Following the successful and popular Predator vs. Wolverine series, Marvel Comics has announced that the next Predator series will see our favourite luminescent blooded extra-terrestrial hunter go up against the guardian of Wakanda, the Black Panther himself!
Predator vs. Wolverine scribe Benjamin Percy is returning to pen the Predator’s second crossover with a Marvel superhero. Speaking to io9, the Percy spoke about the success of the previous crossover and why the Predator was now heading to Wakanda.
I put all of my creative poison into Predator vs. Wolverine, so it was extremely gratifying to see the reader and retailer response—for the floppies and for the collected trade. The strong sales encouraged the idea of expanding the storyline. If the first installment was about the hunt for a man, it made sense to elevate the stakes and make this book about the battle for a kingdom. There are a number of reasons that Black Panther makes for a great adversary and Wakanda makes for great stage (including the fact that the perimeter shield, when locked down, creates a hunting preserve). But then you throw vibranium into the mix, and you’ve got a really interesting (and fresh) Predator narrative. The Yautja covet their weapons and trophies—and the kingdom’s vast stores of this rare cosmic metal would be impossible to resist.
While Percy is naturally keeping the details of the story close to his chest, he did reveal that Predator vs. Black Panther would include some form of Predator royalty:
What’s the Black Panther story people are most familiar with? The battle over the throne between T’Challa and Killmonger. I’m channeling something similar to that here—except on a cosmic scale. This Predator King has two sons who are at war with one another. Vibranium might be the weapon that determines their claim.
Joining Benjamin Percy will be Chris Allen on the interior artwork, making his Predator series debut. You can check out an example of his artwork from the series below.
The first issue of Predator vs. Black Panther is currently slated to hit comic book stores August 21st! The trade paperback for Predator vs. Wolverine is also currently out and you can snag a copy from Amazon (US/UK).
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I don't agree when people say that they're aim dodging. If anything, John Schaefer, who has had multiple encounters with them has stated and this might be verbatim: "Those things are fast enough to dodge bullets, if they see them coming, and even if you hit them, they're damn near bullet proof."
There's quite a few instances in the comics, and even the novels where they've dodged bullets after they've been fired. One which comes to mind is Cold War, and they've even been stated to be fast enough to attack faster than the human eye can comprehend.
South China Sea (which I haven't even read) had the CRAZIEST Predator but I found this in a Predator Feats thread elsewhere.
"Although the creature's reflexes were so freakishly fast that Gustat doubted it, not without a headshot sans helmet."
Sounds about right.
They're an alien race, not one individual
On top of that, they've been handled by different writers over decades
One of the weakest portrayals is probably Falconer getting mutual-killed against the Yakuza man in Predators
Some of the strongest portrayals are in some of the novels and comics (and sometimes specific to certain predator individuals), where they display at least high-level aim-dodging against modern human firearms and it's implied you need to spray them with depleted uranium rounds to put them down effectively.
A writer could easily low ball or high ball the predators' power level to fit the story, or do something in between like have an elite predator performing on a much higher level than novice or average preds. To some extent, you could adjust the aliens' power level similarly.
JH was dodging minigun fire in the first film. They can shoot fast as 2,850 feet per second and there were enough rounds to make a clearing in that jungle. There is no way one any human can dodge that in a few yards, and even he was grazed despite successfully escaping.
I guess he wants to treat it as soft canon, which doesn't seem to contradict anything before so I guess its there for those who want it:
I remember, I have the comic, it's boxed up somewhere but I have it.
Also Predators were able to dodge bullets, if they saw them coming. Hell, in AVP: Thrill of the Hunt, the Young Blood Predator was running towards gatling firing and dodged most of the rounds taking only one in the shoulder as he was going towards it.
Comic book feats are weird.
Well, yeah but it seems like they're going with the prep-time route ala Batman Prep.
The suit, as near impervious as it is, can be cut-- but only along the grain of the fabric/material. Though whether or not a Predator can do that... remains to be seen.
I don't know. With, Marvel Predators, I really don't know.
but I do know Dark Horse Predators were insanely durable. In Hell Come A Walkin', one Predator tanked a civil war era cannon. And in Dark River, another survived a near point blank proximity explosion from a rocket launcher, and only came away with a broken mandible.
Doubt Marvel's Predators are that durable like DH's Predators.
And wouldn't Black Panther be able to kill a Predator with one punch anyway? No need to super charge him.
As if his suit wasn't OP enough already.
https://screenrant.com/predator-vs-black-panther-miniseries-new-vibranium-armor/
I'm thinking if they put him up against Kraven (his most logical matchup), he might actually be in with a chance to win, as much as I like Kraven, Marvel seem to consider the character a D-lister, (they even killed him off in the recent disappointing Spider-Man sequel game) especially with Sony's upcoming movie inevitably doing significant damage to him and reducing him to a lolcow in the same vain as his Morb-ier counterpart.
Crossovers generally aren't canon. There are a few exceptions though but this one ain't one of them.
