As the new Predator movie drops this August, it is natural for fans to rewatch the previous installments of a franchise that has gone through multiple iterations and genres. Even though Prey is an all-new take on the titular alien's mythos with an 1800s-era setting, more committed fans would also have a field day binge-reading on the multiple comics that have come out of the Predator franchise.
These include not just faithful adaptations of the movies, but also original miniseries along with some wild crossovers with characters like Alien, The Terminator, and RoboCop.
Predators (2010)
Considered to be a cult sci-fi movie from the 2010s, Predators amped up the survival aspect of the franchise. Revolving around a group of mercenaries trapped on an alien planet, the movie focused on strategic tactics more than the usual over-the-top action that audiences were used to since the original Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.
While Predators has its own comic adaptation, the movie also received a prequel comic of the same name. The tie-in makes for a perfect accompaniment to the movie given that it provides some much-needed context behind the ominous lead characters and their connection to the alien races hunting them down.
Concrete Jungle (1989-1990)
The shift from the tropical jungles of Predator to the urban New York streets of Predator 2 captures the diverse nature of the franchise. This is brought out in the comics too, as Concrete Jungle incorporates the latter's setting to depict a group of Predators making New York their new playground.
The connection from the first movie comes further with the protagonist Detective John Schaefer, who is introduced as Arnold Schwarzenegger's character Dutch's brother. In its time, the cult comic was the first piece of Predator fiction to include the existence of multiple Predators. This adds to the terror of the storyline and sets the precedent for future stories.
Batman Versus Predator (1991-1992)
One of the earliest Predator crossovers with other comic book characters, Batman versus Predator is also one of the strangest Batman comic issues of the 1990s. The premise starts off with the Predator hunting down people in Gotham making the city's caped crusader investigate further.
All of this ultimately culminates in a gory battle between the two characters in which the Predator gains the upper hand and brutally bruises Batman. The latter also has his moments to shine as he resorts to anything that he can get to use as a weapon, even using a baseball bat to smack the alien in his head. Such iconic combat moments make Batman versus Predator an essential collector's item for fans. Before audiences witness an all-new character taking on the Predator, it will be interesting to find a familiar superhero like Batman taking him down.
Predator: 1718 (1996)
Set in the titular year, 1718 is a Predator story arc that begins with a group of pirates waging a mutiny against their leader. Even though the Predator aims to battle it out with the leader, the alien initially teams up with the pirate to join him in his personal quest for revenge.
It is an interesting angle, finding a Predator teaming up with human characters, a rare exception in Predator stories. And with Prey being a period thriller, it is interesting for fans to check out all the previous times when the franchise has decided to go this far back into the past.
God's Truth (1990)
What sets God's Truth apart from other Predator comics is that it incorporates a black-and-white color style. A break from the usual tropical colors to depict the alien battles in the wilderness, God's Truth's visual style gives it the feel of a sleek neo-noir thriller.
Given that it serves as a prequel for the Predator 2 movie comic book adaptation, the limited series does benefit from a shift in tone and setting. The story is narrated from the perspective of a guard at the Everglades National Park who witnesses the Predator on a hunt and questions his own sanity. Much like Prey, the comic doubles as a psychological thriller with a "one-on-one" death match between the hunter and the prey.
Alien Versus Predator Versus The Terminator (2000)
The Terminator movies along with Predator established Arnold Schwarzenegger as an action star. So, it is perfect fan service to unite the two characters in a crossover that even included the Xenomorphs from Alien.
Set in a future controlled by Skynet, John Connor's resistance is tasked to fight a whole new species of Terminators who have now managed to splice their genes with the Aliens. This prompts the recurring Alien character Ellen Ripley to return and strike an unlikely alliance with the Predators. The result is an amusing blend of sci-fi and action that makes for an essential read for fans of all three franchises.
Primal (1997)
The wilderness of Alaska can be quite a brutal battleground for creatures of nature. When the Predator also joins in, brutality is bound to be unleashed. This time around, the alien's foe includes a raging Grizzly Bear mother. As hunting season is in full swing, "Earth's largest land-dwelling carnivore" is angry as ever.
Given the nature of its lead characters, Primal naturally lacks major dialogues but it truly shines from the highly descriptive action panels. As the alien struggles to fight it out with the animal, he gets his own "Revenant" moment with the Alaskan bear in Primal. The overtones of hunting in the wilderness makes it perfect to read before Prey.
Archie Vs. Predator (2015)
One of the wildest comic crossovers in Archie comics had been with the Predator himself. Who would have even thought that the happy-go-lucky teenagers would cross paths with the galaxy's fiercest hunter!
The story starts off with a seemingly harmless trip to Costa Rica which soon turns into a hunting ground for the Predator. As the alien is in hot pursuit, Betty and Veronica struggle to resolve their personal differences while Archie plans to use Jughead as bait. All in all, Archie Vs. Predator provides enough thrills for fans of Predator and Archie. It would serve as a light-hearted break for fans before they're haunted by the horrors of Prey.
Predator: Xenogenesis (1999)
Xenogenesis is visually distinct from the Predator comics preceding it in terms of its visual style and characters. The protagonists are no longer confused individuals tracking the Predator. Instead, the Xenogenesis team includes mercenaries and militia members who have studied the extraterrestrial species for years and are now ready to wage a war against them.
If this wasn't enough to attract readers, the latter issues also include an immortal samurai who has been slaying Predators since time immemorial! So be it the Comanche warrior of Prey or the samurai in Xenogenesis, Predator has encountered all sorts of enemies in human history.
Cold War (1991)
As a Predator is sighted in a Soviet Siberian station, the US military is also called on for a united rescue effort. Thrown in the mix is Detective John Schaefer who earlier debuted in Concrete Jungle.
The icy surroundings coupled with the Predator's multiple enemies makes for a different story within the franchise. Cold War proves that one single trophy-hunting alien can be such a menace that even warring nations have to come together to hunt him down. The isolated landscape provides some stealth-heavy scenes just like what viewers can expect from Prey.