Aliens: What If...? #4

History

The series originated from an unusual collaboration: actor Paul Reiser, who portrayed Carter Burke in James Cameron's 1986 film Aliens, teamed with his son Leon Reiser and a writing team comprising Adam F. Goldberg (The Goldbergs), Brian Volk-Weiss (The Toys That Made Us), and Hans Rodionoff to develop the concept. Reiser has described his own contribution as focused on character voice and psychology, with Rodionoff scripting the actual issues from the group's shared story blueprint. Marvel announced the project in January 2024, with Guiu Vilanova — whose prior Marvel work included Cosmic Ghost Rider and Eternals — handling full interior art across all five issues, and Phil Noto providing the standard covers throughout the run. Editor Sarah Brunstad shepherded the project, which ran from March through July 2024 and sits in Marvel's licensed publishing timeline between Alien: Descendant and Alien: Romulus.

Trivia · 8 facts

• Published June 5, 2024 by Marvel Comics; the fourth of five issues in the Aliens: What If...? limited series (March–July 2024).
• Written by Hans Rodionoff from a concept by Paul Reiser, Leon Reiser, Adam F. Goldberg, Brian Volk-Weiss, and Hans Rodionoff; interior art by Guiu Vilanova; colors by Yen Nitro; letters by VC's Clayton Cowles; standard cover by Phil Noto.
• Marks the first time the Marvel 'What If...?' format was applied to the Alien film franchise, asking what would have happened had Carter Burke — the Weyland-Yutani operative last seen being ambushed by a Xenomorph in Aliens (1986) — survived the events of Hadley's Hope.
• Issue #4 is the key turning-point chapter: a loose Xenomorph Queen on Burke's mining-asteroid home forces Burke, his daughter Brie, and Hiro Yutani to hunt the creature together before Hiro betrays them to secure a live specimen for his father, Shin Yutani.
• Introduces and develops Brie Burke (Carter's estranged daughter, a new original character) and Hiro Yutani (son of Shin Yutani, a new addition to the Weyland-Yutani family tree in Alien expanded lore) — both debuting across the series' earlier issues and reaching narrative climax here.
• The series also features a new original character named Cygnus, described as a damaged combat synth who becomes Burke's unlikely ally — another addition to Alien's synthetic-character roster.
• Paul Reiser is co-credited as a series concept creator; as the actor who originated Carter Burke on screen, his involvement marks a rare instance of a film performer returning to co-develop an official comics continuation of their character.
• The issue carries a Rated T+ (Parental Advisory) rating and runs 23 pages; multiple variant covers for the issue were produced by artists including Lucio Parrillo, Peach Momoko, Adi Granov, and Skottie Young.

Full credits

Variants (1)