Sleek Polished Predators vs. Savage Tribal Predators

Started by happypred, Sep 19, 2014, 09:19:56 AM

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Sleek Polished Predators vs. Savage Tribal Predators (Read 5,659 times)

happypred

happypred

Predators are often described as high tech primitives. A mix of tribal savagery and sci-fi gadgetry

In the upcoming Fire & Stone series and future predator comics, would you prefer the artists to emphasise the high tech aspect or the tribal aspect? I think they're going full savage with Ahab. The "super predators" look more sleek and polished.

In the movies, you see this aesthetic difference between the predators in AvP and the tribe in Predator 2. Even the ships looked way different, especially the interiors. The interior of the P2 ship looked strangely organic and fitting for a race of nomad hunters. The interior of the AvP ship looked like something from Star Trek. 

EDIT: By "sleek", I mean high tech looking. The AvP predators weren't lean and agile looking but their armour looked more polished and high tech (probably because it covered more of their bodies). Skimpier armour (and more talismans and trophies) looks more savage IMO

marrerom

I think it depends on what the Predators are doing.  If they are hunting people and are the antagonists then it makes sense to go with the brutal and sadistic "low tech" look.  On the other hand when they are in AvP films they are be default the lesser of two evils and so a more upgraded noble/honorable look works well.

happypred

happypred

#2
Quote from: marrerom on Oct 26, 2014, 05:19:34 AMI think it depends on what the Predators are doing.  If they are hunting people and are the antagonists then it makes sense to go with the brutal and sadistic "low tech" look.  On the other hand when they are in AvP films they are be default the lesser of two evils and so a more upgraded noble/honorable look works well.

Never thought of it that way, interesting...

I prefer this



to this



The latter smacks too much of Klingon. Same goes for the interior of the AvP ship (as opposed to that of the Predator 2 ship)




Ultramorph

Ultramorph

#3
I agree with marrerom, it depends on the type of story. I like seeing new Predator gadgets and the like, but when they have too much technology or are too reliant on their plasma casters, it ruins the mystique for me.

I like the Predators in Homeworld, because they have a much more cobbled-together technological aesthetic, and even though they have plasma casters, they never use them, IIRC.



I also agree with happrpred, the Predator 2 ship aesthetic is better than the more Star Trek-like interiors from AvP.

happypred

Quote from: Ultramorph on Oct 26, 2014, 03:21:11 PMI like the Predators in Homeworld, because they have a much more cobbled-together technological aesthetic, and even though they have plasma casters, they never use them, IIRC.

Loved that comic. The art is really funky though, not bad...just funky

QuoteI also agree with happrpred, the Predator 2 ship aesthetic is better than the more Star Trek-like interiors from AvP.

I dunno...something about the AvP aesthetic feels really different from the previous aesthetic. Anderson did mention that he had wanted to have "more heroic" predators

The AvP interior design is hugely different from the Predator 2 interior design. As for the predators themselves, they look less primitive. I think it's mainly because AvP's armour covers much more of the body (and looks shinier/more polished). The predators thus look more civilised. I mean, Anytime is practically naked save for his codpiece and his gear looks more used 

Ultramorph

One of the few issues I had with AvP Fire and Stone was how clean and sterile the Predator ship looked.



That's only a few panels, though, and so far I think Ahab will shape up to be a cool, more Jungle Hunter-esque Predator. I liked his grappling hook. Low tech and a cool new device.

RakaiThwei

I actually like the designs of the Jungle, Lost and the AvP Predators. In other words, I like both the used and worn appearance of the Predators of the first two films, and I also like the newer look of the AvP Predators quite equally. Personally, I chalk this up to different clans having different aesthetics and perhaps even levels of technology. Some of the old EU material did mention that some clans had technological achievements which were unique to their own respective clans-- so I see this as reflecting on their weapons, armor and by an even greater and noticeable extension, even their vessels.

happypred

The P2 ship interior is a thing of beauty

...as is the Golden Angel




Ultramorph

Quote from: RakaiThwei on Oct 27, 2014, 06:00:30 PM
Some of the old EU material did mention that some clans had technological achievements which were unique to their own respective clans-- so I see this as reflecting on their weapons, armor and by an even greater and noticeable extension, even their vessels.

That is a good point. Different human cultures has various levels and styles of technology, so it makes sense that the Predators wouldn't be a homogeneous monolith.

Quote from: happypred on Oct 27, 2014, 01:33:40 AM
Loved that comic. The art is really funky though, not bad...just funky

Happypred, it's a bit OT, but I found a blog post that James Vance, one of the co-writers of Homeworld along with Kate Worley, did back in 2008 when it was collected in Omnibus Volume 4. He talks a bit about the editorial process, and some hiccups along the way. An interesting short read.

http://james-vance.com/jvblog/?p=158

happypred

Quote from: Ultramorph on Oct 28, 2014, 06:46:59 PM
Happypred, it's a bit OT, but I found a blog post that James Vance, one of the co-writers of Homeworld along with Kate Worley, did back in 2008 when it was collected in Omnibus Volume 4. He talks a bit about the editorial process, and some hiccups along the way. An interesting short read.

http://james-vance.com/jvblog/?p=158

Good read, thanks for that

Homeworld had a pretty solid story in my opinion. It's a shame future stories haven't explored the predators' connection to Earth. The idea that predators evolved from Permian lifeforms is pretty intriguing...perhaps the Jockeys transplanted them? A lot of angles to explore

Topazora

Topazora

#10
Definitely agree with RakaiThwei on this.  But I do prefer the more tribal/organic design of the P 1 and 2 over the AvP.   I have a heard time seeing the predators wearing uniform armor.  The space savage is kinda what makes the predator unique from all the other sci fi antagonists.

happypred

Quote from: Sagittarius on Oct 29, 2014, 03:43:55 AMThe space savage is kinda what makes the predator unique from all the other sci fi antagonists.

Yeah but I also like the idea that different clans have different cultures/aesthetics

Perhaps the pyramid predators are one culture, the "super" predators are another, and the P1/P2 "savages" are yet another. Of the three, the pyramid predators strike me as having the most civilised aesthetic

RakaiThwei

Quote from: Ultramorph on Oct 28, 2014, 06:46:59 PM
That is a good point. Different human cultures has various levels and styles of technology, so it makes sense that the Predators wouldn't be a homogeneous monolith.

I liken the Predators to aboriginal Earth tribes. Think something along the lines of Native American tribes. The concepts really aren't that dissimilar if you cast aside that Predators are aliens from another planet. If you compare the outfits of one tribe to another you will notice that the dress wear is quite different. If you take the outfits of an Iroquois and Apache, the comparisons are very different.

The same applies to the Predators of course.. If you take the Jungle Hunter clan and compare them to the Lost clan, the armoring is quite different. Perhaps not so much at first glance but the differences are there. Compare the two aforementioned clans and compare them to the Antarctic clan or the Dark Blade.. the differences are even more noticeable.

Different clans, different customs.. different artistic culture which perhaps even shows in the weapons and armor.

happypred

I think the comparison to aboriginal Earth tribes is valid

However, they're all aboriginal. I'm not so fond of Klingon-esque predators

RakaiThwei

Quote from: happypred on Oct 29, 2014, 10:46:39 AM
However, they're all aboriginal. I'm not so fond of Klingon-esque predators

What do you see that is so Klingon-esque that I don't?

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