Did you know that cinema’s most iconic extraterrestrial hunter has been winning trophies for decades in the pages of the best Predator comics?
Dark Horse Comics, which has owned the rights to Alien and Predator in comics for quite some time now, has published several series and one-shots that are worth your time. Things changed for the first time in a while, with Disney’s takeover of the Fox empire and the opportunity to move both franchises to Marvel (which also owns the House of Mouse). So far, Marvel Comics’ efforts with both series have been interesting to say the least, and you definitely shouldn’t miss the comics that have been released so far.
There have been some sci-fi blockbusters on the big screen recently, with Alien: Romulus being acclaimed for getting things back on track with the Alien series, and 2022’s similarly triumphant Predator film series, Play. It was a victory that followed.
In addition to ranking my 10 favorite Predator comics, I also had to list the best Alien comics of all time. And of course, you should also check out Predator movies ranked and Alien movies ranked.
10. Batman vs. Predator
- Release year: 1991
- Author and artist: Dave Gibbons, Andy and Adam Kubert, Sherilyn Van Valkenburgh
Predator facing off against famous superheroes isn’t a new idea. On top of that, Yautja speciesThere are many crossovers with Xenomorph, and Dark Horse Comics already has collaborations with other universes/publishers. Chief among them, according to most Predator fans and comic book readers, is the original three-issue Batman vs. Predator series written by Dave Gibbons.
DC and Dark Horse’s 1991 collaboration was a huge success, spawning two sequels a few years later. The Predator’s arrival in Gotham City felt so natural that the story almost came together naturally. The galaxy’s greatest hunter faces off against the world’s greatest detective and vigilante? This was a cakewalk for everyone involved.
9. Predator: Captive
- Release year: 1998
- Author and artist: Gordon Rennie, Dean Ormston
Not all famous Predator comics are series. In fact, Predator: Captive remains a fascinating one-shot that shouldn’t be skipped. Written by Gordon Rennie and with art by Dean Ormston, the film swaps the usual dynamics and puts the Predator at a disadvantage. Long story short: This Yautja is captured by a billionaire for research, but what will happen to the humans?
Predator: Captive is a neat little tale of sci-fi horror with a premise that could easily be turned into a tense movie. Additionally, it has a unique art style and has a lot to say in a small number of pages. This is a kind of experiment based on a well-known IP that we would like to make available more often.
8. Predator: 1718
- Release year: 1996
- Author and artist: Henry Gilroy, Igor Cordy
If you’re a big movie fan, Predator: 1718 will immediately appeal to you. At the end of the second, Mike Harrigan receives a flintlock pistol with the year 1718 engraved on the side as a badge of honor from an older Predator. Prey is standardly associated with this little wink that first hints that the Predator has been hunting on Earth for a very long time, but the original comic short story by Henry Gilroy and Igor Cody It remains unwavering even now.
Without giving away any major spoilers, the story is set in Guinea in 1718 and follows pirate captain Rafael Adrini and the Predator who eventually steals his pistol. Of course, the “Predator vs. Pirates” story was a cool concept in itself, but on top of that, it ultimately feels moving and meaningful. There was a lot packed into this book, and it reminded me of how powerful one-shot comics can be.
7. Predator: Nemesis
- Release year: 1997
- Author and artist: Gordon Rennie, Colin McNeill
Predator: Nemesis is another short story (only two issues) that throws the creature into a famous historical era to see what happens. This time, 19th century colonial India and Victorian England are in for a terrifying shock. At the end of the blood trail, Captain Soames discovers a murderer who is not from our world.
In addition to the obvious callbacks to the story of Jack the Ripper, there are surprising elements of myth and legend thrown in for good measure. The result is a compelling two-issue story of fear and intrigue in a setting that no one had originally envisioned for a Predator story. It works, but the story doesn’t unfold as expected.
6. Predator: Primal
- Release year: 1997
- Author and artist: Kevin J. Anderson, Scott Collins, John Lowe, Jimmy Johns, David Nestel, Dave Stewart
Another two-issue comic series you should read is Predator: Primal. This is one of the most basic stories published by Dark Horse, but it has quickly become iconic and is the perfect embodiment of the series’ flexibility. Unfortunately, it’s not about a Predator hunting a group of primitive humans, but it’s a great time regardless.
Written by Kevin J. Anderson, this piece pits the Predator against one of the planet’s apex predators, the angry mama grizzly bear, during Alaska’s hunting season. Also included in the mix is a lone forest ranger and a fire spiraling out of control. It’s tight, explosive, and raw in a different way than most Predator comic books.
