The Series That Asked "What if Carter Burke Had Lived" Concludes in Aliens: What If..? #5

By Chad Burdette

on July 16, 2024

For years, fans of James Cameron’s legendary Aliens questioned whether Carter Burke, a company man more hateable than the Xenomorphs themselves, had actually survived the traumatic events on the terraforming colony Hadley’s Hope. Thirty-five years later, Burke is eeking out a cursed existence on a backwater asteroid. With his once-promising career in the toilet, Burke’s only remaining purpose in life is to care for his daughter, Brie. She hates him, probably for being a horrible person. And when she finds out what he’s up to now? It’s not going to be a friendly reunion. Has Burke learned his lesson, or is he about to get all of his companions killed again?

For decades, What If…? has allowed creators to put bold twists on classic Marvel Universe stories. This March, this beloved comic series format enters the groundbreaking—and terrifying—world of Alien for the first time in ALIENS: WHAT IF…?.

The five-issue comic series takes readers back to the events of the franchise’s historic original sequel, Aliens, to ask the question, “What If… Carter Burke has lived?” The actor behind the 1987 film’s beloved villain, Paul Reiser, joins his son Leon and the star-studded team of writers and producers Adam F. Goldberg (The Goldbergs), Brian Volk-Weiss (The Toys That Made Us) and Hans Rodionoff (Damage Control) for this pulse-pounding journey back to Hadley’s Hope and the twisted escape of a man who should have died.

Comic Watch Review:

Andrei Bressan Variant Cover:

Aliens: What If…? #5

As if Burke wasn’t already the worst boss in this galaxy, he just kicked off the office party from hell. Xenomorphs are loose in the mines, in the vents… hell, someone better check under the copier. It’s all to save his beloved wife and redeem himself in the eyes of his estranged daughter, but Burke’s in WAY over his head. Did he escape Hadley’s Hope all those years ago just to meet the same fate now?

We make no promises, True Believer — except the promise of entertainment!

Creative Team

Writer: Hans Rodionoff. Adam F. Goldberg, Paul Reiser, Leon Reiser, Brian Volk-Weiss
Artists: Guiu Vilanova
Colorist: Yen Nitro
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Standard Cover Artist(s): Phil Noto
Variant Cover Artist(s): Salvador Larroca
Editor: Sarah Burnstad
Assistant Editor: Lindsey Cohick
Format: Limited Series – Final Issue
Cover Price/Page Count: $6.99/ 48 pages

The series that asked “What if Carter Burke had lived” concludes in Aliens: What If..? #5 on shelves & digital platforms on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 from Marvel Comics & 20th Century Fox