Legendary sci-fi author William Gibson’s screenplay forAlien 3is finally getting adapted in comic book form. Gibson, whose works includeNeuromancer,Count Zero, andMona Lisa Overdriveand is known as the father of cyberpunk, originally wrote a draft of the screenplay for Alien 3 in 1987. However, the lengthy development process ultimately crushed his vision and virtually nothing from Gibson’s screenplay made it into director David Fincher’s version. Thankfully, the folks at Dark Horse Comics have stepped up and are giving his screenplay the adaptation it deserves.
The five-issue comic, titled William Gibson’s Alien 3, is going to answer the long-burning question of “what if?” that many fans of theAlien franchisehave been asking for a long time.Alien 3, as it exists, proved to be a major turning point for the movies, and most would argue not for the better. It killed off many fan-favorite characters, including Newt, and couldn’t nearly live up to the legacy left behind byAlienandAliens. This new comic is going to tell a very different story with Bishop, played by Lance Henriksen, set to take on a major role in the series. Here’s the official synopsis.
“Following thedeadly events of Aliens, the Union of Progressive Peoples intercepts the spaceship carrying the hibernating bodies of Ripley, Hicks, Newt, and Bishop. But unbeknownst to them, they have also picked up another deadly passenger whose discovery will unleash a race between two governments to weaponize the xenomorph in this horrifying and poignant Cold War-themed thriller.”
The comic will be adapted directly from William Gibson’s screenplay and features art from Johnnie Christmas (Angel Catbird,Firebug,Sheltered), with colors by Tamra Bonvillain (Doom Patrol,Wayward,Uncanny Avengers). There will also be a series of covers for the Alien 3 comic book from James Harren, Daniel Warren Johnson, Paolo Rivera, Tradd Moore, and Christian Ward. Gibson had this to say in a statement.
“When your first contracted screenplay (or screenplay of any kind, in my case) isn’t produced, but the film is eventually made with a different screenplay, retaining nothing of yours but a barcode tattoo on the back of a character’s neck, the last thing you ever expect is to see yours beautifully adapted and realized, decades later, in a different medium, by an artist of Johnnie Christmas' caliber. It’s a wonderful experience, and I have no doubt that Johnnie’s version, which adheres almost entirely to the script, delivers more of my material to the audience than any feature film would have been likely to do.”
This version of Alien 3 hasSigourney Weaver’s Ripleyon the sidelines almost entirely. William Gibson, on that note, adds, “As for my screenplay, I’d like to point out that I worked from a treatment provided by the film’s three producers, so it wasn’t my idea, at all, to jettison Ripley. Unhappy with that, as a fan of the previous two films, I went for a multiple helping of Bishop, my second favorite human character in the first film.” The first issue ofWilliam Gibson’s Alien 3arrives on November 7. You can check out cover art from the book for yourself below. This news was first reported byComic Book Resources.
