This year’s Alien Day will see the release of the fourth and final Alien Day sneaker collab between Reebok and the popular sci-fi horror franchise.
Launching on April 26th, the limited-edition shoes, dubbed as the U.S.C.M. Bug Stomper, are inspired by the U.S. Colonial Marines’ main dropship in the 1986 movie Aliens, and pay homage to the film’s protagonist William Hudson, played by Bill Paxton.
While these kicks may seem like a typical pair of beige shoes with rear camouflage graphics at first glance, a closer look to the sneakers will reveal that they’re actually packed with franchise-specific details for die-hard Alien fans.
Featuring a textured black neoprene base layer ensconced in a tan ballistic textile shell, the U.S.C.M. Bug Stomper is secured by two Velcro straps, with the larger one having a Reebok logo design. But instead of the Union Jack window box branding that usually comes with it, the footwear insignia is followed by a yellow “W” logo of Weyland Yutani, a powerful multinational conglomerate in the Alien franchise.
The desert camouflage print on the shoe’s heel and collar is an exact replica of the special camouflage pattern designed for the U.S.C.M.’s fatigues in the film. The right heel also has a cartoon-y “Eyes on Your Back” graphic, which is a nod to the image found in the back-right shoulder of Hudson’s body armor in the movie.
Another nod to Hudson’s body armor is the phrase “Contents Under Pressure” printed on the back of the right forefoot’s strap. The left forefoot’s strap, meanwhile, conceals a QR code that can be used to unlock exclusive access to the Alien Universe microsite, featuring unreleased content from the forthcoming books like Titan’s The Making of Aliens and Dark Horse Comics’ Alien The Original Screenplay.
Additionally, the sneakers’ tactile molded neoprene booties feature replica patches of U.S.S. Sulaco and U.S.C.M. Screaming Eagle. The left and right sockliners, meanwhile, are decorated with a “Death or Glory” skull and Weyland Yutani Corp logo with a soldier number, respectively. Completing the footwear’s military look are transparent hangtags similar to U.S.C.M. dog tags in the film. Priced at $220, these sneakers come packaged in an iridescent box with a futuristic camouflage print.
Aside from the U.S.C.M. Bug Stomper, Reebok collection for this year’s Alien Day also includes two apparel items: a black short-sleeved tee that features a huge alien graphic, and a white long-sleeve tee that combines Reebok vector logos with various Alien motifs on the sleeves.
The U.S.C.M. Bug Stomper, along with the two tees, will go live on Reebok.com on Sunday, April 26th at 10 a.m. ET. Since only a few units will be available, the shoes are expected to sell out fast.