Superman vs. Aliens
Encyclopedia
Superman vs. Aliens is an American comic book
limited series
about a battle between the superhero Superman
and the aliens created by H. R. Giger
(a.k.a. the Xenomorph
s), from the Alien film series
. The writers use the plot device of Superman's powers temporarily diminishing- due to him being in a location with a distinct lack of yellow sunlight that his body requires to give him his powers- to make the Xenomorphs a believable threat to the Man of Steel.
Creative team on this mini-series: Story and layout art by Dan Jurgens
, with finished art by Kevin Nowlan
. It was published by Dark Horse Comics
in unison with DC Comics
from July 1995
-September 1995.
Back on the Lexcorp satellite, the chestbursters hatch from the hosts that Superman sent back, leaving Doctor Kimble determined to capture and analyse them while Lois Lane
is forced to face an Alien in the hanger, only just managing to force the Alien into space by opening the airlock while she hides in the ship. As Kimble witnesses two of the remaining chestbursters "hatch," Lois torches the infants with a spray can and a match, but she and Kimble are forced together to escape the last, full-grown Alien as it begins to tear the satellite apart.
As Superman and Kara attempt to escape, both of them are captured and "impregnated" with embryos, but this gives them an advantage; since Superman's embryo is that of an Alien Queen, the Aliens won't risk harming him. As they escape, Superman learns that Kara is not from Krypton, but from Odiline, the planet where The Cleric—the being who originally gave Superman the Eradicator
—laid the bodies of his Kryptonian followers to rest after their demise, with Odiline growing to revere Kryptonians as their spiritual protectors, adopting much of their customs and language. Reaching the freighter that brought the Aliens to Argo originally, the two discover escape pods and transporter booths, but the pods launch mechanisms are jammed; the only way to launch them is to destroy the ship. While Superman preps the coordinates, Kara sets the core to overload before returning to a transporter booth; unfortunately, crucial seconds are lost when Superman uses the booth to teleport the embryo out of her, with Kara being forced out of the booth by an Alien attack moments before the ship is destroyed and the pod launched.
Arriving back in Earth's solar system, Superman's powers are restored just in time to stop the chestburster from emerging, allowing him to "crush" it and regurgitate out of his system before catching the falling satellite, Kimble subsequently killing the last Alien. As Superman departs, however, he is left mourning the loss of Kara—the closest thing to a sister he might ever know—unaware that she made it to a pod before Argo's destruction and remains lost in space.
, a sequel was published called Superman/Aliens 2: God War. It was written by Chuck Dixon
, with art by Jon Bogdanove
and Kevin Nowlan
. In this sequel, Darkseid
acquires several Alien eggs, subsequently sending them to New Genesis
within several Parademons and unleashing them on his foes, with an embryo even infesting Orion
. Learning that he will die from the embryo within him, Orion accompanies Superman on a mission to Apokolips
to destroy the Alien Queen, despite the lack of sunlight on Apokolips weakening Superman's powers and Orion growing ever weaker from the embryo within him. Despite the odds, they manage to destroy the Queen. Darkseid subsequently uses his Omega Beams to destroy the embryo within Orion, claiming that Orion may be Darkseid's enemy, but he is also his son, and it would be unfitting for him to die in such a dishonorable manner. After Superman and Orion's departure, however, Darkseid reveals to Desaad
that actually Orion being infested was the central focus of his plan; with Orion having been given some evidence that Darkseid may still think of him as a son, his loyalties to New Genesis may become divided at some crucial future date. As the comic ends, Darkseid and Desaad look in at a room filled with facehugger-infected paratroopers in stasis, hinting at a possible sequel.
:
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
about a battle between the superhero Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
and the aliens created by H. R. Giger
H. R. Giger
Hans Rudolf "Ruedi" Giger is a Swiss surrealist painter, sculptor, and set designer. He won an Academy Award for Best Achievement for Visual Effects for his design work on the film Alien.-Early life:...
(a.k.a. the Xenomorph
Xenomorph (Alien)
The Alien is a fictional endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species that is the primary antagonist of the Alien film series. The species made its debut in the 1979 film Alien, and reappeared in its sequels Aliens , Alien 3 , and Alien Resurrection , two crossovers Alien vs...
s), from the Alien film series
Alien (film series)
The Alien film series is a science fiction horror film franchise, focusing on Lieutenant Ellen Ripley and her battle with an extraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as "the Alien"...
. The writers use the plot device of Superman's powers temporarily diminishing- due to him being in a location with a distinct lack of yellow sunlight that his body requires to give him his powers- to make the Xenomorphs a believable threat to the Man of Steel.
Creative team on this mini-series: Story and layout art by Dan Jurgens
Dan Jurgens
Dan Jurgens is an American comic book writer and artist. He is best known for creating the superhero Booster Gold, and for his lengthy runs on the Superman titles Adventures of Superman and Superman , particularly during The Death of Superman storyline...
, with finished art by Kevin Nowlan
Kevin Nowlan
Kevin Nowlan is an American comic-book artist who works as penciler, inker, colorist and letterer.He has been called "one of the few artists who can be called 'artists's artist'", a master of the various disciplines of comic production, from "design to draftsmanship to dramatics".-Biography:Kevin...
. It was published by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
in unison with DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
from July 1995
1995 in comics
-January:*After Xavier: The Age of Apocalypse is launched. All X-titles change to different names for the next four months.* Thor marks his 400th appearance in Marvel Comics with issue #482....
-September 1995.
