the Fox acquisition from last year. I feel really bad for Dark Horse, who it seems can't catch a break.

Alien vs Predator vs Iron Man? Marvel Comics Acquires Two Iconic Sci-Fi Franchises

Two sci-fi icons are making a new home at Marvel.

By Jesse Schedeen
Posted: 2 Jul 2020 11:00 amThe Alien and Predator franchises have been a mainstay in the comic book industry for decades, and now they've both found a new home. IGN can exclusively reveal that Marvel Comics has acquired the rights to both Alien and Predator, paving the way for a new line of comics set in this cinematic sci-fi universe.
While Marvel isn't ready to reveal specific titles or creative teams yet, we can debut a pair of incredible teaser images drawn by Batman artist David Finch. First up, here's Finch's take on Alien's "Big Chap" Xenomorph:Alien art by David Finch. (Image Credit: Marvel)
Then, feast your eyes on Finch's Predator, as the artist shows what might happen if one of these elite hunters targeted the Avengers.Predator art by David Finch. (Image Credit: Marvel)
To be clear, the Predator teaser isn't meant to suggest the two franchises will be integrated into the Marvel Universe (as was the case when Marvel reacquired the Conan license in 2018). Marvel's new comics will instead expand on the characters and settings of the various Alien and Predator movies. Still, it's always possible fans will see some sort of Alien vs. Predator vs. Avengers crossover down the road.

Unsurprisingly, Finch had a blast rendering these two teaser images, telling IGN, "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.”

Dark Horse Comics has been publishing Alien and Predator stories since 1988 and 1989, respectively, but it appears 2020 will mark the end of that arrangement. The move isn't necessarily surprising given that both properties, like Marvel itself, now fall under the Disney umbrella. The Star Wars comic book line underwent a similar transition when it shifted from Dark Horse to Marvel in 2015 and Marvel kicked off a new line of comics as part of Disney's revamped Star Wars timeline. Similarly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer shifted from Dark Horse to BOOM! Studios in 2018, paving the way for a rebooted Buffy universe.
Star Wars: How Marvel Continues the Story of The Empire Strikes Back
“There’s nothing more thrilling than a story that will keep you at the edge of your seat, and Alien and Predator have delivered that time and time again!" said Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski in a statement to IGN. "I can clearly remember where I was when I saw each of these modern masterpieces for the first time, and reveling in how both masterfully weave extraterrestrial dread and drama into some of the most iconic scenes we’ve ever seen on film. And it’s that legacy that we’re going to live up to!”

“As a visual medium, comics are the perfect place to build on those moments, and we here at Marvel are honored to begin telling these stories for fans everywhere,” added Cebulski. “As our release schedule continues to return, we can’t wait to share more in the coming months!”

Editor Jake Thomas said, “The incredible legacies of both franchises offer some of the most compelling and exciting worldbuilding in all of science fiction. It is a thrill and an honor to be able to add to that mythology and continuity with all-new stories set within those universes.”

Stay tuned to IGN for more on the future of Alien and Predator at Marvel. With Comic-Con@Home taking place July 22-26, we may learn more in just a few weeks.

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Autoplay setting: OnIn other Alien news, director Ridley Scott recently revealed he has plans for a third prequel movie exploring the origin of the Xenomorph eggs seen in the original film.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

https://www.ign.com/articles/alien-p...n-man-avengers
Old 07-02-20, 11:28 AM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

RIP Dark Horse.
Old 07-02-20, 11:35 AM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Yeah, that's going to be pretty much it for them, I think, that's too bad. When stuff like Superman and Batman vs. Alien and Predator came out, that Dark Horse and DC working together, too bad they couldn't find a way to do it with Marvel for this sort of thing. Kind of like the Sony and Marvel deal for Spider-Man movies.
Old 07-02-20, 11:53 AM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

I know, I meant Dark Horse trying to retain the property and working a deal with Disney and Marvel.
Old 07-02-20, 11:53 AM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Originally Posted by story
Yeah, that's going to be pretty much it for them, I think, that's too bad. When stuff like Superman and Batman vs. Alien and Predator came out, that Dark Horse and DC working together, too bad they couldn't find a way to do it with Marvel for this sort of thing. Kind of like the Sony and Marvel deal for Spider-Man movies.
Disney owns these properties now with the Fox merger. Them moving to Marvel was just a matter of time.
Old 07-02-20, 11:55 AM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Originally Posted by story
I know, I meant Dark Horse trying to retain the property and working a deal with Disney and Marvel.
Yeah, I realized what you were talking about after I posted it and deleted it and replaced it with a more appropriate response. I didn't get to it before you did though
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Old 07-02-20, 11:55 AM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

