Contains preview information for Alien #2!
The Alien franchise is introducing a new planet to its lore which will be the deadliest fans have ever seen. As Marvel's Alien saga enters a new era it's calling 'Alien: Icarus,' the stakes of the Xenomorphs' deadly potential are now higher than ever. This time, it's not a lone survivor or even a planet on the line, but the future of the entire human race.
On August 10, Marvel starts a new volume of Alien, comparing the step-up in action and stakes to the difference between James Cameron's original Alien and its sequel Aliens. In the distant future, humanity is dying, and only rare biotechnology can save them. Tragically, the biotech is stranded on a world overrun by the Xenomorph menace, necessitating a surprising team of heroes to ride an "express elevator to Hell" in order to retrieve it.
Coming from Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Julius Ohta, the summary for Alien #2 reveals that the planet in question - Tobler-9 - is a fallen paradise now considered "one of the most hostile environments in the known universe." It's theorized that nothing organic could possibly survive on its surface, prompting the United Systems to reach out to Steel Team - a deadly team of Synthetics who could theoretically survive the conditions on Tobler-9 long enough to return with the biotech. Of course, it's highly likely that the Synthetics won't just be facing a shattered hellscape of a world, but the perfect organism known as the Xenomorph. Enjoy the cover and summary - shared by League of Comic Geeks - below:
NOTHING ORGANIC EVER TANGLED WITH US AND WALKED AWAY. "Steel Team," the legendary, unkillable Synthetic Special Operations team, has been reactivated. Sent to an abandoned Weyland-Yutani outpost to recover a project that now could save millions, Steel Team is the United Systems' only hope as they navigate the hellscape that the once-idyllic Tobler-9 has become. Since its mysterious downfall years earlier, Tobler-9 is considered one of the most hostile environments in the known universe, a place where nothing organic could possibly have survived…could it?
It seems that Tobler-9 will exceed even locations like Hadley's Hope and Fiorina "Fury" 161 in terms of its hostility to human life. This means it will also likely be home to some of the deadliest Xenomorphs in Alien lore, given their unique ability to adapt to and thrive in any environment. Theoretically, the mission to Tobler-9 should be a cakewalk, since Xenomorphs don't traditionally attack Synthetics unless they pose a direct threat to their survival (since Synthetics have no place in their reproductive process.) Of course, it's all but guaranteed something will go wrong, but it may be that this will be an Alien story where a hostile world ends up being the true threat.
With the human race hanging in the balance, a team of Synthetics are descending into what may as well be considered the Alien franchise's version of hell, with only Xenomorphs for company. With everything in the balance, Tobler-9 promises to be the scene of perhaps Alien's greatest struggle for life yet.