Marvel Comics has a certifiable boon when it comes to licensed properties from 20th Century Fox, and three of those properties are getting the Comics Giveaway Day experience today. Planet of the Apes, Alien, and Predator all get stories to tease what’s to come. As far as hype building, this free comic is interesting, but it does leave you wanting more.
Kicking things off is “Kingmaker” by Saladin Ahmed and Emilio Laiso, which is a prelude to their Alien: King Killer miniseries. Marvel Comics has taken its fair share of stabs at Alien in the last few years, but this one pushes the R&D of humanity far further than you might expect. The story opens with a scientist, cast in shadow like some kind of madman, speaking to four twenty-somethings whom the scientist calls his children. They are his experiments, and they’re tasked with hunting down an xenomorph as their last test, or die trying.
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Essentially science-experiment superheroes, Laiso gets to show off impressive powers and make us believe a human can fight a xenomorph in hand-to-hand combat. Given what they did to Ripley in Alien: Resurrection, what Ahmed is doing with her isn’t too far out of left field, but it’s definitely less of a horror story and more of an action story setup.
Next up is Jordan Morris and Roland Boschi’s “Together Forever,” giving readers a taste of their current series, Predator: Bloodshed. This story gives you a taste of the arena fighting going on in the main series by introducing two new characters. Instead of a preview or prelude, this story is self-contained, focusing on two fighters who are so into each other’s skills that they kind of fall in love. The fact that they end up together further in a morbid way is a nice touch.
Boschi’s fight choreography is great, carrying the Predator battle for a decent length. You’ll believe these expert fighters have a chance, even if a slim one.
Last but not least, Planet of the Apes goes full crossover mode, setting up Greg Pak and Alan Robinson’s upcoming Predator versus Planet of the Apes series. That’s not much of a spoiler, given that Marvel already announced the series and revealed that this tale is a prelude to it. As the third and final story, it’s the shortest, essentially setting up a modern human character seeking aid from the mute humans of this era, only to be saved accidentally by a Predator. There isn’t a whole lot here, but Robinson does blow you away with a full-page cliffhanger splash page.
Comics Giveaway Day 2026: Alien, Predator & Planet of the Apes #1 does its job as a sampler, offering three distinct tones across Alien, Predator, and Planet of the Apes. Each story has a hook strong enough to spark interest, especially the bold action angle of “Kingmaker” and the character-focused “Together Forever.” At the same time, the short format limits how much impact any one story can have. It succeeds in building curiosity, even if it never fully satisfies it.
‘Comics Giveaway Day 2026: Alien, Predator & Planet of the Apes’ #1 review
Comics Giveaway Day 2026: Alien, Predator & Planet of the Apes #1
This Comics Giveaway Day release does its job as a sampler, offering three distinct tones across Alien, Predator, and Planet of the Apes. Each story has a hook strong enough to spark interest, especially the bold action angle of “Kingmaker” and the character-focused “Together Forever.” At the same time, the short format limits how much impact any one story can have. It succeeds in building curiosity, even if it never fully satisfies it.
Strong concepts that tease upcoming series effectively
Emilio Laiso and Roland Boschi deliver dynamic, engaging action
The final story ends on a visually striking splash page
Stories feel too brief to leave a lasting impression
Overall package feels more like a preview than a complete experience