Diane Carey/Aliens: DNA War Interview

[BlackWatch]

In our continuing coverage of the new Dark Horse book, Aliens: DNA War, we have a second interview with the author herself - Diane Carey. Check it out on the main AXP site. Enjoy!

[SM]

I'm a bit disappointed to be honest.

Her very pro-war, pro-America stance turned me off a bit, and I'm thinking it's going to negatively colour my opinion of her book.  Shame 'cos it sounded kinda promising (ie. she's not fucking around with things too much al a Jockies doing deals with WY).

And her comment about 4 letter words didn't make much sense.  I woulda thunk the odd swear would add impact, rather than sticking with PG rated stuff.  I remember being quite shocked when reading Star Wars books and they slip in the odd 'bastard'.  They've only done it twice as far as I've read, but it really added emphasis because it's so rare.  You'd only really have to slip in a 'fuck' once or twice when things get really dire for the characters to make it seem even more dire.

[BlackWatch]

The pro-war thing didn't phase me much, I know her father is a vet, so I'm not surprised. Either way it has no bearing on the book, or my view of it, so whatever. I do agree with the swear words, though. You need language like that sometimes to add realism to a story. Badass Marines and people fighting for their lives against alien killing machines aren't gonna say stuff like:

"Golly-geez, Beav, I think we're gonna die."

"Gosh-darn, I think you're right, Wally! Shucks!"

 

[SM]

The pro-war thing didn't phase me much

I'm not especially disappointed in her stance (as much as I disagree with it), but more that I found out about it and it'll affect my opinion of her and therefore her work.  I haven't read any of her stuff before and this will put a bias on it.

I'd like to be surprised though.

[BlackWatch]

Yeah, guess I was lucky, I had already finished the book. 

[SM]

That said, I did like the fact she focused on the Aliens senses that we know about and hasn't piss-farted around with telepathy (at least as far as I can tell).

But this - "There's no evidence of any additional senses than are given to any other life form in the natural world" seems to be at cross purposes to a franchise that is called "Alien".

And this - "The lifecycle in the movies is vague. It?s sometimes very fast, and sometimes takes days. We also aren?t sure how long it takes for an alien to go from embryo to full-sized. There?s no consistency, allowing the authors some latitude."

Yes they have some latitude but AvP aside, there are limits.? The only time it took "days" was Ripley's Queen.

And she seemed to dodge the timeline question. Based on this - ?there was one rumor of one ship fifty-odd years ago, and one expedition from which I don?t think anyone survived? - I reckon it's 50 odd years after Aliens/ Alien3. 

Yes, I tried to extrapolate the timeline from the movies, but that?s fairly vague.

Eh?  Type the words "alien timeline" into the single most popular search engine on the planet, woman!  It's all done for you! 

[BlackWatch]

That said, I did like the fact she focused on the Aliens senses that we know about and hasn't piss-farted around with telepathy (at least as far as I can tell).

IMO they must have some kind of 'sixth-sense' as we know they can 'sense' Ripley has been impregnated with an embryo. Unless that is by smell, but if their smell is that good it would shoot some holes in the DNA War plot anyway.

The only time it took "days" was Ripley's Queen.

Exactly what I was thinking. Which would stand to reason as you would think a Queen would take longer to mature.

[SM]

Exactly.

And I always thought the Dragon smelled Ripley's Queen.

[Bartleby]

And war?it?s often absolutely necessary. My father was a Marine who served in WWII and Korea, including the Battle of Peleliu, the worst battle the Marines ever fought. I absolutely support the Iraq War. We must stabilize that region of the Earth, or we will pay for our complacence in coming generations. Pacifists can only exist if non-pacifists are around to defend them.

The whole point of the Company's motivations were to get their hands on an alien for their bioweapons division.? In most respects, I think this is a very anti-war stance.? It's the old theme of the monster you create coming back to bite you.? So her views are inconsistent with what has already been established.? Ripley sacrificed herself to stop the Company.? If you follow the conclusion that war is the only way, then obviously you have to follow the conclusion that those with the weapons that cause the most destructive power will always win.? As in war - the only way to win is to totally destroy your enemy.  That's why the nuclear imagery in Aliens is so prolific.

[deezelboy]

But, to be fair, gameoverman, she's pretty much gone for your 'monster you create coming back to bite you' when she said 'We must stabilize that region of the Earth, or we will pay for our complacence in coming generations'.

I mean, three years on in Operation Stabilise Iraq and Iraq's far less freakin' stable than it was when Hussein was in charge.  And we're paying for her complacency right now.

I love the way that if you're against a war you're instantly labelled a pacifist, as if it was the only possible objection you could have!