As you might expect, finding a way to make a follow-up to James Cameron's ALIENS was not a easy task. While ALIEN 3 ended up being directed by David Fincher from a screenplay by David Giler, Walter Hill, and Larry Ferguson, with Vincent Ward receiving story credit, several writers took a shot at writing scripts for that project on the way to the divisive final product.
One early draft written by cyberpunk author William Gibson would have focused on Michael Biehn's ALIENS character Hicks, who is killed off at the start of Fincher's ALIEN 3, as he deals with a xenomorph outbreak in a shopping mall space station. More than 30 years after it was written, Gibson's script is now being brought to life – not on the screen, but through a comic book adaptation.
Published by Dark Horse Comics, the first issue of WILLIAM GIBSON'S ALIEN 3 hit store shelves this week. The full series will consist of five issues, telling the story of what happens when
the spaceship Sulaco carrying the sleeping bodies of Ripley, Hicks, Newt, and Bishop is intercepted by the Union of Progressive Peoples. What the UPP forces don't expect is another deadly passenger that is about to unleash chaos between two governmental titans intent on developing the ultimate Cold War weapon of mass destruction.
Johnnie Christmas wrote the adaptation and also provides the art, with Tamra Bonvillain working as colorist.
I'm always interested in hearing about potential franchise installments that didn't get made, and ALIEN 3 is one of the most interesting projects to ponder "What if?" about, since there were so many ideas floated around and writers involved before that film went into production. It will be cool to see Gibson's ideas for the sequel drawn out on the page.
A Kindle & comiXology edition of WILLIAM GIBSON'S ALIEN 3 #1 can be purchased on Amazon.