While disco was hot and bell bottoms were cool, the late 1970s saw an influx of popular culture milestones on the silver screen that included the release of Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Halloween, Apocalypse Now, and Alien. Director Ridley Scott introduced a new kind of science fiction space horror in which he re-appropriated and re-imagined the slasher genre. With this film, Scott explored themes of survival, isolationism, the final girl concept, and the uncanny valley, as well as showcased the visual aesthetic created by German artist H. R. Giger. In Alien, Scott introduced audiences to LV-426, one of the three moons orbiting Calpamos, but it was in James Cameron’s 1986 Aliens that revisited LV-426, no longer devoid of human life, but inhabited with a terraforming colony called Hadley’s Hope. Needless to say, there wasn’t a whole lot of hope or colonists by the time Ripley returned to the xenomorph-infested moon.
Last year 20th Century Fox established Alien Day as April 26th, referencing LV-426. It also marked the 30th anniversary of Aliens. The franchise is a fan favorite here at Fanbase Press, and to celebrate, stalwart fan Bryant Dillon (our fearless Fanbase Press President) and Guest Contributor Nicholas Diak wrote editorials exploring the fandom and lesser-known media output of the Alien franchise. And, digging into the archives, a handful of articles have been selected that spotlight past content that have been favorites for our readers.
New essays exploring the franchise and its impact on fans:
An Interview with Jaime Prater, host of Perfect Organism: The Alien Saga Podcast
A Retrospective on Aliens: Thanatos Encounters
The Time Has Come to Reboot AvP
And, from the Fanbase Press vault:
Aliens: The Original Comic Series Volume 2 – Advance Hardcover Review
In Memoriam: Sir John Hurt, 1940 – 2017
Fanbase Press’ Scariest: H.R. Giger
#AlienDay426: Fanbase Press Touches Down at the LV-426 Alien Art Show at Creature Features
In Memoriam: Bill Paxton, 1955 – 2017
#SDCC2016: Fanbase Press Interview John Layman on Predator vs. Judge Dredd vs. Alien
Celebrate the day by reading an Aliens comic, playing a video game, or watching one of the many movies. Don’t let the facehuggers get you, and have a fantastic #AlienDay426!
