What they say about Aa11
And you say you're surprised?
You Must Read This 'Alien' Graphic Novel Written in 1979 | Peter Hall - Movies.com
As we all know, 32 years ago saw the release of Ridley Scott's ground-breaking sci-fi film Alien. What very few of us know, however, is that it also saw the release of a super underground graphic novel for the film. And that's understandable, because the reason it's super underground is because it was written by an 11-year-old that couldn't see the movie.
The kid in question is John White, an artist that, like many of us, was in love with science fiction as a kid. At age 11, White became obsessed with Alien; not after seeing Scott's film, but after reading Alan Dean Foster's novelization. He then set out to make his own comic book based on what he read. The result is all kinds of incredible.
As if this level of fandom weren't already lovely enough on its own, what makes it all the more special is that White hadn't actually seen any images from the film. He drew everything based on Foster's description combined with a vague memory of seeing the cover of a book containing a glimpse of H.R. Giger's style. From there, magic was made.
Oh, and if you like Alien Age 11, you should check out its prequel, Star Wars Age 9."
"Today John has two one-of-a-kind websites, one focusing on a 200-page comic book he wrote as a kid adapting Star Wars to comic book form in Star Wars: Age 9, and the other adapting Alien to comic book form in Alien: Age 11. Before you brush off the idea as “yeah, my kid does stuff like that” actually take a look at John’s knowledge and talent with layout, color, and design at such a young age (...)
John has also filled in the gaps as a grown-up with new work and his new work could easily be found in the pages of today’s DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse, etc. He was good then and his work is great now.
I will only say this–if one of our readers in the comic book publishing industry (say, at Dark Horse or Dynamite) sees these pages and signs John, I just want credit for putting you both together. I know I’ll be buying his first book. John’s spark was ignited at 9 years old."
C.J. Bunce, Editor - borg.com
"I can attest to simultaneous joy/shame of discovering this sort of relic, sharing it with the world, and never, ever being able to take it back."
Laura Hudson - comicsalliance.com
"(...) it let loose torrent of memories of being a comic nerd in the nether-years. (...)
The site itself features scans of the comic, as well as information on the creation, some entertaining comments, and background info on the film that really makes it worth reading. (...)
Needless to say, the art (in Star Wars age 9) might not be the greatest, but there is still some considerable charm to it. Considering the age and relative isolation of the young boy in question I would call it amazing"Dave Dempsey - fm4
"The result is a bit of inspired goofiness that's surprisingly fun. It's the kind of unintentional manic comedy that only a child could create (which is awesome, obviously)."
Hubert Vigillia - FLIXIST
"Few adaptations are as raw, personal, and primal as this work by John I. White: an eleven-year-old's graphic novel based on Ridley Scott's "Alien."
Tom Blunt - Word & Film.com
"If you were an 11 year old boy who had (quite rightly) never seen the film Alien but nonetheless decided you wanted to draw a comic book version of it, this is EXACTLY what that comic would be. Amazing, and actually loads better than you would expect."
Matt Muir - Hill+Knowlton
"The year is 1979. You will remember it (...) as the year in which Alien, came out (...). Moreover, 1979 is also the year in which Alien: age 11 was born. What is it, you might wonder? It's the comic inspired by the film (...), designed/drawn by a kid age 11. Who, moreover, hadn't even seen the film. And why should we care, you might wonder? It happens that that comic (called a graphic novel, without any shame) has today regained the glory and fame it deserves, having been transformed into a webcomic. We thought you would have been happy to know."
Gabriele Bianchi, Nerd News - everyeye.it (Italia)
"Holy Awesome! I want the entire movie collected into a black leather-bound hardcover with gold embossing!"
"(He posts) the art work he did as a child for famous Sci Fi pictures; that, get this, he hadn’t seen up to that point. It’s a lot of conjecture; hilarious misspellings, and artwork a lot better than he gives his young self credit for.
Either way the comedic gold is in the commentary. His takes on pop culture and his own percieved young inabilities is the stuff hilarious dreams are made of."
Anthony Cisneros - Life is Horrible . com
Reviews!
"You must read this - It's super-underground - it's all kinds of incredible - magic was made."
Peter Hall - Movies.com
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