Alien: Titan Books celebrates Alien Day with three new titles

Titan Books announced three new books from the Alien universe to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Ridley Scott’s movie.

The Alien franchise is still alive, just in case you didn’t know, and while the fate of future movies is still unknown (because we all know that “in development” can take a turn any given moment, especially after the Disney/Fox merge), there are other products this universe can extend to such as the world of book publishing.

There are over 20 books in the Alien catalogue since 1979, and in order to celebrate both Alien Day (April 26) and the 40th anniversary of the first movie of the franchise, Titan Books has announced three more books that every fan will surely love to have.

Alien: 40 Years, 40 Artists is the first in the series to be released on October 10. In this “artistic tribute” to Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic, you will find the work of 40 artists, filmmakers, and fans who contributed with different pieces that go from sketches, alternative posters, and even gothic interpretations of some scenes. Among the contributors are director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049), director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Kong: Skull Island), and Star Wars concept artist and creature designer Terryl Whitlatch.

Next up is a work of fiction entitled, Alien: Isolation, by Keith R. A. Decandido, to be released on July 30. This book will offer a look into the lives of Ellen Ripley and her daughter, Amanda Ripley, who will discover what happened to her missing mother. We will learn Amanda’s history through flashbacks as she joins a Weyland-Yutani team sent to retrieve the Nostromo flight recorder. That will definitely not be a smooth ride.

And then there’s Alien: Prototype, by Tim Waggoner, to be released on October 29. Per Titan Books, the synopsis reads as follows:

"“Corporate spy Tamar Prather steals a Xenomorph egg from Weyland-Yutani, taking it to a lab facility run by Venture, a Weyland-Yutani competitor. Former Colonial Marine Zula Hendricks–now allied with the underground resistance–infiltrates Venture’s security team. When a human test subject is impregnated, the result is a Xenomorph that, unless it’s stopped, will kill every human being on the planet”."

The beauty of extended universes is that, if the movies fail or the studio decides to stop making them, we can still enjoy new stories and meet new characters through other types of products; and there’s something extra special about books. These new titles are a must for every Alien fan (and collector) out there, whether they want a celebration of the movie that started it all or new stories to enjoy.

Remember: Isolation will be released in July, while 40 Years, 40 Artists and Prototype will hit stands in October.

Are you a fan of Alien? Let us know in the comments.