Look at the Archie Metroid comic that could have been

Metroid was once considered for the Archie Comics treatment. Steven Butler, best known for his work on the company’s Sonic the Hedgehog line, posted several pieces of concept art showing a Western-style take on Nintendo’s classic action franchise, which didn’t make it much farther.

“Some Metroid concept art done for Archie Comics about 6 or so years ago,” when they were wanting to do another licensed video-game comic,” Butler wrote on his public Facebook page. That would place these around the release of Metroid: Other M, which explains the characters seen in the illustrations.

Steven Butler Studios/Facebook

Each of Butler’s drawings feature galactic bounty hunter Samus Aran in her iconic power suit, either alone or fending off Ridley, save for one. A sheet of Samus in various poses shows not only Zero Suit Samus, but the version of the character specifically from Metroid: Other M. She’s got the same headset and shaggier hairstyle featured prominently the Wii game, which launched in 2010.

Steven Butler Studios/Facebook

Butler said that Archie Comics decided to go with a comic based on Mega Man instead of Metroid, so these drawings are all we have of what the book could have been. Just as we continue to wish for another Metroid game starring Samus Aran — something we haven’t seen since Other M — we’ll hold out hope that Metroid gets the graphic novel treatment one of these days.