When Alien vs. Captain America was announced, I wondered why Cap was the next character to fight Aliens after the Avengers. Then I realized the story is set during World War II, and it all made sense. Not only is he trained only to fight Nazis and Hydra, but the threat of an Alien far outweighs what he and the U.S. Army have seen up until this timeline. Throw in the known fact that Nazis were on the lookout for an edge to win the war, and everything clicks into place for a satisfying first issue.
Alien vs. Captain America #1 is a well-plotted issue, opening with Cap and ending with him. Truth is, the story shifts to Baron Von Strucker seeking an ancient weapon for the majority of the issue, yet it almost makes Captain America and Bucky legends among men as the story is set up. Early on, Steve and Bucky learn Strucker is up to something, which cleanly transitions to Strucker and a contingent of men hiking in the Himalayas in an impossibly remote bar. If this scene, and how it plays out, feels familiar, it’s likely due to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom having a similar, albeit well-drawn and written scene here.
From there, writer Frank Tieri cleverly connects ancient murals — again with the Indiana Jones vibes — to a key group of Marvel heroes. It’s a surprise, and a smart choice that further grounds this take on Aliens in Marvel Universe lore.
Scary!
Credit: Marvel
From there, the story proceeds briskly, wasting no time to advance Alien development into Hydra’s plans. That’s a good thing, since so often in comics a simple plot can drag on way too long. Instead, you’re left wanting more by the end of the issue, with everything primed for Captain America to swoop in and do his best to stop a threat not even he can be sure he can resolve.
Art by Stefano Raffaele with colors by Neeraj Menon is fantastic, giving the world a grounded feel. The realism is uncanny, and the color choices put you right there in WWII France, the Himalayas, and other interesting locales. Cap comes off as heroic as ever with a great sense of speed and strength in the opening scene. A scene-stealing moment comes later in the issue, with a full-page spread of dead bodies in a town of innocent people. It’s an image straight out of a World War II movie, though the gore and visible rib cages remind us that the violence was done by something far more animal. When Alien eggs and the like show up, Raffaele does a fabulous job capturing their exact look from the films.
Alien vs. Captain America #1 delivers a sharp, well-executed crossover that feels both inevitable and surprisingly original. By rooting the Xenomorph menace in the chaos of World War II, Frank Tieri and Stefano Raffaele craft a story that fuses pulp adventure, military realism, and sci-fi horror with satisfying precision. It’s a cinematic start that honors both franchises’ strengths and sets up what promises to be a brutal, beautifully rendered clash of worlds.
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