Marvel Comics has paid tribute to Ridley Scott's classic 1979 sci-fi horror film Alien in its new comic book crossover Alien vs X-Men #1, recreating cinema's most famous chestburster scene with a superhero twist.
In the opening issue, Wolverine erupts through the chest of Mister Sinister clone Orbis Stellaris using his adamantium claws, bloodying his fellow X-Men in a gory reversal of the iconic moment when an extraterrestrial creature violently tore through a crew member's torso nearly 50 years ago.
The new series opens with a scenario immediately familiar to fans of the film franchise. An artificial character with a human appearance is caught off guard when a threat violently emerges from inside his chest, spraying blood and viscera over everyone present in the room.
However, rather than a parasitic alien hatchling causing the carnage, it is Wolverine who pops out from inside Orbis Stellaris. The graphic tactic surprises his teammate heroes, prompting Emma Frost and Cyclops to question Logan about his strategy. Logan justifies his action by explaining that the body of Orbis was far more fragile than he had anticipated.
Iconic sci-fi scene recreated
The dramatic sequence serves as a direct homage to one of the most celebrated moments in science fiction cinema. In Ridley Scott's original 1979 movie Alien, actor John Hurt portrayed Kane, a commercial space tug crew member who suffers a fatal shock during breakfast when a juvenile Xenomorph chestburster violently punches out of his ribcage.
The reference to Alien becomes even clearer moments later in the comic book story. Beast kicks open a nearby door to reveal a hidden chamber packed with Xenomorph eggs, including one egg that has already opened.
The crossover issue is scripted by comic writers Kieron Gillen and Chris Claremont, with artwork and colors created by Geraldo Borges, Andrew Dalhouse, David Messina, and Rain Beredo.
Creative team and crossover history
Claremont is best known for his historic 16-year stint writing Uncanny X-Men for Marvel Comics from 1975 to 1991, during which he co-created numerous major characters and authored legendary storylines like Days of Future Past and Dark Phoenix Saga. Gillen has similarly spearheaded major Marvel projects, including previous runs on Uncanny X-Men and Immortal X-Men.
Marvel Comics acquired the publishing license to produce comic books featuring the Alien and Predator franchises after parent company Disney acquired 20th Century Fox. Marvel has previously pitted the terrifying extraterrestrial Xenomorphs against its superhero roster in crossover titles such as Alien vs Avengers and Alien vs Captain America.
What happens next for the X-Men
The opening confrontation signals that Wolverine's bloody exit will not be the last time Marvel uses the iconic chestburster device during the series. The mutant heroes will now have to face the alien monsters directly in survival combat.
At present, Wolverine stands as the only confirmed survivor among the mutant team following the initial encounter. Time-traveling mutant warrior Cable is set to join the narrative when the second issue of Alien vs X-Men is published.
