| This article is about the comic book series. For the novel, see Aliens vs. Predator: War (novel). |
Aliens vs. Predator: War, originally titled Aliens versus Predator: War and also known as Aliens/Predator: War, is a five-issue limited comic book series that was first published by Dark Horse Comics from May-August 1995. The contents of the first issue (issue #0) were originally published in 14 installments in the promotional publication Dark Horse Insider, Vol. 2 #1-14, from January 1992-February 1993. The story was written by Randy Stradley, illustrated by Chris Warner, Mike Manley, Jim Hall and Mark G. Heike, inked by Warner and Ricardo Villagrán, colored by Jim Sinclair and Chris Chalenor, lettered by Steve Dutro and edited by Edward Martin III and Bob Cooper, with cover art by Richard Corben. The comic was later adapted as a novel of the same name by S. D. Perry.
The series is one of the few Aliens, Predator and Aliens vs. Predator comic books to serve as a direct sequel to an earlier story. In fact, it serves as a sequel to no less than three separate stories — as well as continuing the adventures of Machiko Noguchi from the original Aliens vs. Predator series, it also features the return of the Yautja Top-Knot from Aliens vs. Predator: Blood Time, and Lieutenant Kat Lara, Martin Jess and Brian Ellis from Aliens: Frenzy.
In the Aliens vs. Predator comics line, Aliens vs. Predator: War was preceded by Aliens vs. Predator: Duel, published concurrently with Aliens vs. Predator: Deadliest of the Species, and was followed by Aliens vs. Predator: Booty.
Publisher's Summary
#0: Sometimes reeling-in the catch of your life can mean the end of your life. Machiko Noguchi, the last survivor of the colony on Ryushi, is journeying aboard a massive Predator ship when a freshly caught Alien Queen snaps her tethers, destroying all in her path. Unfortunately for her, Machiko is in that path.
#1: First blood or last breath. Those are the only choices in Aliens vs. Predator: War! The Predators converge on the seed planet, Bunda, for the biggest bug hunt yet, each taking position to draw first blood. Machiko, the human survivor from Dark Horse's historic first Aliens vs. Predator series, and now a full-fledged member of the Predator clan, is forced into a duel in order to claim her rightful place in the upcoming hunt. But when a new group of humans shows up, including the three survivors from the end of Aliens: Berserker, what began as sport becomes serious business.
#2: The quick death of a fractured spine, or the extended agony of birthing a chestburster. If you had your choice, which would it be? Find out how a band of displaced humans deals with this dilemma in the second issue of Aliens vs. Predator: War! Loose ends begin to tie together, drawing characters and situations from the first AvP series, from Aliens: Berserker, and from the very recent AvP: Duel! This issue comes packed with adrenaline!
#3: Aliens and Predators: two deadly species fighting for domination of an otherwise abandoned world. What they didn't count on was the added confrontation of the deadliest species of all... the species known as humans! Guns are pumped, knives are wrapped, and claws are sharpened in preparation for the all-out battle for the planet Bunda! Three bloodthirsty armies prepare themselves for an all-out WAR!
#4: War is all about lines, the kind you draw between your enemies and your allies. But those lines become blurred in the conclusion to Aliens vs. Predator: War! Machiko Noguchi has abandoned her Predator allies and joined the human survivors on Bunda. But perhaps she'll reconsider her position when the humans find themselves caught between the ultimate in rocks and hard places! It's the final battle of this all-out war, with the Aliens on one side and Predators on the other, and the outmanned humans hang their only hopes on a fearsome and uncontrollable suit of MAX berserker armor!
Plot
The story starts as Machiko Noguchi living now with Top-Knot's clan. They are in a world dominated by xenomorphs in a mission to capture a Queen. Machiko is now bullied by a hunter she calls "Shorty", who mimicks Machiko's voice mocking her. Machiko takes a little revenge on him by saving his life, which is a mayor insult in the yautja culture. The hunters capture the Queen but she tries to free herself and killed a hunter called "Three Spot". Machiko controls the situation but disobeys Top-Knot in the process. The Queen again frees but now inside the ship, and Shorty closes the hatch trapping Machiko in the hold with her, Machiko escapes barely.
