Marvel Comics Seeks to Expand With Purchases of 'Alien' and 'Predator' Franchises

You heard it here first, folks: Marvel Comics will be adding two new characters to their ever-expanding purview. The company has acquired the rights to produce new comic books for both the Alien and Predator franchises. While no specific titles or story details have been released, IGN reports that Batman artist David Finch drew up an impressive pair of images to tease the upcoming comics.

“Alien and Predator are the two of the most identifiable, iconic characters of all time, and I love them for that,” Finch said. “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.”

There is one thing that we do know for sure so far—the Alien and Predator franchises will not be integrated into the Marvel Universe. Instead, the comics will further develop the characters and settings of the various Alien and Predator movies.

Executives at Marvel seem over the moon about their new acquisitions. Marvel Comics editor Jake Thomas said, “The incredible legacies of both franchises offer some of the most compelling and exciting world-building 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.”

Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski expressed similar excitement in a statement to IGN, saying:

“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! 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!”

The Alien and Predator franchises are definitely iconic, so it will be interesting to see how Marvel approaches those stories!