Cowboys & Aliens
Encyclopedia
Cowboys & Aliens is a 100-page Platinum Studios
2006 graphic novel
created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg
and written by Fred Van Lente
and Andrew Foley, with illustrator Dennis Calero
and penciler Luciano Lima.
, to work at a silver mine. They are ambushed by Apache Indians in the desert and the two groups witness the crash-landing of an alien spaceship. Its inhabitants, led by Commander Rado Dar, exterminate some of the Indians, allowing Zeke and Verity to escape, as the aliens set out to conquer the planet Earth. While the aliens regroup and destroy a nearby fort, Zeke and Verity arrive at Silver City with the settlers, only to discover that, aside from a handyman named Alan Cross (the original founder and mayor of the city), most of the town's inhabitants left after it was discovered that the silver mines were empty.
The cowboys are attacked by aliens riding in flying motorcycle-like vehicles and are chased to a cliff, where they are rescued by Apache Indians led by Chief Medicine Crow and the warrior Warhawk, who ambush the aliens. The two groups decide to join forces in order to defeat the aliens, and scavenge the fallen ones for weapons. Zeke steals a microwave-emitting pistol, Verity steals an energy whip, Warhawk steals X-Ray goggles and the other Indians steal explosives that they attach to their arrows. A blacksmith uses the scraps of the motorcycles to forge anti-gravity horseshoes that allow the Indians to ride on flying horses.
The humans also receive the assistance of Commander Dar's assistant, Ra Chak Kai, who has switched sides and falls in love with Zeke. She reveals that the aliens (who call themselves The Caste) have taken over Silver City and are building a communication device that will allow them to call in troops from their homeworld to enslave the entire Earth. Verity and Warhawk also fall in love. Cross offers to lead a decoy group on a frontal attack against the aliens, allowing a second group led by Zeke to infiltrate the city through the empty silver mines and attack. Cross betrays them, in hopes of being spared by the aliens. The humans are captured, including Cross, who, despite his treachery, is thrown in with the other human prisoners and is killed by Verity. The captured humans are set for execution at dawn, just as the beacon is about to send its transmission, but the rest of the Indians arrive on their flying horses and defeat most of the aliens. Zeke and Kai kill Commander Dar while Verity and Warhawk deal with his second-in-command and destroying the aliens' communications tower. As the humans celebrate their victory, Kai is secretly revealed to be part of a race of shapeshifting aliens that have organized a resistance against the Caste warlords. For their bravery, the humans are added to the list of races with the strength needed to stand against the Caste.
directed the screen adaptation from Universal
and DreamWorks
of the comic, starring Daniel Craig
, Harrison Ford
, Olivia Wilde
, Sam Rockwell
, Noah Ringer
, Paul Dano
, Ana de la Reguera
, and Clancy Brown
. The film was produced by Ron Howard
, Brian Grazer
, writers Alex Kurtzman
and Roberto Orci
, and Platinum Studios
's CEO and creator of the graphic novel, Scott Mitchell Rosenberg
. Zeke Johnson's name was changed to Jake Lonergan in the film.
The film was released on July 29, 2011.
Platinum Studios
Platinum Studios, Inc. is a publicly traded media company based in the United States. It controls a large independent library of comic book characters, which it seeks to adapt, produce, and license for all forms of media including print, film, online, mobile / wireless, gaming, and merchandising...
2006 graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg
Scott Mitchell Rosenberg
Scott Mitchell Rosenberg is a film, television producer, comic book publisher, and the chairman of Platinum Studios, an entertainment company that controls a large independent library of comic book characters and adapts them for film, television and other media...
and written by Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente is an American writer, primarily of comic books and graphic novels.-Career:Van Lente is the co-founder, along with artist Ryan Dunlavey, of Evil Twin Comics, which produces his and Dunlavey’s non-fiction comic books, the first and most famous of which is Action Philosophers.Recent...
and Andrew Foley, with illustrator Dennis Calero
Dennis Calero
Dennis Calero is a American comic book artist and illustrator, known for his work on titles such as X Factor, Legion of Superheroes and Kolchak.-Career:...
and penciler Luciano Lima.
Publication history
Plot synopsis
In 1873, gunslingers Zeke Jackson and Verity Jones are hired to protect a caravan that is heading to Silver City, ArizonaArizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
, to work at a silver mine. They are ambushed by Apache Indians in the desert and the two groups witness the crash-landing of an alien spaceship. Its inhabitants, led by Commander Rado Dar, exterminate some of the Indians, allowing Zeke and Verity to escape, as the aliens set out to conquer the planet Earth. While the aliens regroup and destroy a nearby fort, Zeke and Verity arrive at Silver City with the settlers, only to discover that, aside from a handyman named Alan Cross (the original founder and mayor of the city), most of the town's inhabitants left after it was discovered that the silver mines were empty.
The cowboys are attacked by aliens riding in flying motorcycle-like vehicles and are chased to a cliff, where they are rescued by Apache Indians led by Chief Medicine Crow and the warrior Warhawk, who ambush the aliens. The two groups decide to join forces in order to defeat the aliens, and scavenge the fallen ones for weapons. Zeke steals a microwave-emitting pistol, Verity steals an energy whip, Warhawk steals X-Ray goggles and the other Indians steal explosives that they attach to their arrows. A blacksmith uses the scraps of the motorcycles to forge anti-gravity horseshoes that allow the Indians to ride on flying horses.
