Over two months ago, Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic launched the Avengers vs. Aliens crossover, which we all knew was coming after Disney purchased 20th Century Fox. The wait for issue #2 is over, and it’s as intense as one could expect given the stakes. Humanity as we know it is on the brink of extinction thanks to an alien attack. After reading the issue it’s quite clear nobody is ready for how deep Hickman is going with the Alien lore.
You can get a sense of how deep Hickman is going, given the Aliens vs. Avengers #2 preview. The first issue had all the makings of classic Alien, from synthetics to Alien queens, facehuggers, and lots of death. Issue #2 opens things up to reveal the Engineer’s homeworld and the acts of David 8. It’s a bold set of events that further defines the “villain” of the series and how screwed the Marvel heroes are.
Clearly a fan of Prometheus, Hickman reveals that a bunch of David 8 synthetics killed the Engineers, as one did in Alien: Covenant, but they got bored. More specifically, they realized there is a multiverse and, thus, more work to do. Playing off the themes of David 8 wanting to be God, a creator, he and his copies set out to eradicate all life.
Why you gotta be so evil David 8?
Credit: Marvel
That’s just the opening of this issue, with much of it devoted to Iron Man’s last stand on Earth. We already know the planet is doomed, and this issue fleshes out how humanity may survive thanks to his futurist planning.
There’s also a nice bit of action, with another spectacular panel showing Hulk doing his worst to the aliens. Other unforgettable Ribic moments include space scenes, an epic spaceship reveal, and an old Captain America doing his best to get as much of Earth as possible.
The biggest strength of Aliens vs. Avengers #2 is how thick the plot gets. The stakes were already high, but now we have a better sense of who the real enemies are. This isn’t a hero versus Alien battle, but something that spans the multiverse and threats much bigger than the heroes ever faced. That’s pretty damn exciting.
On the reverse side of the plot thickening is the lack of character. This issue has a lot of setup and very little character. Iron Man gets to be the planner, and Hulk is the reluctant sidekick of those plans, but if you were expecting more characters to do stuff, you’d be disappointed. The most surprisingly underused character is Miles Morales, who played a major part in the last issue of the cliffhanger. Much like the remaining heroes, he mostly stands around here.
Aliens vs. Avengers #2 escalates the stakes with an intricate, multiversal plot that transforms the series from a simple alien battle to a grand, existential conflict. Jonathan Hickman’s deep exploration of Alien lore and the sinister threat posed by the David 8 synthetics create a tense and engaging narrative. Esad Ribic’s artwork shines, capturing the chaos with stunning visuals, from Hulk’s brutal battles to sweeping space scenes.
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