Aliens: Field Report is a comic book short story that was first published by Dark Horse Comics in the anthology series Dark Horse Presents, Vol. 3 #2, in September 2014. It was written by Chris Roberson, illustrated by Paul Lee, lettered by Nate Piekos and colored by Lee. Taking place during the events of Aliens, it follows Corporal Hicks during the Alien ambush inside the Hive and subsequently at the Hadley's Hope colony. The comic ties into the four-issue series Aliens: Fire and Stone.
In the Aliens comics line, Aliens: Field Report was preceded by Alien: Isolation and published concurrently with Aliens: Fire and Stone.
Plot[]
On July 27, 2179 at 4:17 PM, Earth Central Time, a group of Marines are heading down into Proccessing Station on LV-426, under the main cooling towers, looking for the colonists from Hadley's Hope. As they descend the stairwell, Hicks is order to watch the group's back. On Sublevel 3, they discover a large alien structure, which one of them comments looks like some sort of secreted resin. Hicks asks what it was secreted from.
Lieutenant Gorman orders the Marines' Pulse Riles to be slung. Sergeant Apone collects the magazines and hands puts them in Frost's bag. Hicks takes out his shotgun, which he keeps for close encounters. With the barrel of his shotgun, he picks up strange spider-like creature.
The Marines find what's left of the colonists and one who asks to be killed. However, a small alien creature bursts from her chest. Soon, the Marines are attacked by large Aliens. Hicks shoots one with his shotgun, misses, then fires again, exploding its head. However, more Aliens appear and Hicks retreats as a large fire, started by the magazines, rages on and Vasuqez and Drake open fire with their Smart Guns. Ripley calls for the Marines to retreat while Hicks asks Hudson where Apone is, but he tells Hicks that he's gone.
As Hicks, Hudson, Vasquez and Drake, the only survivors, attempt to leave, Hicks and Vasquez fire their weapons, but the latter realizes that they are taking to long and won't make it to the armored personnel carrier. However, the APC comes crashing through a wall. Drake doesn't make it inside the APC and as Hicks is attempting to close the door, an Alien tries to get inside. Hicks shoots his shotgun inside its mouth, spraying the creature's acid blood on Hudson.
Back at the operations room in Hadley's Hope, Hicks makes his field report. Although he doubts anyone is going to hear the report, he says that Vasquez and Hudson are sweeping the perimeter. Ripley said that Hicks was in command while Gorman was unconscious, but company representative Burke thinks he is in charge. While Gorman is know awake, Ripley is still the one leading the survivors.
Hicks then discovers automated ground control logs which say that the cargo skiff Onager took off after the Aliens attacked the colony. Hicks theorizes that it was on autopliot or a routine unmanned cargo run, not believing that any colonists survived. However, he is interrupted by a fire alarm. He grabs a fire extinguisher and runs, yelling at Hudson and Vasquez to meet him in the med lab to deal with the fire.
Reprint History[]
Aliens: Field Report has never been collected or reissued.
Trivia[]
- Some of the panels in the comic are reproductions of camera shots in Aliens, while others are copied from behind the scenes photographs.