The Alien Xenomorphs are unleashed on the World War II set world of the Man with the Shield in Alien vs. Captain America #1! Alien in comics started at Marvel Comics with a 2021-2022 limited series. They have fought in a crossover with the Avengers in a 2024 series. The title is confusing with a singular Alien with many Xenomorphs in the battle. This may be for pre-Alien (1979) set titles, but I think this should be identified as an alternate world. Similar to the What If…? Aliens mini-series with Carter Burke surviving the second film. The Shield Slinger now has to take on the Xenomorphs courtesty of writer, Frank Tieri, in “Operation: Red King.” He previously wrote a story in Captain America #616 (2004). Art is by Stefano Raffaele who also was the artist for this year’s Bring on the Bad Guys: Doom #1.
The regular cover has Cap holding his shield up as hordes of Xenomorphs swarm over him. A prologue introduces of the World War II setting with Cap fighting against Hydra agents. This includes Baron Von Strucker, the villain who made his debut in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandoes #5 (1964). He is searching for “something” for the Red Skull. Cap’s nemesis from the beginning in Captain America Comics #1 (1941)! It will change the balance of this “broken world”! Cap’s shield slams into Hydra agents. His gloved fist smacks another agent while he recovers his shield. Then the Hydra agents open fire which is deflected by his shield, then he slings his shield that sends an agent flying. This is all in closeups and in shadow so we reveal our hero who asks, “Where is it?” It is told in long panels with explosions of yellow, nice work by colorist, Neeraj Menon.
A large panel shows the ruined room with a torn Hydra flag of Castle Strucker in 1944. The pile of Hydra agents lie on the floor as Cap threatens a conscious agent about Stucker. Bucky casually stands by with his blue and red suit. He is a real standout with Cap’s chainmail suit. He jokes about answering Cap’s questions. A closeup of the agent’s teeth crunchins and then the deadly red dust rises from his mouth like a cloud. The Dust of Death that transforms the victim in sickly death form of the Red Skull was introduced in Captain America #184 (1975). This leads to the snowy Himalayas, a team heads towards a building on top of a cliff. Nice snow effects. Raffaele’s art has a cinematic quality. Inside a crowded bar with music playing, when Hydra agents enter. This is almost exactly the entrance of Toht and his Nazi soldiers in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
Strucker even has the bald head and eyeglass. One of the agents, Hans, says they need a guide to find the city of Attilan. This is the city of the Inhumans introduced in Fantastic Four #47 (1965). The Himalyas was one of the locations for Attilan. It actually ties into Captain America Comics #1! Baron Von Strucker introduces himself and reveals his armored right hand which he calls his Satan Claw. This is a weapon invented by Arnim Zola in Strange Tales #157 (1967). A moustached man tries them to leave and Baron Strucker instead grabs his face with the Satan Claw! None of the hundreds of patrons don’t seem to mind even when Strucker crushes the man’s skull in closeup! He takes hold of a woman and electrifies his clawed hand. A bearded man in a turban volunteers to be their guide. He takes the group across the snow to a mound-like cave. There was an expedition in Aliens vs. Predator (2004) that found an island north of Antartica that had the Xenomorphs!
The guide explains that Attilan had gods and uncovers the snow from a tomb. Hans recognizes the markings from the Royal Family of the Inhumans! We see them as black figures on the tomb. Baron Strucker says that the Red Skull is looking for a weapon. Hans finds a switch and Baron Strucker shoots the guide! As he dies, the guide says they wanted to find gods and he took them to see demons! Strucker’s group searches the underground tunnels while Hans explains that the Inhumans ruled in peace until they were killed by creatures. Closeup as his torch illuminates figures of the Xenomorphs! Strucker pushes another panel it opens to a cavern of three of the Inhuan rulers. Strucker uncovers the tomb of the king, Black Bolt, a skeleton now with a crown. Hans sees that is chest was bursted open! Hans continues saying that the Inhuman tradition was to bury the dead with what killed them.
They go to a passage that reveals countless Xenomorph eggs! Hans examines one closely as the egg unfolds, then it spews a Facehugger! The Facehuggers start to leap towards the Hydra agents and they use their machine guns. Strucker orders a retreat with a Facehugger opening its claws. Closeup as the Satan Claw catches the Facehugger and then electrifies it! Interesting, the setup of the comic, but I don’t think the Satan Claw is made of adamantium or some other material that can resist the Xenomorph’s acid blood. The Hydra agents at the entrance are about to leave when Baron Strucker emerges. Then, we get a two page title sequence explaining the Xenomorph and Captain America with credits. It is “weeks later” at a Hydra facility in “Occupied France.” Captured soldiers are forced to enter a chamber filled with the Alien eggs! Worse, they face in a splash page, the new Alien Queen! This is seen by a scientist and the Red Skull! It is “days later” when a different group of soldiers, the Howling Commandos are led by Sgt. Nick Fury!
They were all introduced in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (1963). I almost didn’t recognize Fury without his eyepatch, but this is how he looked in his World War II days. They walk with their rifles ready, but then see a village that gives all of them shocked expressions. The rain splatters on a town littered with chest bursted corpses! This brings in the soldiers who are outnumbered and unprepared for the Aliens sent to destroy the Earth. The help of Captain America, who makes a cameo in a comic with his name on the title, may be enough to stop Red Skull and his plan with the Xenomorphs! A good merging of franchises with the Captain America wartime setting and the extraterrestrial horror of Aliens. The only downside is Captain America’s cameo, he could be assigned along with the Howling Commandos, but we know he will enter the battle with later issues, this is all set up. Alien vs. Captain America #1 features a story that has good references to the MCU, Alien horror, and the artwork of Stefano Raffaele!
Four Dusts of Death out of Five!
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