“Aliens vs Avengers” #1 said that, when the Xenomorphs came for Krakoa, most of the mutants took the island’s portal network to Mars (claimed by mutants as the planet Arrako). However, Apocalypse stayed behind to hold back the aliens; he’d either prove himself fitter than the horde or die trying.
Issue #3 suggests it may not be so simple; evil geneticist Mister Sinister also remained behind in his Krakoan base, “Bar Sinister,” and is doing well for himself. Sinister is the twisted scientist of X-Men villains, most infamous for creating Jean Grey’s clone Madelyne Pryor.
The character truly came into his own, though, under writer Kieron Gillen’s pen in the 2011 “Uncanny X-Men” relaunch. Gillen, deciding Sinister is the ultimate narcissist, depicted him as keeping many clones of himself. Not just as back-up bodies, but as whole “Sinister” communities.
Krakoa-era “X-Men” writers (Hickman, Zeb Wells in “Hellions,” and ultimately Gillen again in “Immortal X-Men”) ran with this and redefined Sinister as less Dracula, more Bond villain. He’s innately an over-the-top character, so modern X-Men comics write him as if RuPaul was a super-villain. He balances out the camp by being an absolute bastard worthy of his adopted name; he’ll backstab anyone, even himself, and smile as he does it.
Now, Bar Sinister is home only to Mister Sinister clones, who have naturally taken an interest in the aliens to rival Ash’s (Ian Holm) admiration.
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The lead Sinister declares the Xenomorphs are the ultimate manifestation of his goals; killing machines that also preserve the DNA of their victims. (Remember, a facehugger needs a host to implant an egg for gestation.) Sinister has long been obsessed with cataloguing mutant DNA — and he’s holding several X-Men captive.
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Then, some “visitors” (certainly the Engineers) pop by. Will they have any patience for Sinister, or is he in over his head playing with the fire of the gods?
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“Aliens vs Avengers” #3 is scheduled for print and digital release on February 19, 2025.