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Aliens: Genocide is a four-issue limited series published by Dark Horse Comics from November 1991-February 1992. It was written by Mike Richardson and John Arcudi, drawn by Damon Willis and inked by Karl Story. It was lettered by Jim Massara. Coloring and painted covers were provided by artist Arthur Suydam and the series was edited by Barbara Kesel.
The series exists in the same fictional universe as Dark Horse's earlier Aliens (Comics Series), continuing on the events established in Aliens: Book One (1988), Aliens: Book Two (1989) and Aliens: Earth War (1990), though none of the characters from the earlier stories are featured.
Specifically, Genocide features an attempted counter-expedition to the Alien's home planet by a billionaire using a group of soldiers and scientists, for dubious reasons.
Genocide is noteworthy for being the first Aliens comic to shift the focus away from existing movie characters while continuing the ideas established by the first movie-character-based comics series--such as the Alien Queen's secretions forming an addictive substance for humans. Thus, in some ways, it was the first expansion of an Alien story truly beyond the films. It set the tone for using new, non-film-related protagonists which has been followed by virtually every Aliens comic and novel since.
It is also one of the few series--along with Aliens: The Alien and Aliens: Crusade- to deal with, illustrate and explain the developements on Earth after its infestation by xenomorphs and show how the Earth was able to recover.
The story was also adapted into the novel Aliens: Genocide in 1994.
In the Aliens comics line, Aliens: Genocide was published concurrently with Aliens: Countdown (Sept.1990-Dec. 1991) and was immediately preceded by the tie-in story Aliens: The Alien (Nov. 1991), which served as a transition explaining the change in events between it and the previous miniseries Aliens: Earth War.
Aliens: Genocide was then followed by Aliens: Hive (Feb.-May 1992).
Plot[]
One planet. Two Alien queens. Millions of hungry Aliens. A king's ransom awaits the survivors!
Humans have just pulled themselves out of the ruins caused by the Alien infestation of Earth. The last thing anyone wants to see is more Aliens, right? So why is billionaire Daniel Grant leading an expedition to the Alien homeworld?
After a generation of rebuilding in the wake of Alien infestation, athletes from every corner of earth are flocking to the Goodwill Games. But some come with a dangerous new tool: a drug called Fire, distilled from the very essence of the Aliens' body chemistry. The military wants it. The pharmaceutical conglomerates want it. And the only place the essential ingredient can be found is on a world convulsed by Alien holocaust . . .
There's trouble aboard the U.S.S. Razzia, en route to the Alien homeworld to capture a Queen Mother. Daniel Grant has brought along his own "pet" Alien, but somebody wants it destroyed. Meanwhile, zero hour approaches, and even with the new Z-110 Acid Neutralizing Wardrobe, the Marines are in for a tough time against a whole planetful of Aliens.
The U.S.S. Razzia touches down on a world teeming with berserk Aliens fighting a bloody war, making it hard as hell to sneak in and steal an Alien queen. But the Marines have a job to do, so they'll find a way... Meanwhile, someone's trying to make sure Daniel Grant won't be going home.
In the midst of an Alien civil war, it's into the hive for Daniel Grant, Major Lee, Dr. Begalli, and Cpl. Hendrickson. Many lives have been lost, but they came for the alien Queen Mother's royal jelly and they're not leaving without it. At least, that's the plan, but one of his group has other ideas...
Behind the Scenes[]
Aliens: Genocide was written by Dark Horse Comics founder/publisher Mike Richardson and now-veteran writer John Arcudi. (Arcudi, the co-creator of The Mask at Dark Horse, went on to write numerous other Aliens comics, including the most recent stand-alone Aliens series in 2009). The art was by penciller Damon Willis and inker Karl Story. The series was lettered by Jim Massara and colored by Arthurt Suydam. Cover art for the series was also provided by Arthur Suydam, who is an accomplished painter. It was edited by Barbara Kesel.
The first collected edition featured a cover by Dark Horse cover painter extordinaire Dave Dorman and was edited by Kij Johnson. The second collection edition featured a cover by painter John Bolton and was edited by Suzanne Taylor.
Publication History[]
Aliens: Genocide was released as a four-issue limited series from Nov. 1991-Feb. 1992. A trade paperback collection was released in Dec. 1992 as Aliens: Genocide (with a new cover).
The second collected edition, released in Feb. 1997 as Aliens, Vol 4: Genocide, was fourth in Dark Horse's "re-mastered" editions of their Aliens series. The script was edited and updated to conform with current Alien chronology, and the version featured in all subsequent releases.
Aliens: Genocide was most recently re-released as part of Dark Horse's Aliens Omnibus series in Aliens Omnibus: Volume 2, released in December 2007.
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