Well to be clear, that unbreakable plasma forged metal is exclusive to the Dark Blade Clan, seeing how they are the most technologically advanced clan out there in their lore, seems like not every clan out there can have such a metal or the know about of making them. So perhaps Adamantium is a new find for Predators outside the DBC.
I'd argue that Vibranium has more practical use than Adamantium for Predators purely on the fact that Vibranium can additionally absorb kinetic energy, so the applications has so much possibilities. Armored boots made from Vibranium that can not only absorb long falls but also silence movement for even more stronger stealth. Parts for machines that can strengthen use for longer time periods, like spacecraft.
I would love to see a Pred that made it out with some kind of new Vibranium upgrade though. Would help make a new unique Predator that can keep coming back and/or perhaps star it is own stories on other worlds.
Pretty much, yeah.
The only crossover that I know of that is mutually canon to Marvel and DC is Justice League/Avengers.
But as far as Marvel/Alien-Predator goes... Well, assuming it's a universe in the Marvel Multiverse, they could take the risks anyway.
As for people getting their panties in a bunch, well... that's gonna happen anyway. As someone who debates with a lot of superhero fans, I have seen Superman stans lose their shit when Godzilla put the Big Blue Boyscout down, even when DC said that was an Elseworlds.
The WildCATS were Image's answer to Marvel's X-Men. They were fairly popular in the 90's, enough to even get a cartoon alongside side Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as part of CBS' Action Zone block.
As for Law, we'll, you're certainly right about that. Agents of Law only had six issues, the last one featuring the Predator serving as the end. Dark Horse decided to end their in-house superhero lines with that one until they revived it a few years back.
I'm not contesting that. Not entirely at least. The only part I am contesting is when you said never. I say it's UNLIKELY to happen but it could.
Hell, DC recently had killed off Atom Smasher and Guy Gardner in Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong. And Godzilla nearly offed Superman in that one.
The monsters CAN win.. if the writers let them.
That would be one way to do it but I think it would be more impactful if it happened in the crossovers as is. It's not like their 616 canon anyway.
Batman, Superman, even Judge Dredd all won against the Aliens. A Predator is not going to ultimately come out on top over Black Panther. No matter how cool it would be to see a Predator take on the mantle.
Except.. there is an example where a monsters did win. WildCATS/Aliens. The Xenomorphs killed the Stormwatch team, and made the WildCATs realize that saving the space station was a lost cause.
And that crossover was canon to Wildstorm at the time and is the direct reason why The Authority was created.
And another example is Agents of Law #6 as part of Dark Horse's Predators Attack storyline. The main character Law was killed by a Predator, which also ended the book series.
I want an Alien-Predator multiverse.
But the Marvel fandom is bigger, more vocal and well... the feats for some characters is INSANE.
So more often than not, especially with plot armor, the Super Heroes will win.
Unless the Predators are experienced enough and get the upgrades to better their chances.
But... I think Predators in some cases are nerfed. Hear me out, because they have their own super metals which can rival Adamantium. One metal is called Dlex and it was in the Steve Perry AVP books and molecularly treated to withstand Xenomorph acid.
Also, one Predator clan even has different grades of this metal. The Dark Blade clan in Concrete Jungle learned to improve and refine their metals with plasma forging and one weapon was specified to have unbreakable strength.
But Predators wanting Adamantium and Vibranium? Well... I guess it would be interesting to see if they get their hands on it.
I am curious if Benjamin Percy knows about this stuff or doesn't. Willing to give the benefit of the doubt.
SM linked that.
A lot of that information is from fan presumption regarding Prince, NECA's backstories (which do have more presence but I largely disregard toy backstories because they're, you know, TOYS), and Rage War, which has the most weight of them all.
Quoting Dutch in regards to the Rodriguez script: "I'm trying to forget!"
As for Predators winning against Marvel characters? As much as I would love to see a Predator holding Spider-Man's head, I know that won't happen. Marvel won't dare have any of their flagship characters die at the hands of a Predator.
Future Cable vs Aliens, Predators, Engineers
My first thought was Robert Rodriguez's old Predators script.
After how much I enjoyed P vs. Wolverine, I'm happy to take another crossover. They even mentioned having planned the next. Which is cool and all! But the Predator has to win one of these. Surely.
A king-ish Predator doesn't seem terribly out of left field though IMO.
I never read the Life and Death comics either. Everything post Three World War, except for intercompany crossovers I avoided.
But I do know that in some materials, specifically AvP Extinction mentioned the Council of Ancients, and it was fairly ingrained in the story of the Predator missions.
I mean, we do know that Predators have clans and Elders that lead. The Council of Ancients, to my understanding consists of heads of a variety of clans that dictate the laws of the hunt and ceremonies in Predator society.
I know NECA aluded to this Council in some of their backstories for their line unless it's the Mandela Effect at play here. But NECA doesn't really count in the larger scheme.
The word King being applied to Predators just irks me, as their a clan based society and not a monarchy based one unless there's something (and I probably did) I missed.
Never read the Rage War Trilogy.
Link
Where in any of the EU has there been any mention of a Predator King or hints of one? Where did it even come from?
No, AVP2 doesn't count as Prince's name was more of a moniker or designation given to him by Rykov.