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Aliens vs. Predator: Eternal (originally Aliens versus Predator: Eternal) was a four-issue limited comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics from June-Sept. 1998, set in the fictional AVP universe. The series was written by Ian Edginton with art by Alex Maleev. It was colored by Perry McNamee, lettered by Clem Robins, and edited by Philip Amara. Painted covers were provided by artist Glenn Fabry.

Eternal was first collected as a tradepaperback in Sept. 1999 edited by Chris Warner. It was eventually again collected alongside other AVP stories in Aliens vs. Predator Omnibus: Volume 1 in June 2007, receiving the new title form "Aliens vs. Predator: Eternal."

Set in the near future of the 21st Century Tokyo, the series revolves around a 700+ year old man who uses Predator technology and flesh from a crashed ship to extend his life and fortune, a reporter investigating him, and a mercenary employed by him to draw out Predators.

In the AVP comics line, Aliens vs. Predator: Eternal was followed by Aliens vs. Predator: Annual in July 1999.

Plot (Warning: Spoilers)Edit

Official description of individual issues:

In an opulent city of the future, a mysterious techno-baron controls the fate of the world. But, even with his vast riches and power, the black-clad figure known as Nor cannot stop the hand of death. Or can he? His thoughts are consumed by his latest discovery: a crash-landed Predator ship. It's his belief that Predators hold the key to eternal life. But even if he stands before the answers he seeks, is he willing to go through the Predators' deadly Alien cargo to get it?

Becka McBride is a talented reporter. Her one flaw? She doesn't know when to quit. And when Aliens appear in a Hong Kong-style city, it's a safe bet that her flaw may prove fatal. On field assignment in Africa, she was reporting on a political uprising. But her journalistic sense uncovered a strange trail of clues. Like a moth to a flame, Becka can't resist breaking the story of a lifetime. No more than Predators can resist hunting the galaxy's deadliest killing machines.

Aliens loose in the Tokyo subways of the future is bad news. But when these monstrous beasts are pursued by Predators, the fiercest hunters in the galaxy, bad quickly becomes worse. One of the people caught in the middle is Becka Shaw, devil-may-care journalist and all-around trouble magnet. The other is Gideon Suhn Lee, a mysterious techno-billionaire who won't let anything stand between him and the secrets to immortality that the Predators hold. When Becca and Gideon clash, it might be the Aliens and Predators that run for cover!

Journalist Becka McBride and mystery man Gideon Lee finally come face to face - though not in the way you'd expect. But there's still the matter of Aliens running around the sewers and subways. As Lee, Becka, and hired mercenary, Cabot, prepare for a final hunt, they know a band of Predators is waiting in the shadows to take on whoever is left standing.

Behind the ScenesEdit

The character of Gideon Suhn Lee was originally referred to as "Nor, techno-baron with a dark past," who "won't let anything stand between him and the secrets to immortality that the Predators hold," in materials connected to the initial comic book release of the series. The name was apparently changed to Gideon Suh Lee somewhere in the process.

Similarly, Becka McBride was at first referred to as "Becca Shaw".

Eternal is one of a number of Aliens, Predator and AvP stories written by UK-based writer Edginton, and makes mention of elements later mentioned in Predator: Xenogenesis (also written by Edginton)--though the references are slightly contradictory. His first work in the universe was

Interior artist Alex Maleev, who has also worked on a number of other AVP-universe stories, including Aliens vs. Predator: Old Secrets, which he wrote and drew, worked for years as the artist on Marvel Comics' Daredevil series in the 2000s.

Cover artist Glenn Fabry came to prominence in the 1990s as the cover artist for the popular series Preacher for Vertigo comics.

Timeline issues and contradictionsEdit

Connection to XenogenesisEdit

Specifically Gideon Suhn Lee mentions the myth/story of an immortal warrior named Subotai who first gained extended life by eating the flesh of the Predators. Subotai is a main character in Predator: Xenogenesis (also written by Edginton). But Lee mentions that Subotai died after 200 years, while in Predator: Xenogensis, Subotai states that he has been alive much longer than that. Also, for reasons that will be explained, Xenogenesis appears to take place after Eternal. So one would have to assume that Lee is unaware that Subotai is still alive at the time of Eternal for the reference to still make sense.

The city of London is featured in Eternal and Becka McBride is shown with a copy of the London Times. In Xenogenesis, it is mentioned that London has been submerged due to global warming and that Birmingham is now the capital of England. So one would have to assume that Xenogenesis takes place after Eternal.

Story Date - What year does Eternal take place in?Edit

The story of Eternal can be said to take place in the first half of the 21st Century due to a number of reasons, including the general dress of the people, the state of the technology present in everyday society, the existence of the United Nations, and of modern day news channels and publications that exist today, such as CNN, the BBC, Penthouse and the London Times, the general public's lack of knowledge about Aliens, and other reasons. Officially speaking, the story is mentioned as taking place "in the near future", which would also match up with this placement.

More specifically, at one point in Eternal, McBride mentions that she had previously visited Asia in " '19" while working as a reporter covering the great Hong Kong Stock Market crash of that year. Since the story appears to take place in the 21st Century, and since McBride appears to be in her 20s or 30s, one would have to assume that the '19 mentioned is 2019. She also states that enough time has passed that the markets have recovered, which one would assume means a few years, at least.

If one assumes that McBride went to work as a reporter after college, which generally ends when someone is about 21, and since McBride mentions having been there in what would seem to be the course of work as a reporter, one could say that the event in 2019 took place when she was between 20-and 24 years old, if it were at the start of her post-collegiate career.

Since she looks to be in her 20s or 30s during Eternal (even mentioning that she has been a Penthouse centerfold, among other achievements) and that she is mentioned as already having become one of the most renowned reporters in the world, one could say that Eternal takes place roughly sometime between 2022-and 2029, with her age being between 22 and 34 years old.

For the purpose of the AVP timeline, an estimate has been made (by Xenopedia user SpaceWuss) that the story of Eternal takes place in about 2025, with her age being about 29 years old. This gives Asia enough time to recover from the 2019 stock crash, and gives McBride's age as a believable one for a seasoned, yet still youthfully attractive and young reporter.

Also, if that is the year the story takes place, then Gideon Suhn Lee, who says in the story that he is 738 years old, could said to have been born in the year 1287, with his witnessing of the Predator ship crash taking place in 1325 AD.

Wikia

Aliens vs. Predator: Eternal

Contents

Plot (Warning: Spoilers)Edit

Behind the ScenesEdit

Timeline issues and contradictionsEdit

Connection to XenogenesisEdit

Story Date - What year does Eternal take place in?Edit

See alsoEdit

External linksEdit

GalleryEdit

Videos

Photos

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