The humans also receive the assistance of Commander Dar's assistant, Ra Chak Kai, who has switched sides and falls in love with Zeke. She reveals that the aliens (who call themselves The Caste) have taken over Silver City and are building a communication device that will allow them to call in troops from their homeworld to enslave the entire Earth. Verity and Warhawk also fall in love. Cross offers to lead a decoy group on a frontal attack against the aliens, allowing a second group led by Zeke to infiltrate the city through the empty silver mines and attack. Cross betrays them, in hopes of being spared by the aliens. The humans are captured, including Cross, who, despite his treachery, is thrown in with the other human prisoners and is killed by Verity. The captured humans are set for execution at dawn, just as the beacon is about to send its transmission, but the rest of the Indians arrive on their flying horses and defeat most of the aliens. Zeke and Kai kill Commander Dar while Verity and Warhawk deal with his second-in-command and destroying the aliens' communications tower. As the humans celebrate their victory, Kai is secretly revealed to be part of a race of shapeshifting aliens that have organized a resistance against the Caste warlords. For their bravery, the humans are added to the list of races with the strength needed to stand against the Caste.
Film adaptation
Jon FavreauJon Favreau
Jonathan Kolia "Jon" Favreau is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and comedian. As an actor, he is best known for his roles in Rudy, Swingers , Very Bad Things, and The Break-Up. His notable directorial efforts include Elf, Iron Man and its sequel, and Cowboys & Aliens...
directed the screen adaptation from Universal
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
and DreamWorks
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
of the comic, starring Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig
Daniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. His early film roles include Elizabeth, The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert...
, Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
, Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde is an American actress and fashion model. She began acting in the early 2000s, and has since appeared in a number of film and television parts, including roles in the serial-drama The O.C. and The Black Donnellys. She portrayed Dr...
, Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell is an American actor known for his leading roles in Lawn Dogs, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Choke and Moon, as well as for his supporting roles in The Green Mile, Iron Man 2, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Frost/Nixon, Galaxy Quest, Matchstick Men, The Assassination of...
, Noah Ringer
Noah Ringer
Noah Andrew Ringer is an American teen actor of American Indian heritage and a martial arts practitioner. He starred as Aang in the 2010 film The Last Airbender and played Emmett in Cowboys & Aliens.-Life and career:...
, Paul Dano
Paul Dano
Paul Franklin Dano is an American actor and producer. He has appeared in films such as L.I.E. , The Girl Next Door , Little Miss Sunshine , There Will Be Blood , and Where the Wild Things Are .-Early life:Dano was born in New York City, the son of Gladys and Paul Dano...
, Ana de la Reguera
Ana de la Reguera
Anabell Gardoqui "Ana" de la Reguera is a Mexican actress who has starred in telenovelas, films and the HBO television series Eastbound & Down.-Early life:...
, and Clancy Brown
Clancy Brown
Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
. The film was produced by Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
, Brian Grazer
Brian Grazer
Brian Thomas Grazer is an Academy Award-winning American film and television producer who co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. Together they have produced many acclaimed films, including Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind .- Career :Brian Grazer began his career as a producer...
, writers Alex Kurtzman
Alex Kurtzman
Alex Kurtzman is an American film and television screenwriter and producer.Kurtzman was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where he met his high school friend and long time collaborator Roberto Orci...
and Roberto Orci
Roberto Orci
Roberto Gaston Orci is a Mexican-American film producer, television producer, and screenwriter.-Biography:Orci was born in Mexico City to a Mexican father and a Cuban mother. His mother had left Cuba for Mexico after Fidel Castro came to power. He is the older brother of screenwriter-producer J....
, and Platinum Studios
Platinum Studios
Platinum Studios, Inc. is a publicly traded media company based in the United States. It controls a large independent library of comic book characters, which it seeks to adapt, produce, and license for all forms of media including print, film, online, mobile / wireless, gaming, and merchandising...
's CEO and creator of the graphic novel, Scott Mitchell Rosenberg
Scott Mitchell Rosenberg
Scott Mitchell Rosenberg is a film, television producer, comic book publisher, and the chairman of Platinum Studios, an entertainment company that controls a large independent library of comic book characters and adapts them for film, television and other media...
. Zeke Johnson's name was changed to Jake Lonergan in the film.
The film was released on July 29, 2011.
Webcomic sequel
Cowboys and Aliens: Worlds at War (or Cowboys & Aliens II) is a 2007 online-only extension of the graphic novel. It is written by Alana Joli Abbott.See also
- GunplayGunplay (comics)Gunplay is a graphic novel, written by Jorge Vega, with art by Dominic Vivona. It was published by Platinum Studios in 2008.-Publication history:Jorge was the winner of the 2007 Platinum Studios Comic Book challenge, besting over 2 million submissions....
(2008) - Science fiction WesternScience fiction WesternA science fiction Western is a work of fiction which has elements of science fiction in a Western setting. It is different from a Space Western, which is a frontier story indicative of American Westerns, except transposed to a backdrop of space exploration and settlement.A science fiction Western...
- Weird WestWeird WestWeird West is used to describe a combination of the Western with another literary genre, usually horror, occult, or fantasy.DC's Weird Western Tales appeared in the early 1970s and the weird Western was further popularized by Joe R...
- List of Native American superheroes
External links
- Cowboys & Aliens info at Blue Corn Comics
- Cowboys & Aliens News at Comics2Film
- Local graphic novelist generating big buzz, Edmonton SunEdmonton SunThe Edmonton Sun is a daily newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is a division of Sun Media, a Quebecor company.It began publishing in 1978 and shares many characteristics typical of Sun Media tabloids, including an emphasis on local news stories, its conservative editorial stance,...
, September 7, 2009 - Noah Ringer casted in Cowboys & Aliens? - Variety