James Camerons Aliens is one of the great sequels of all time.
Heck, it might beone of the greatest movies of all time.
This does not endear him to anyone and, eventually, Burke is killed.
Reiser, flanked by Hicks (Michael Biehn) and Newt (Carrie Henn) at Comic-Con 2016.Photo: Kevin Winter (Getty Images)
Anew comic book from Marvel, Aliens What If…?
will ask and answer the question: what if Carter Burke survived?
Germain Lussier, io9: Youve had such an incredible career thats covered so many different genres and mediums.
A page from Aliens What If #1 by Guiu VillanovaImage: Guiu Villanova/Marvel Comics
Was it something people recognized you from regularly?
Tell me a bit about your relationship with it.
It was packed, like 3,000 people or whatever.
A page from Aliens What If #1 by Guiu VillanovaImage: Guiu Villanova/Marvel Comics
I mean, I knew it was a great movie and it was a big hit.
But, I didnt realize how ongoing it was.
So it took me three seasons to warm up.
Aliens What If #2 cover by Phil NotoImage: Phil Noto/Marvel Comics
io9: So at the time, did you ever think youd see him again?
Because clearly there have been sequels to Aliens that Burke isnt in.
Reiser: No, I never really did.
Reiser (with Millie Bobbie Brown) on Stranger ThingsImage: Netflix
I would always say, Well, you say bad, I say misunderstood.
So I would just kind of leave the door open to like maybe there was more to him.
But that was really just for my own protection and self-defense.
I never thought of it as an ongoing thing.
Youre going to hate this.
But what do you think?
He said, Ready?
And I just said, Thats the funniest thing Ive ever heard.
And he is a much bigger Aliens aficionado than I am.
He said, You know, this installation has a substantial dollar value.
And I said, Well, its a nice office.
He said, No, thats your line.
I said, Oh, I dont go around thinking about it.
Then in his office he has the Dropship, and he goes Do you recognize that?
I said, No, what is that?
You were in it!
And I said, Let me explain something.
And by the way, I never saw the outside!
We didnt have an outside.
So I was aware a lot of people have a much deeper connection to the film than I did.
But I loved the idea.
And I also thought there was great comedy in it.
Maybe he didnt set out [to be bad].
Not all villains set out to be destructive.
But [Goldberg] had this idea.
And, lo and behold, here we are.
Adam was also a huge fan of Aliens and apparently enjoyed my work.
And he has since told me that hes had that idea since he saw the movie in the 80s.
I went, Well, you must really hold on to your notepad.
So, Adam sparked right to it and he said, Well, I like Paul.
This is a thing.
But like so many things out here, everything takes time because of ownership.
And this Marvel-Disney-Fox, I think its all the same phone call now.
Its not the same phone, but its the same company.
So it had to get clear through everybody.
I mean Im sure he knows at this point, but I never spoke to Jim Cameron.
[Laughs] I dont know how he feels about this.
I hope hes tickled.
Its a comic book, so were not stepping on his toes exactly.
But we are playing with his character.
But Marvel sparked to it.
And I am not at all a comic book guy, and I never read comic books.
So again, its a whole huge culture that Im unaware of.
But my son [Leon Reiser] is sort of a savant.
He knows so many worlds: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, he just knows all.
io9: So exactly what is your involvement on an issue-to-issue basis?
Obviously like you said you gave your approval and it was pitched to you.
But I read in another interview that you give notes here and there.
Tell me a little bit about that.
I cant even remember how much was there or how much we came up with together.
But my contribution was really only about the character.
I wouldnt know how to write the action or even think in that world.
But they would have an outline and then I would give my thoughts and notes.
Love that, maybe we could change that, improve that.
And then I would see the script, which I had never seen a comic book script.
It doesnt look like what Im used to.
So I would pitch lines.
Its going to come out of a balloon.
So sometimes I go, That feels a little too expositional… but its a comic book.
I know how to contribute better to that.
Lets go with the kid.
So, you know, that made me nothing but proud.
I was like, Yeah, thats funnier than what I had.
Reiser: First of all, its 40 years.
And if you love the movie, go watch the movie.
Were not going in and tampering with what was truly a classic, seminal piece of work.
So this is playing with this character.
And its What if?
Its not saying it did happen.
And this is, Pretend this happened.
io9: So issue two is out this week and it ends with [spoiler].
What can you tease us about whats next?
Where else does the story and character go?
Reiser: More clarity will be given as to what Burkes original intention was and where it went wrong.
And so the human stuff and the parental stuff was really the exciting part for me.
So that gets elaborated.
And then theres a lot about her, about Bree, that gets revealed as well.
io9: That sounds great.
Is it a genre you enjoy and is it something you seek out?
Reiser: I certainly dont seek it out.
And I kind of laugh at the fact that you could even make that sentence.
That there were three things…
io9: [Laughs] Big ones.
Reiser: …so divergent from my own sensibilities that I would be in them is ridiculous.
Because as I say, thats an example where the baggage paid off.
So people go, I dont trust this guy.
But again, he turned out to be not a bad guy, Dr. Owens.
So no, its not something that I seek out or watch.
And one of the great things about having my son is I call him the Paul Whisperer.
io9: Right now is a great time to be an Aliens fan.
We have this comic book, theres a new movie, and a new TV show.
Im wondering do you keep up with the franchise?
Have you seen or enjoyed the other movies?
I havent seen any of the other films.
io9: [Laughs] Okay.
Well, thats no problem.
Reiser: Well, a little bit of a problem.
Reiser: Well, you know, it opened up…
But to be a part of peoples references and be a part of the world is a thrill.
I know movies that Ive seen years ago that meant a lot to me.
And then when you meet somebody and say Oh, you were in that thing that I love.
So to be on the other side of that is nothing but good.
Its funny to me.
Its entertaining to me that something I did 40 years ago [still resonates].
And at the time, I remember friends of mine going What are you doing in that?
You have no business being in that movie.
I go, I know that, you know that.
Jim Cameron doesnt understand that.
You go, Yeah.
Theyll be dead soon.
Like whats wrong with this picture?
Something is not right.
Until, 40 years later, you get to bring him back in a comic book.
Thank you to Marvel Comics and Paul Reiser for making our dream of talking to Carter Burke come true.
Aliens: What If…?
is now in comic shops with issue #2 out this week.Find out more over on Marvel.com.
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