Plot
Accompanying Doctor Cheryl Kimble—head of Lexcorp's space division—on the investigation of an incoming probe as part of Lexcorp's attempts to improve its public image, Clark is shocked to discover that the pod's transmissions are a Kryptonian distress call. Making contact with the pod, Superman receives a telepathic transmission of a city that survived the destruction of its planet, and is now running out of resources. Taking a ship to investigate the city—which is located far from any sun, causing his powers to fade the longer he remains—Superman discovers a small group of unconscious survivors and sends them back to the Lexcorp satellite in his ship. Further exploration pits him against an Alien, but his depleted powers allow the creature to wound him before he is rescued by Kara, another survivor of the city, who explains that the Aliens came from an abandoned freighter containing an Alien Queen that crashed on Argo years ago.Back on the Lexcorp satellite, the chestbursters hatch from the hosts that Superman sent back, leaving Doctor Kimble determined to capture and analyse them while Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
is forced to face an Alien in the hanger, only just managing to force the Alien into space by opening the airlock while she hides in the ship. As Kimble witnesses two of the remaining chestbursters "hatch," Lois torches the infants with a spray can and a match, but she and Kimble are forced together to escape the last, full-grown Alien as it begins to tear the satellite apart.
As Superman and Kara attempt to escape, both of them are captured and "impregnated" with embryos, but this gives them an advantage; since Superman's embryo is that of an Alien Queen, the Aliens won't risk harming him. As they escape, Superman learns that Kara is not from Krypton, but from Odiline, the planet where The Cleric—the being who originally gave Superman the Eradicator
Eradicator (comics)
The Eradicator is a fictional comic book superhero character having a recurring role in Superman stories published by DC Comics. Originally created as a weapon by an ancient alien race, he is over 200,000 years old and is considered an artifact of Krypton...
—laid the bodies of his Kryptonian followers to rest after their demise, with Odiline growing to revere Kryptonians as their spiritual protectors, adopting much of their customs and language. Reaching the freighter that brought the Aliens to Argo originally, the two discover escape pods and transporter booths, but the pods launch mechanisms are jammed; the only way to launch them is to destroy the ship. While Superman preps the coordinates, Kara sets the core to overload before returning to a transporter booth; unfortunately, crucial seconds are lost when Superman uses the booth to teleport the embryo out of her, with Kara being forced out of the booth by an Alien attack moments before the ship is destroyed and the pod launched.
Arriving back in Earth's solar system, Superman's powers are restored just in time to stop the chestburster from emerging, allowing him to "crush" it and regurgitate out of his system before catching the falling satellite, Kimble subsequently killing the last Alien. As Superman departs, however, he is left mourning the loss of Kara—the closest thing to a sister he might ever know—unaware that she made it to a pod before Argo's destruction and remains lost in space.
Superman/Aliens 2: God War
In 20022002 in comics
-March:* Adventures of Superman #600: super-sized anniversary issue by Joe Casey, Mike Wieringo, and Jose Marzan, Jr. -April:* Batman #600: "Bruce Wayne: Fugitive," part one, 64-page giant, written by Ed Brubaker.-January:...
, a sequel was published called Superman/Aliens 2: God War. It was written by Chuck Dixon
Chuck Dixon
Charles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, best known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.-Biography:Dixon grew up in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area, reading comics of all genres...
, with art by Jon Bogdanove
Jon Bogdanove
Jon Bogdanove is an American comic book artist and writer. He is best known for his work on Power Pack, Superman: The Man of Steel, and for creating the character Steel with writer Louise Simonson in 1993.-Comics:...
and Kevin Nowlan
Kevin Nowlan
Kevin Nowlan is an American comic-book artist who works as penciler, inker, colorist and letterer.He has been called "one of the few artists who can be called 'artists's artist'", a master of the various disciplines of comic production, from "design to draftsmanship to dramatics".-Biography:Kevin...
. In this sequel, Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
acquires several Alien eggs, subsequently sending them to New Genesis
New Genesis
New Genesis is a fictional planet in the . This planet, along with Apokolips, is speculated to be near the constellation Orion...
within several Parademons and unleashing them on his foes, with an embryo even infesting Orion
Orion (comics)
Orion is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in New Gods #1 , and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby.-Jack Kirby Era:...
. Learning that he will die from the embryo within him, Orion accompanies Superman on a mission to Apokolips
Apokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
to destroy the Alien Queen, despite the lack of sunlight on Apokolips weakening Superman's powers and Orion growing ever weaker from the embryo within him. Despite the odds, they manage to destroy the Queen. Darkseid subsequently uses his Omega Beams to destroy the embryo within Orion, claiming that Orion may be Darkseid's enemy, but he is also his son, and it would be unfitting for him to die in such a dishonorable manner. After Superman and Orion's departure, however, Darkseid reveals to Desaad
Desaad
Desaad is a fictional comic book supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet of Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series....
that actually Orion being infested was the central focus of his plan; with Orion having been given some evidence that Darkseid may still think of him as a son, his loyalties to New Genesis may become divided at some crucial future date. As the comic ends, Darkseid and Desaad look in at a room filled with facehugger-infected paratroopers in stasis, hinting at a possible sequel.
Collections
The stories have been collected into trade paperbacksTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Superman/Aliens (144 pages, August 1996, Titan BooksTitan BooksTitan Publishing Group is an independently owned publishing company, established in 1981. It is based at offices in London, England's Bankside area. The Books Division has two main areas of publishing: film & TV tie-ins/cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics reference/art titles. The...
, ISBN 1852867043, June 1996, Dark Horse ComicsDark Horse ComicsDark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
, ISBN 1569711674) - Superman/Aliens 2: God War (96 pages, August 2003, Titan BooksTitan BooksTitan Publishing Group is an independently owned publishing company, established in 1981. It is based at offices in London, England's Bankside area. The Books Division has two main areas of publishing: film & TV tie-ins/cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics reference/art titles. The...
, ISBN 1840237201, July 2003, Dark Horse ComicsDark Horse ComicsDark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
, ISBN 1569719632)