Predator: Life and Death #1

Darkhorse Comics

Writer: Dan Abnett

Artist: Brian Thies

Colorist: Rain Beredo

Cover Artist: David Palumbo

I’ve always loved the Alien vs. Predator dynamic. It took two of the most badass character and threw them together like a child playing with his action figures…except with more blood and gore. The first edition of this new miniseries seems like it’s going to follow that same vein the AVP universe has created. The story starts with a Weyland-Yutani rep being assigned to a squadron of colonial space marines that are to provide support for a seemly simple mission. It’s material that has been tread before, but is effective at setting the stage. Upon landing on Tartarus, a Weyland-Yutani owned planet, the squadron discovers an alien craft similar to that seen in Prometheus. I personally enjoyed Prometheus so it’s an exciting premise, but some people may not appreciate bringing Prometheus lore into AVP proper. In typical fashion of the genre, things aren’t as simple as initially represented and the situation goes south fast.

The initial issue sets the stage for the next three issues within the mini series and is heavy on set up, but there is some awesome Predator action to make readers squeal with delight. The artwork within the book reminded me of the Alien movies, and as I read it I felt like I was watching a 80-90 era Alien/Predator film. My mind was able to buy into this setting so much that I could practically hear the crescendo of string instruments when something bad happened as if I was watching the film. It was very nostalgic for me.

Although the plot is very paint by the numbers, I enjoyed the first issue and am excited for what will happen next. The story also has the Predator show up and wreck stuff, which is all I ever want from these types of books. I’m a simpleton that enjoys sci-fi violence, what can I say. Regardless, I’ll be looking forward to the next issue to see what happens next.

Pick up Predator: Life and Death #1 on 3/2/16