| This article is about the 1996 comic book short story. For the 2024 comic book short story, see Lucky. |
Aliens: Lucky is a comic book short story that was first published by Dark Horse Comics in the special anniversary anthology series A Decade of Dark Horse #3, in September 1996. It was written by Mark Verheiden, illustrated by Mark A. Nelson, colored by Chris Chalenor, lettered by Willie Schubert, and edited by Randy Stradley. The issue of A Decade of Dark Horse also featured an Aliens cover by Nelson.
In Dark Horse's Aliens comics line, Aliens: Lucky was preceded by Aliens: Mondo Heat, and was followed by Aliens: Lovesick.
Publisher's Summary[]
Mark Verheiden and Mark A. Nelson's Aliens is a landmark in comics history — that project redefined the entire concept of licensed comics and terrified an entire generation of comics readers in the process. Now they're back with an all-new Aliens tale for Dark Horse's tenth-anniversary celebration.
Plot[]
Kanako, an unscrupulous crewman struggles to survive aboard a large, Alien infested ship.
Reprint History[]
Dark Horse Comics[]
Cover to the Decade: A Dark Horse Short Story Collection trade paperback by Dave Gibbons.
Aliens: Lucky was first reprinted in the Decade: A Dark Horse Short Story Collection trade paperback in April 1997, with a cover by Dave Gibbons featuring a spoof of Mount Rushmore made up of various Dark Horse characters, including the Predator. The release included all of the stories from the four original issues of A Decade of Dark Horse.
The comic was collected again as part of Aliens Omnibus: Volume 5 in October 2008.
The comic was released digitally through Dark Horse Digital on June 26, 2013, collected with Aliens: Incubation and Aliens: Taste and reusing Bernie Wrightson's cover art from Dark Horse Presents #101.
The comic was collected and released again as part of Aliens 30th Anniversary: The Original Comics Series, released on April 26, 2016 as part of Alien Day. This version was a hardcover, "oversized" (8 × 12) format collector's edition, featuring the original, unedited 1988 version of Aliens: Outbreak (including the original characters of Hicks and Newt). The collection also included a second related short story, Aliens: Theory of Alien Propagation, along with a pin-up gallery of the original issue cover artwork, a foreword by Verheiden, an afterword by Nelson and a selection of Nelson's original pitch artwork. All three comics were presented in black and white, with Lucky being specially converted from its original color format for this release.
Marvel Comics[]
Following Marvel Comics' acquisition of the rights to Alien comic books, the comic was collected as part of Marvel's Aliens: The Original Years Volume 3 collection, alongside many other later Dark Horse stories. The collection was released on November 22, 2022.
Behind the Scenes[]
The creative team of writer Mark Verheiden, artist Mark A. Nelson, letterer Willie Schubert and editor Randy Stradley was the same that had produced Aliens: Outbreak, the first ever Aliens comic, in 1988. They were specially reunited for Aliens: Lucky in celebration of Dark Horse Comics' 10th anniversary.
Along with Aliens: Mondo Heat and Aliens: Lovesick, Lucky was one of only three Aliens comics published by Dark Horse in the entire year of 1996, part of a two year slow-down of the line. Dark Horse was to start up a whole new slate of miniseries, one-shots and short stories again in 1997.
Gallery[]
