The Walking Deadis well-known for its harrowing zombie-focused storytelling that constantly puts its characters through the wringer, with an alien invasion being a farfetched idea that series creator Robert Kirkman has only jokingly mentioned being a plausible possibility. But in a new piece of non-canon bonus content,extraterrestrials have invaded the post-apocalyptic world ofThe Walking Dead, showing fans exactly what aliens would have looked like had they become an official part of Rick Grimes’ constant struggle to survive.
Beginning its almost 200-issue run back in 2003,The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard, focused on the rise of the undead and how a ragtag group of survivors, led by theunflappable Rick Grimes, made life worth living in a world gone to hell.
Though series creator Robert Kirkman has joked before about adding aliens to the long list of problems Rick and crew have to deal with daily,a new “Small Bites” story featured inThe Walking Dead Deluxe #110has finally revealed what these extraterrestrial invaders would look likehad they become canon!
Written and drawn by Derek Hunter, this two-page “Small Bites” short takes inspiration from and acts as a new tale set in the parallel reality introduced in the non-canon bonus ending seen at the back of 2010’sThe Walking Dead #75, wherein aliens have invaded Earth. Running with this idea to full comedic effect and featuring Ezekiel,this “Small Bites” story re-introducesWalking Dead’s aliens, with their designs making them look like a bug/crab/humanoid thingcapable of transforming into a hulking brute that allows them to brutally pop human heads and take over the world with ease.
Piggybacking on the original full-color tale featured inThe Walking Dead #75, this story follows Rick after he’s randomly abducted by extraterrestrials revealed to be the cause of the zombie outbreak.ThoughThe Walking Dead #75notably didn’t show any aliens on-panel, eleven years later, in 2021, they were given their proper debutin a new out-of-continuitysequel series titledRick Grimes 2000. Developing five sci-fi-tinged shorts, Kirkman and hisInvincibleartist Ryan Ottley showed Rick as he fought against the invading alien forces, ultimately seeing him prevail with the help of advanced alien tech and hisWalking Deadpals.
They Can Just Barely Get by in the Zombie Apocalypse, However
Using these previous sci-fi tales as inspiration, this “Small Bites” short uses the same alien designs previously seen inRick Grimes 2000, confirming thatwhile the mainlineWalking Deaduniverse doesn’t have aliens, this is exactly what they’d look like should a flying saucer drop out of the skyover Alexandria tomorrow. Although aliens and zombies will never coexist inWalking Deadcontinuity, it’s fun to wonder what would happen if it were beset by hostile alien hordes rather than zombified ones. As seen in this “Small Bites” story, Rick can hold his own by utilizing the alien’s advanced tech.
It’s been proven before Rick and his fellow survivors can hold their own against zombies and humans alike, with an alien invasion being a difficult but not completely unsurmountable situation to overcome. Of course, it took a while for everyone to figure out how to properly handle the undead threat, so as long as Rick and the rest ofWalking Dead’s characterssimilarly use the alien’s own tech against them à laRick Grimes 2000,it’s possible that an in-continuity war between humans and aliens would still end in a hard-fought win for humanity, especially with Rick leading the charge.
While these alien-themed bonus stories aren’t canon,therewasaWalking Deadcomic that put the alien idea into a different context with a comic featuring Rick’s brother, Jeffrey. TitledThe Walking Dead: The Alien, by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin, this one-shot saw Jeffrey in Paris when the zombie apocalypse hit, where he was stranded as the titular “alien” in the country while trying to make it home alive. Unfortunately, aliens will never be a real thing inWalking Dead’s comic continuity, but for fans looking for more sci-fi with their horror,The Walking Deadstill (unofficially) provides.
