Q: Why do you do this site?

A: Click here!

Q: Where can I buy a Pulse Rifle replica?

A: We've devoted a whole page to answer that very question. On the Pulse Rifle page of course!

Q: Where can I buy a Motion Tracker replica?

A: We don't know of anyone who currently has any kits for sale, but we've created an online Motion Tracker Construction Guide for those of you looking to build your own. Completed replicas were made by Master Replicas in 2005, and can be usually be found on eBay.

Q: What color were the Pulse Rifles, Motion Tracker and other Marine equipment painted?

A: Humbrol (UK) Brown Bess.

Q: What is [insert item here] worth?

A: The best answer to this question I've ever come across was written by Steve Sansweet, director of fan relations at Lucasfilm when asked the same question about Star Wars collectibles. Here's what he had to say in issue number 97 of Star Wars Insider:

"What a collectible is "worth" is really the price that another person is willing to pay you for it. And the very best way to get up-to-the-minute information like that is to go to eBay.com, enter [collectible name here], and you'll see what owners are trying to sell them for. Then click on "advanced search" and check the box "complete auctions only" to see what they actually sold for."

Q: Will you sell me [item]? Can I order [item] from you? Where can I get [item]?

A: As stated on the about page, we'd love to turn this site into some sort of online catalog, but that's just not practical for us. Aside from that, a vast majority of Aliens related merchandise is comprised of items that aren't always readily available - and in some cases, close to 30 years old. For us, alienscollection.com is just a hobby, not an obsession (at least that's what we keep telling ourselves) and we feel if we turn it into a catalog, it becomes profit oriented, which is not our motivation for maintaining it. The information on this site has always been, and will continue to be, a free tool for collectors and fans around the world.

So, how do you find that item you're dying to have? First, please try the shop page. We've worked incredibly hard to comprise a vast list of retailers to help you in your hunt. But please note, you may not always see Aliens items listed on some respective websites, but it always helps to email the site operators and ask if they carry a certain item. For example, we get weekly requests for replica patches from the films. Comet Miniatures carries them, but they don't list them on their site. Emailing is really the key to finding what you're looking for. (And for the record, Patch Geek has them as well.)

Secondly, try several of the more popular online auctions. You'd be amazed how many "rare" items can be found there (some at an amazing bargain).

Third, try posting a message on one of the several message boards we have linked to. Other collectors are always the best resource.

Finally, feel free to contact us and we'll do our best to steer you in the right direction.

Q: How much of the stuff listed here do you actually own?

A: Much less than you think. Our collection of Aliens goodies consists mainly of the items we think are really neat and cool. No one here is a completist, nor do we have any desire to be. Our main goal as collectors is not to collect, but to make this site as complete, helpful, and resourceful as it can be. We consider ourselves much more like catalogers then collectors.

Q: Where did all props from the films go, and where can I buy some?

A: Props, props, props. Everyone wants props (present company included) but the truth is that authentic ones are becoming a lot harder to come by, especially as the years after the films were made go on. As the first three films were made in the UK, most of the artifacts were either kept by people who worked on the films, or found their way into the hands of private collectors (by way of personal contacts and several memorabillia auctions in the UK).

At the completion of principle photography, director Ridley Scott had several key items and uniquely identifiable props destroyed to prevent them from manifesting in subsequent productions. A few pieces did survive, and while some were retained by various crew members, there were some Alien eggs, Warrior suits and Nostromo Crew items that found their way to auction houses and some lucky collectors.

When Aliens finished production, director James Cameron gave several of the key models from the film to his friend and film archivist Bob Burns (including the Sulaco model, one of the Dropship models, and even the original Derelict model from Alien). One of the other Dropship models was retained by the Skotaks, and a severely damaged one is making it's way around a few Planet Hollywood restaurants.

Since everyone always asks, yes, one of the hero Pulse Rifles featured so prominatly in the film is on display at Lightstorm Entertainment (as well as the rebuilt powerloader miniature), and another well used one is still retained by the original armourer, Bapty Firearms. The Smart Guns were decommissioned after filming and returned into their original components. One has been restored from it's previous components and is now on display at The Prop Store of London.

In the early nineties, Planet Hollywood funded a trip to an storage unit at a London area airport in exchange for the right to display several film artifacts in it's eateries. In addition to replicas of the Alien Queen and several Alien Warriors, they have on display a full size Powerloader, Private Frost's (Ricco Ross) Colonial Marine Armor, and a Nostromo crew space suit from Alien, and more.

When Alien War came to be in London, several props from the airport locker were placed on display there. When they closed their doors, the props were scattered and sold into the hands of collectors. By the mid nineties, Fox had established the 20th Century Fox archives under archivist Alan Adler to preserve and exhibit props and costumes from their films. A large number of props from Alien Resurrection were retained by the studio for this purpose and were recently featured in Japan as part of Fox's Hollywood SFX Exhibition. Recently, several props from the series were featured at Fox Studios Australia's Hall of Cool Stuff. There are also some original artifacts and amazing replicas on display in Japan at the Hollywood Collector's Gallery

Where can you get some? Not an easy question to answer, some occasionaly appear on auction sites, but with the popularity of film artifacts being what they are, some items are often difficult to authenticate. Always excercise caution when buying anything online, especially items as rare (and sometime easily forged) as these. While alienscollection.com has a small section devoted to props, there are two websites out there that do a much better job than we can. First is The Harry Harris Aliens Collection & Archive where you'll see one amazing collection, and second is the Aliens Archive, an excellent site full of useful information.

Q: Where can I get the Alien Zippo lighters, or the Aliens Watch from Fossil Japan?

A: Try here. For those really rare and unique items released in Japan, we suggest finding an online sci-fi company based there and asking them if they can help you find what you're looking for. You'd be amazed at the amount of Japan only items that have been popping up lately.

Q: Where can I get the Clear Brown Alien Ressurection Alien Warrior action figure from Japan?

A: We've been told this was sold only by a mail order lottery and extremely limited. If we find a source it will be posted on the news page.

Q: What's the REAL story with Kenner's original 18" Alien Warrior?

A: As the legend goes, parents protested and had the item pulled from store shelves. We've been told from those who remember that it simply didn't sell well (i.e. parents just refused to buy it) so it ended up being sold off in clearance bins for as little as $5.00. In either case, it is still one of the most highly sought after action figures in the world. In the 1980's Tsukuda (Japan) did make their own figure as part of their "Jumbo Hobby Figure" series that was quite similar. A decade later they made a new version (different sculpt) that was the first in a series of pre-painted Alien Warriors from all 4 films.

Q: Where can I buy a replica of Frost's "Peace Through Superior Firepower" t-shirt?

A: Try here and/or here.

Q: Where can I buy a replica USCM patchs?

A: Try Patch Geeks.