I really like the DH brand but there’s not much to buy there anymore. Black Hammer and a few others, I guess.
Old 07-02-20, 12:20 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Be neat to see an Alien/Predator vs Punisher comic. It could even be a monthly series. Well that probably won't be happening anytime in the near future.
Old 07-02-20, 12:36 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

What I wonder is what's going to happen to all the DC vs Aliens/Predators crossovers that have been released for the past 30 years. Is Marvel going to bury those in their vault and they won't see the light of day again or are they going to work a deal with DC to release the trades and collections every now and then?
Old 07-02-20, 12:42 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Originally Posted by Red Hood
What I wonder is what's going to happen to all the DC vs Aliens/Predators crossovers that have been released for the past 30 years. Is Marvel going to bury those in their vault and they won't see the light of day again or are they going to work a deal with DC to release the trades and collections every now and then?
I'm pretty sure the Marvel vs. DC collabs and even Amalgam are locked in a vault somewhere and unavailable even on digital, so probably the former.

Warren Ellis based his redo of Stormwatch (which became the Authority) on a WildCATs/Aliens crossover (with cool art by Sprouse and Nowlan) so I wonder what's going to happen to reprints of that.
Old 07-02-20, 12:50 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Originally Posted by fujishig
I'm pretty sure the Marvel vs. DC collabs and even Amalgam are locked in a vault somewhere and unavailable even on digital, so probably the former.

Warren Ellis based his redo of Stormwatch (which became the Authority) on a WildCATs/Aliens crossover (with cool art by Sprouse and Nowlan) so I wonder what's going to happen to reprints of that.
Ellis is right now on the hot seat to say the least due to the sexual abuse/assault allegations so probably his past stuff won't see the light of day for a while.
Old 07-02-20, 01:04 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Message from Dark Horse

Old 07-02-20, 01:06 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

This also affects every other crossover that Aliens or Predator have had including
Old 07-02-20, 03:05 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Originally Posted by fujishig
Warren Ellis based his redo of Stormwatch (which became the Authority) on a WildCATs/Aliens crossover (with cool art by Sprouse and Nowlan) so I wonder what's going to happen to reprints of that.
The WildCATs/Aliens crossover hasn't been reprinted by DC in a long time. I think the last (only?) time they reprinted it was in the "Stormwatch: Final Orbit" TPB that reprinted Stormwatch v2 #10, WildCATs/Aliens, and Stormwatch v2 #11. It wasn't included in the recent two volume TPB reprint of Ellis' Stormwatch run.
Old 07-02-20, 03:07 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Buuuurrrrrnnnnnnnnn.....

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Old 07-02-20, 03:24 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Originally Posted by Josh-da-man
The WildCATs/Aliens crossover hasn't been reprinted by DC in a long time. I think the last (only?) time they reprinted it was in the "Stormwatch: Final Orbit" TPB that reprinted Stormwatch v2 #10, WildCATs/Aliens, and Stormwatch v2 #11. It wasn't included in the recent two volume TPB reprint of Ellis' Stormwatch run.
Odd, because it's available digitally on Comixology so they clearly have (or had) the rights.
Old 07-02-20, 03:25 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Ouch!
Old 07-02-20, 07:58 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

So odd that properties so intimately associated with Dark Horse are now at Marvel. Fun fact, I own the very first page of original art from the first issue of the first Aliens Vs. Predator series (no Aliens or Predators on that first page but still neat to own a bit of comics history).
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Old 07-02-20, 08:19 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

To be honest, the change to Marvel could potentially revive the interest in both franchises. We could see storylines like Punisher vs Predator, Aliens vs Guardians of the Galaxy, Aliens vs Brood, etc. But after that novelty is gone, then what next? I feel that these characters sell more when they have crossovers like this, but once they have their own titles or mini-series, as good as they may be, the interest isn't in there anymore.
Old 07-03-20, 05:17 AM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Originally Posted by fujishig
Odd, because it's available digitally on Comixology so they clearly have (or had) the rights.
Yes, it is. Maybe the digital rights are different from the physical publishing rights?

The Stormwatch Vol. 2 TPB is available on Comixology, and it says it only includes v1 #48-50 and v2 #1-11 like its paper counterpart.

