Marvel Comics is heading back to the world of Alien for what might be the franchise’s scariest story yet.
Per Screen Rant, Marvel Comics has officially unveiled the upcoming Alien: King Killer series from writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Carlos Nieto, and it looks absolutely brutal, even when compared to the publisher’s other overtly gruesome Alien titles. Rather than featuring a tense, biting fight against one or even a handful of Xenomorph threats, Alien: King Killer will find humanity already on the brink of annihilation.
Alien: King Killer #1
Written by SALADIN AHMED
Art by CARLOS NIETO
Main cover art by DAVID YARDIN
Variant covers by ALEX MALEEV; MARK CHIARELLO; and CARLOS MAGNO
The official solicit synopsis for Alien: King Killer #1 from Marvel Comics reads, “When humanity has already lost the war against the Xenomorphs, what remains? Set on a planet overrun by the savage alien species, the dregs of humanity cling to the protection of the mysterious siblings known as the Three Kings.”
The synopsis continues, “But these warlords have a fourth sibling who is out for revenge — and the humans’ remaining protectors are harboring secrets deadlier than the aliens outside their gates. The first chapter in one of the most epic — and darkest — eras of the ALIEN universe!”
What Can Readers Expect From Alien: King Killer?
A Xenomorph looms over the protagonist of Alien Romulus in a promotional image for the filmImage via 20th Century Studios
Alien: King Killer writer Saladin Ahmed recently opened up about what fans can expect from the series, stating, “I’m old enough to remember Aliens landing at the theaters after having watched Alien on Betamax, so I’ve been ready to tell stories in this universe for a good long while now. King Killer is more of an action story than pure horror, but it is centrally about the most fascinating question in the franchise: What makes a monster? I’m super excited for readers to join us for this weird, pulse-pounding Alien story!”
Readers looking for an even deeper dive into the world of Alien: King Killer can experience just that on May 2 at participating Comics Giveaway Day stores. Among Marvel Comics’ offerings for the budding Free Comic Book Day replacement is Alien, Predator & Planet of the Apes #1, which will showcase three stories set within each of the issue’s respective eponymous franchises.
Alien: King Killer comes as the latest in an ever-expanding line of Alien titles released by Marvel Comics in recent years. Apart from four volumes of Marvel’s Alien epic that began in 2021, the publisher has released numerous anthology and crossover titles. Marvel even put a completely different spin on the events of Aliens with 2024’s Aliens: What If…?, the story of which was crafted in part by original star Paul Reiser.
The most recent Alien title from Marvel Comics, the four-part Alien vs. Captain America by writer Frank Tieri and artist Stefano Raffaele, just recently concluded with the release of its final issue on February 11. The series put a truly twisted spin on the Xenomorph threat courtesy of Hydra’s experiments on the alien creatures, culminating in the Red Skull commanding his own army of near-unstoppable interstellar monstrosities.
Alien: King Killer #1 from Marvel Comics goes on sale on April 1.
Created by
Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett
First Film
Alien
Latest Film
Alien: Covenant
Upcoming Films
Alien: Romulus
First TV Show
Alien
Latest TV Show
Alien: Isolation – The Series
The Alien franchise depicts a series of deadly encounters, predominantly spanning the 21st and 24th centuries, between humanity and the Aliens; a hostile, endoparasitoid, extraterrestrial species.