Revisiting ‘Batman/Aliens’ — A Forgotten Horror Adventure
by Tony Thornley
The Alien franchise is at its best in dark and claustrophobic corners. But for the franchise’s first crossover with one of the greatest superheroes, DC Comics took a very different approach. We took the time to revisit it as Alien: Earth continues.
Coming a few years after Superman/Aliens, Batman/Aliens saw DC mainstay writer Ron Marz team with horror comics legend Bernie Wrightson, along with color artist Matt Hollingsworth and letterer Sean Konot. Instead of a cramped, science fiction horror, or an urban battle for survival, Batman instead encountered the Xenomorph for the first time in broad daylight in the middle of the jungle. Frankly, the story is better for it.
When Wayne Enterprises loses contact with a research team, Batman travels to Central America to find them. He at first encounters a group of mercenaries that may be the culprits. He very quickly learns that there’s something much more terrifying in the jungle.
Batman teaming up with a group of mercenaries in the Central American jungle sounds more like a Predator plot than Alien. However, Marz uses the subversion of the franchises’ tropes to tell a better story. Taking Batman out of Gotham puts him out of his element. There’s no more hyper-preparedness in the situation. He doesn’t have his resources, he doesn’t have the cave, the family, even the Batmobile. He just has what’s on his back and his wits.
Meanwhile, the jungle setting makes the Xenomorph significantly more threatening. It’s not stalking through poorly lit steel corridors, but well-lit jungle canopies, and as the story progressed, temple ruins. Together, Marz combined them to make this clearly a Batman and Aliens story, but a unique one through and through.
Wrightson’s art is fantastic. He keeps the famous rough quality that he became so well known for. Overall though, he retains a lot of polish. Batman remains the creature of the night. The Xenomorph is gooey and a dominating presence on the page. It’s a stunningly good comic.
I think too many fans forget about this comic because Batman/Predator and Superman/Aliens are both more well known. This is something that is worth taking the time to track down. You’re not going to see it reprinted any time soon, and digital versions are no longer available, but if you encounter it in back issue boxes, pick it up immediately. It’s well worth it.