Disgustingly groan-inducing rhyme in the title aside, as a long-standing fan of the old DC/Aliens vs. Predator crossovers that Dark Horse used to put out, the Captain America vs. Aliens series has so far been a delicious little throwback to those glory days. Ever since Marvel picked up the rights to both the Aliens and Predator characters, we knew the crossovers were inevitable. And while the Predator vs. Marvel books have been shockingly "mid" despite their insane concepts, Aliens vs. Avengers and now this have proven that when written with respect for what the Xenomorph represents best, these stories can still be classics.
In that grand tradition, Captain America vs. Aliens #2 carries the momentum from the first issue in truly brutal fashion. When even the trenches of World War II and the worst that Hydra has to offer pale in comparison to the universe’s deadliest organism, it’s great seeing the Sentinel of Liberty that is Captain America and the Howling Commandos come face-to-face with an enemy they cannot beat—one that speaks to the deepest fears in their souls. This particular issue showcases that tension beautifully.
On Earth…It Doesn’t Matter Who Can Hear You Scream
Issue #2 starts with Cap and his buddies infiltrating the Hydra base in France, looking to save their friend Dino. Having already encountered the aftermath of the Xenomorph infestation that Strucker and the Red Skull unleashed on the countryside, they find no respite from the grisly remains littering the sanctum.
Fans of the Aliens franchise know what to expect: corridors of ravaged human remains torn to pieces, chests cracked open from the inside, and alien goo entombing helpless victims incubating new horrors. That’s not even counting the full-grown monsters lurking in the shadows, which quickly ambush the team.
As Cap and the Howling Commandos fight for their lives in the direst of battles, things quickly turn against them. These are remorseless killing machines, designed to murder on the cellular level. Even though Cap manages to dispatch a few of them, the team is quickly overwhelmed. However, rescue comes from an unexpected source—one that harkens back to the strange Inhuman origins of how the Aliens ended up on Earth in the first place. With a familiar, fan-favorite face joining the fray, maybe Cap and company stand a chance of ending the horrors that Red Skull is planning. What is the Red King, and why does it involve the capture of a Xenomorph Queen? The potential answers are far from reassuring—and unmistakably terrifying.
The Stakes Have Never Felt More Dire
Frank Tieri’s overall script for this series—and this issue in particular—can seem very straightforward at times. He isn’t trying to be Hickman with a grand mythology retelling of the Alien saga like in Aliens vs. Avengers, but he doesn’t need to be. Tieri’s almost tunnel-vision-like focus on this sci-fi-horror war story is what allows the issue to excel.
Placing the Xenomorph as the central focus from Issue #1 helps tremendously. By now, most readers know the horrors of the Alien lifecycle: the acid blood, the twin mouths, and everything else that makes it such an iconic creature. Placing that threat squarely in the trenches of World War II—and then in the hands of mad Nazi science—while linking it to the Kree and Inhumans creates a focalized mythology unique to this story. It is a choice that achieves a great payoff at the end of this issue. The lore is there for those who are interested, but it serves only to heighten the terror. This is a creature of blackest nightmare, a parasite of implacable purpose, and a plague that has felled civilizations across the stars. The notion of a hero as stalwart as Captain America facing this is exhilarating, yet it carries a very real sense of stakes that feel deadlier than anything he has ever faced before.
Similarly, Tieri keeps Cap stoic throughout this adventure. On the surface, Steve Rogers seems calm and collected; he has fought Hydra and the Red Skull—the embodiments of evil—before. But now he is fighting something else altogether. It’s a sobering indictment, and to his credit, Cap maintains his cool, even if it might be a façade to keep his compatriots from losing their nerve. Bucky follows Cap’s lead, though his more flippant approach to the gory horrors of the Aliens’ attacks might disturb their peers in the Howling Commandos. It is par for the course for Bucky, and a nice touch by Tieri; it acknowledges that Bucky has always been more open to the dirtier side of war and more desensitized to unmitigated violence—a fact that will eventually shape him into the Winter Soldier.
And speaking of the rest of the cast, the Howling Commandos all do their best and do so admirably, but it’s a testament to the no-holds-barred nature of this book that the entire team is cut down to a man (except for Nick Fury) by the savagery of the Aliens. It’s an outrageous risk killing such beloved characters in such a quick and gory fashion in just the second issue, but it is definitely done to raise the stakes. Understandably, though, some readers might find this a tad disrespectful regardless.
Finally, if there is to be one major criticism of the issue, it’s that Tieri’s dialogue can sometimes feel a little too "hammy" for the horrors involved. When we hear soldiers joking about Frankenstein monsters while walking through corridors that are ankle-deep in human blood and guts, it could potentially come across as too jokey for the moment. But I think it still works, for the most part, if you view it as gallows humor or consider all the sci-fi "cheese" that layers this ridiculously fun story.
The Perfect Organism - Captured in Grisly Detail
With a script as horrific and bloody as this, Stefano Raffaele’s art captures that bleak horror perfectly. The blood, the guts, the screams, and the terror—everything is captured in stark contrast against the bright colors of Captain America. It’s genuinely great how much the art, in particular, takes me back to the old DC crossovers, pitting the shadowy malevolence of the Alien against the caped heroics of Cap and company. There’s no shying away from the violence in this book, and Raffaele’s art captures the gruesome carnage in every line.
The Aliens are drawn as the iconic monstrosities they are, and when they get to work, the results are spectacularly bloody to behold. I was also particularly pleased when a chestburster—often treated as one of the weakest stages of the Alien lifecycle in most media depictions—got to commit some truly bloody murder barely seconds after it was born.
Not to be left out, when Cap goes toe-to-toe with the beasties, the action is just as brutal, with claws sparking off the legendary shield and acid blood spraying across the panels. It’s genuinely gripping action that works perfectly with the kind of story this book is trying to tell. Neeraj Menon’s color work also provides excellent backup to Raffaele’s linework. The inky blackness of the shadows from which the Aliens emerge feels true to horrific form, while the blood and viscera are appropriately glistening and gory. The chitinous, nightmare black of the Aliens contrasted against the colorful costumes of Cap, Bucky, and some unexpected otherworldly guests are core highlights of an issue packed to the brim with gorgeously violent art. Personally, I got a real kick out of seeing the old-school art designs and colors of the debuting guests in this issue; it got the nostalgia centers of my lizard brain firing on all cylinders.
The Nightmare is Only Beginning…But At Least Cap’s Got New Friends Now
If the ending of Issue #2 is anything to go by, Captain America vs. Aliens is only going to get more bonkers as the story continues. It’s great that Marvel has managed to find solid wins with its Aliens crossovers—especially when compared to the middling storylines of their Predator books—and it shows here in spades. The tantalizing intrigue of the Kree mythology surrounding the Xenomorphs, the Red Skull’s true machinations, and the arrival of new players to this conflict are sure to leave readers on the edge of their seats. I know I am, as I wait with bated breath.
For fans of Captain America, this is a fun little romp through the trenches as the "Sentinel of Liberty" does what he does best. For Aliens fans, it’s another reminder of what one of the greatest media monsters is still capable of with the right creative team backing the stories. And for fans of both? Well, this must be Nirvana.
Final Verdict: A satisfyingly bloody encounter that solidifies the timeless horror of the Xenomorph and the unshakable will of Captain America in a crossover clash for the ages.