The Alien Franchise’s First Xenomorph Officially Returns, As Romulus Prequel Explains How It Survived

Warning: Contains spoilers for Alien: Romulus & Alien: Romulus #1! The first Xenomorph That Alien Fans were introduced to the original 1979 film (nicknamed “Big Chap” during production) has made his official return to the franchise in an all-new Alien: Romulus Prequel tie-in comic book one-shot. Although this may seem like old news to fans who have already seen it Alien: RomulusThe comic will tell the story that was only brushed over in the film, and also reveal exactly how Big Chap survived.

In a preview shared by AIPT Comics for Alien: Romulus #1 by Zach Thompson and Daniel Picciotto, readers get an unlettered first look at the upcoming one-shot prequel tie-in. The first few panels should be familiar to those who have seen Alien: RomulusAs it shows a Weyland-Yutani science vessel securing the cocooned xenomorph from the wreckage of the Nostromo, just like what fans saw in the movie. But then, the comic goes into much more detail.

Unlike in the film, this comic establishes the scientists who free Big Chap from his cocoon as real characters. It also reveals that some people aboard the WY ship aren’t exactly on-board with Xenomorph experimentation, and it shows Big Chap’s first attack on a human since being beaten by Ripley. It is clear that fans are about to be placed inside the laboratory where the experimentation on the xenomorph took place which laid the foundation for Alien: RomulusIncluding a full explanation of how the Xenomorph survived in space – and much more.

Alien: Romulus Prequel will offer more than a lesson in xenomorph biology

The Alien: Romulus The comic will tell the story that the movie didn’t: the final massacre of Big Chap

in Alien: RomulusRook (the Renaissance’s synthetic science officer) explains that Big Chap’s DNA was used to create phasers, which were kept intact in stasis between Black Gu extraction procedures. However, after Big Chap’s biological material is collected, the Xenomorph breaks free from its containment, and proceeds to slaughter everyone on board. Not only that, but Big Chap released the cloned phasers, who infected those aboard the space station with Xenomorph embryos, resulting in the hive fans saw in the film.

While Big Chap was killed (with his body featured prominently alongside Rook’s exhibit), the original Xenomorph certainly did a lot of damage before he was taken for good. Fans were robbed of seeing that in the movie, but now, with the release of the official Alien: Romulus Prequel comic, that shortfall will be remedied.

Alien: Romulus Prequel will also introduce replay-level badass

Plus: an all-new alien creature will be introduced in the prequel comic

One standout from the preview is the introduction of a character who is immediately presented as a badass. She appears to be a former colonial marine contracted by Weyland-Yutani, who now wears an eye patch after an injury during a previous mission fighting alien ‘bugs’ that have never been seen before in Alien Lor – ie, an all-new alien creature! She also seems to be against bringing a xenomorph on board, as she raises her weapon at Big Chap the moment it is released from its cocoon. Is she familiar with xenomorphs? And if so, what other stories could the character offer?

This person will clearly be the main character of the prequel comic, and may even get her own spin-off Alien Comic in the future. While she is certainly an interesting new addition to Alien Cannon (as are the alien ‘bugs’ that caught your eye), the main takeaway from this new one-shot is obvious. Alien: Romulus Prequel comic brings back the first franchise XenomorphGiving fans the backstory that was only brushed over in the movie, explaining exactly how Big Chap survived the original film.

Alien: Romulus #1 by 20th Century Studios is available October 16, 2024.

Source: AIPT Comics