5. Alien vs. Predator: The Most Dangerous Species
- Release year: 1993
- Author and artist: Chris Claremont, Jackson Geis, Eduardo Barreto, John Beatty, Gregory Wright
We think the Predator IP benefits from crossover much more than Alien. This is probably because the core premise behind the Predator series is so simple and easy to understand. That’s why several Alien vs. Predator crossovers are arguably some of the best Predator comics of all time, and Deadliest of the Species remains a must-read.
The 12-issue series, written by none other than Chris Claremont, takes place after the events of Aliens: Outbreak and its sequel, after Earth is overrun by aliens and later freed. Much has changed for humanity, and the story follows genetically engineered “trophy wife” Karin Delacroix as she uncovers her past and surprising connections to both Yautja and Xenomorphs.
Deadliest of the Species has everything you want from an AvP comic book, plus an amazing storyline with some crazy twists, and even a story about the woman known as “Big Mama.” The Predator (really) also makes an appearance.
4. Predator: Fire and Stone
- Release year: 2014
- Author and artist: Joshua Williamson, Chris Mooneyham, John Lucas, Dan Brown
From 2014 to 2015, Dark Horse worked on a very ambitious crossover event involving four separate series: Predator, Alien, Prometheus, and AvP, all subtitled “Fire and Stone.” All in all, it was another big Alien vs. Predator event with everything longtime fans have come to expect. However, the addition of the Prometheus Engineers in conjunction with the Xenomorphs (and all the new on-screen lore that comes with them) added quite a bit of spice.
All four series are worth reading, but it was Predator: Fire and Stone that caused the biggest celebration towards its conclusion. The addition of the mysterious Engineer to the film canon makes the interconnected world of AvP comics even more unpredictable and dangerous, and the comic series capitalizes on the potential for a showdown between the Predator and the Engineer. did.
3. Alien vs. Predator
- Release year: 1990
- Author and artist: Randy Stradley, Phil Norwood, Chris Warner, Carl Storey, Robert Campanella
The original Alien vs. Predator five-issue comic series mixed both sci-fi horror icons surprisingly well, opening up a whole new world of (and bloody) crossover possibilities. The original story arc perfectly encapsulates all the excitement and amazingly logical world-building that came from combining the two IPs, making it a must-read for fans of these two creatures even today. I am.
The main character is Machiko Noguchiquickly becoming a fan-favorite heroine and eventually an icon, also starring in Alien vs. Predator: War and World War III. This story was almost made into a movie years before Paul W.S. Anderson picked up the concept. It remains to be seen whether Disney and 20th Century Studios will consider a return to crossover work on the big screen, but it’s possible they’ll look to comic books like this one (and some killer video games) for inspiration. I just hope it comes. .
2. Predator: Bad Blood
- Release year: 1993
- Author and artist: Evan Dorkin, Derek Thompson, Chris Warner, Keith Aiken, Chris Challenor
Born from a short story, Predator: Bad Blood dealt with a simple premise that would have a major impact on the series. That means there are “bad” predators and “good” predators. Sure, even “good humans” sometimes hunt dangerous humans for sport, but what happens when some of the species simply goes rogue and commits reckless murder?
It’s a bit of a problem for everyone involved, and Bad Blood featured a psychotic Predator who goes on a genocidal rampage through New Jersey before being cornered by another Predator. The CIA is also involved, there’s plenty of carnage to witness, and a clash between two extraterrestrials doesn’t disappoint. The concept of “bad blood” quickly became a big part of the Predator canon, and 2018’s The Predator incorporated it (in its own way) as the backbone of its entire plot.
1. Predator: Concrete Jungle
- Release year: 1989
- Author and artist: Mark Verheiden, Chris Warner, Ron Randall, Sam de la Rosa, Randy Emberlin, Chris Challenor
Predator: Concrete Jungle, originally titled simply Predator, was Dark Horse’s first foray into the series. In our humble opinion, even after all these years, it remains the best Predator comic series ever published. All four issues, it’s well-paced, looks great, and respects the original film while solidly expanding on the canon as an alternative to everything that’s come to the big screen since then.
Like the original Alien comics associated with James Cameron’s masterpiece, Predator: Concrete Jungle was intended to serve as a sequel to the original 1987 film. it’s a star Alan “Dutch” SchaeferThe protagonist of the original sci-fi action/horror film, now a police officer facing off against a new Predator in an urban environment. Two direct sequels followed, Predator: Cold War and Dark River. Of course, this also influences the basic plot of Predator 2, which shares its name with Overlooked. 2005 video games Developed by Eurocom.