The clan is preparing one of the greatest hunts ever. Meanwhile Machiko listens random chat on her leapwave receptor from Ryushi, inadvertively to her, the chat is from the Nemesis survivors: Katherine Lara, Martin Jess and Brian Ellis, whom are calling for help. They receive response from Big Archey. a floating platform over the jungles of Bunda, which is the same planet in which the hunt is to be. The platform's administrator, Kevin Vincent, is warned by a Weyland-Yutani corporative, Mr Briggs that the survivors must be on quarantine due to a possible infection.
Meanwhile, on the yautja ship, the clan is gathering and one of the last are Light-Stepper, a one-handed young yautja which uses a USMC flag as bandage. Machiko thoughlessly touches it, making him angry and make the submissive sign, losing her place in the hierarchy, the only way to regain it is fighting those at the bottom, namely Shorty. Machiko is winning but Shorty cheats and Machiko loses the fight and her place in the hunt, so she stays at the ship. As the Nemesis APC lands on Big Archey, a monkey-like creature is facehugged in the jungle below and the survivors are inmediately arrested by Big Archey personnel.
Later, two surveyors, Pratt and Rembert are chased by a xenomorph and gets facehugged. Top-Knot's shuttle lands and the hunt begins, but soon they hear Mr Briggs shuttle overhead and for some reason they decide to attack humans. Lara, Jess and Ellis are interrogated by Mr. Briggs and his two bodygards, Keene and Nirasawa, about their mission data of Terminal 949. The yautja then attack the platform on that instant and Mr. Briggs, Vincent and Nirasawa go to control as Keene watches the prisioners. Lara kills Keene as he is distracted and they escape.
Machiko lies inside her room and listen the SOS from Big Archey. Learning that the hunters are killing humans, she decide to change sides and betrays the clan. She kills the ship's captain, seals the bridge and frees the captive Queen. She flew the ship towards the signal of Top-Knot's shuttle. A yautja attacks the survivors as Brian is refueling the APC, but he doses the predator in jet fuel and causes a big explosion that causes the platform to crash. Feeling bad about how his actions always causes disaster, Ellis flees, as Machiko crashes the ship in from of Jess and Lara.
After a short presentation, Machiko and the survivors are interrupted by the hunters, leadered by Top-Knot. The two-way battle turns into a three-way battle as the queen and her offspring join the fight. Machiko, Jess and Lara are saved by Ellis, now inside the MAX unit, they flee to the jungle and soon are found by Nirasawa, who is revealed to be an android, carrying a facehugged Mr Briggs.
The clan attacks again and Machiko and Nirasawa makes a stand to buy time for the others to get into the shuttle. Machiko fights and kills Shorty and Nirasawa is destroyed. Lara is trying to fly the shuttle as Machiko arrives. All are reunited and they flees as Jess puts Mr. Briggs inside the MAX unit to fight the bugs and the hunters while he is still alive. They return home together.
Reprint History
Cover to Aliens/Predator: War trade paperback by Duncan Fegredo.
After its initial publication under the original title Aliens versus Predator: War, the series was collected in trade paperback form under the new title of Aliens/Predator: War in May 1996, featuring a new painted cover by artist Duncan Fegredo and an introduction by Robert Sheckley. This release also collected the stories Aliens vs. Predator: Blood Time and Aliens vs. Predator: Duel.
The series received its current title, Aliens vs. Predator: War, when it was collected as part of Aliens vs. Predator Omnibus: Volume 1 in June 2007.
Aliens vs. Predator: War was released digitally through Dark Horse Digital on February 6, 2013, reusing Fegredo's cover art from the trade paperback release.
Trivia
- In its original publication, Aliens versus Predator: War was the first Aliens vs. Predator comic to use the expanded form of the franchise title, with the full "versus" conjunction. It has since been renamed to use the more common, shortened "vs." form.
- The way in which the two surveyors from Bunda Survey are Facehugged is very similar to the scene in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem were Buddy Benson and his son Sam get chased and Facehugged.
- Theoretically, the Warrior aliens on Bunda should be Predaliens as Machiko freed the Queen inside the ship and it proceed to impregnate the crew.
Gallery
Issue covers
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