Westfield: Why was the decision made to bring Aliens back to comics now?

Chris Warner: Aliens has always been a favorite here at the office and still has a strong following, so we thought that the series had been out of the public eye long enough that time was ripe for a relaunch, especially since we now have all the old Dark Horse material back in print with the Aliens Omnibus program.

Westfield: What can you tell us about the creative team for the book and why they were chosen?

Warner: I've known and worked with writer John Arcudi for years, and I think he's one of the best comics writers out there. He really knows what he's doing without being too caught up in continuity minutiae, and since we've worked together in the past (he wrote and I drew the first Dark Horse Terminator series), we know how to communicate creatively. Penciller Zach Howard has really impressed me over the years as someone who brings a lot to the table - he draws incredibly well and has a huge level of passion and commitment to the work. Inker Mark Irwin is someone else I've known for years and always wanted to work with. Great inker, great guy.

Westfield: How much involvement did you have in crafting the story?

Warner: I was involved in putting together some of the big-picture goals we wanted to achieve, and I work with John as he's plotting the books. A suggestion here, a possible plot point there. I try not to ruin John's day with suggestions of giraffe Aliens, ostrich Aliens, and, of course, Whaliens.

Westfield: What can you tell us about the Aliens mini-series?

Warner: The book is going to have more of a horror focus, and we'll be throwing in some new wrinkles into the mythos. Beyond that, I'd rather keep my cards close to the vest. I promise not to cheat, as any cheater would.

Westfield: Are there plans for more Alien books?

Warner: That's the hope. Much depends on how well the readers support the books, obviously.

Westfield: Are there other projects you're working on that you'd like to mention?

Warner: We'll be launching a new Predator series in June, and our Free Comic Books Day offering in May will feature Aliens and Predator stories that lead in to both series. And we'll see an epic Aliens vs Predator series starting late in 2009. Should be a fun year!

Westfield: Any closing comments?

Warner: Aliens, Predator and AVP have been major parts of my creative professional life, and seeing them all come back is personally very gratifying. I'm a huge fan of the films, and it's rare in life when you get to be involved in your dream projects. I feel like I've been handed the keys to Las Vegas.