I do remember that Wildstorm reprinted Ellis' Stormwatch run in four TPBs that covered v1 #37-50 and v2 #1-9, and then, later, had to make some kind of special arrangement to reprint WildCATs/Aliens in a the fifth TPB.

In hindsight, it probably wasn't the smartest move to make an essential part of that run a crossover with another company and a film studio.
Old 07-03-20, 10:19 AM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Since pretty much their first year, Dark Horse leaped to my #1 publisher in terms of overall quality. But after losing so many licenses the past few years, they’ve dropped below Image and Fantagraphics at least.
Old 07-03-20, 10:32 AM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Originally Posted by Josh-da-man
Yes, it is. Maybe the digital rights are different from the physical publishing rights?

The Stormwatch Vol. 2 TPB is available on Comixology, and it says it only includes v1 #48-50 and v2 #1-11 like its paper counterpart.

I do remember that Wildstorm reprinted Ellis' Stormwatch run in four TPBs that covered v1 #37-50 and v2 #1-9, and then, later, had to make some kind of special arrangement to reprint WildCATs/Aliens in a the fifth TPB.

In hindsight, it probably wasn't the smartest move to make an essential part of that run a crossover with another company and a film studio.
DC has been foregoing for a while of keep many of their trades in print and instead has used Comixology as a way for people to get these stories as a budget saving method. I don't fault them the least but it's made some of the trades into expensive collectibles.
Old 07-03-20, 12:57 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Originally Posted by Josh-da-man
Yes, it is. Maybe the digital rights are different from the physical publishing rights?

The Stormwatch Vol. 2 TPB is available on Comixology, and it says it only includes v1 #48-50 and v2 #1-11 like its paper counterpart.

I do remember that Wildstorm reprinted Ellis' Stormwatch run in four TPBs that covered v1 #37-50 and v2 #1-9, and then, later, had to make some kind of special arrangement to reprint WildCATs/Aliens in a the fifth TPB.

In hindsight, it probably wasn't the smartest move to make an essential part of that run a crossover with another company and a film studio.
Yeah, it was an odd thing to do, kind of like Spawn's origin being tied up initially with Liefeld's Chapel. But it was completely out of left field at the time: first of all, like I said before, a top notch creative team, then you have the decimation of Storm Watch, who isn't even in the title of the crossover. And then Ellis takes it from there and completely shifts Storm Watch because of it, slowly morphing it into the Authority. I can't remember a more impactful crossover (though I'm sure I'm forgetting something).

The thing about integrating Predators and Aliens into the Marvel Universe... that will work as separate crossover issues but not long term because Marvel already has threats that dwarf both of them (and they already have their rip off in the Brood). Maybe they put some top notch talent on the books, though, like they did with Star Wars when they first got them.

Honestly, the thing I want the most is an action packed, decent AvP movie out of this.
Old 07-03-20, 11:21 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Damn, Disney just has to take everything. Entertainment really isn’t going to Ben just the big two, Disney and Warner Bros.

I remember getting Aliens comics back in the day. The quality was exceptionally high considering many movie licensed comics didn’t seem to get the same attention. Marvel’s T2 comic comes to minds.

The 2nd series was my favorite but “Earth War” and “Hive” were really good too. The direction they took with Aliens was way better, and more detailed than what we got with the films post Aliens (1986).

They took great care with this license.
Terminator was good too.
I never read any of their Predator stuff.



Old 07-03-20, 11:53 PM
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Re: Marvel acquires the Aliens and Predator licenses

Originally Posted by brayzie
Damn, Disney just has to take everything. Entertainment really isn’t going to Ben just the big two, Disney and Warner Bros.

I remember getting Aliens comics back in the day. The quality was exceptionally high considering many movie licensed comics didn’t seem to get the same attention. Marvel’s T2 comic comes to minds.

The 2nd series was my favorite but “Earth War” and “Hive” were really good too. The direction they took with Aliens was way better, and more detailed than what we got with the films post Aliens (1986).

They took great care with this license.
Terminator was good too.
I never read any of their Predator stuff.
​​​We can thank Dark Horse for the Alien vs Predator franchise. They took that scene from Predator 2, where we caught a glimpse of an Alien skull on the Predators space craft and ran with it.

Dark Horse should try to acquire temporary rights to Robocop and the Terminator, or maybe the 80's horror franchises. I would like to see a comic book continuation of John Capenter's The Thing.

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