Predator versus Wolverine: Is Issue 1 Worth it?

In comic book and movie history, two profound hunters will end up on nearly everyone’s list: the Predator and Wolverine. Throughout the decades, you’ve seen both hunt, kill, and survive various trials, but what happens when they face off against each other? Well, that’s exactly what Benjamin Percy has decided to depict for us in the new 4 part series “Predator versus Wolverine.” With issue one just now dropping, the question becomes, is it worth picking up, and is it worth reading more of?

The Writing

Issue one begins with Logan looking more than a bit worse for wear as Predator tracks him. As he is about to face off against the alien hunter, the book cuts over to a title splash page detailing who Predator and Wolverine are. This was a nice touch to add to the book as it gave it a feeling of being part of the Predator movie series rather than just another book to read. This feeling continues past the title page as the story flashes back to a younger, non-metal Logan trying to live in isolation in the Alaskan Territory in 1900.

Throughout the book, there’s minimal conversation between characters. The panels go from monologues of Logan to silent yet eventful panels of Predator hunting various animals. The writing of Logan’s monologue feels right. It genuinely feels like he’s recalling his history with Predator. The writing for the quiet parts of Predator also feels right. As you flip through the panels, these could be storyboard scenes from the next Predator film. The overall writing of the story is fascinating as they appear to be genuinely honoring the feel and legacy of the Predator franchise while honoring the lengthy and shadowy history of Wolverine.

The Art

Artistically, I feel like this issue was well illustrated. It’s interesting seeing a young logan in this book. There are panels where he looks like a roughed-up Chris Pine, which is fascinating. However, it does feel off when they age him up for other portions of the book. Aging characters in a single book can be complicated at times, but how they illustrate the entire character makes it clear that this is a singular individual. The illustration of Predator is solid, as they did a great job of making sure he resembled his brethren from the movies. My only complaint is that it seemed a bit thin at times. This could be a style choice because it is a youngling of the clan, but the skinny build sometimes made it feel less intimidating.

Covers

The base cover of the issue is very cool looking as it features Wolverine facing off against Predator. Marco Checchetto did a fantastic job. It is a bit misleading in that it shows you a Logan freshly escaped from Weapon X with his metal claws, which doesn’t take place in this book. But looking at all the variant covers, none show what happens in the book. But they do a great job of drawing your attention to the book. I picked up the Steven McNiven variant simply because it looked epic. However, I wish my local shop had the Skottie Young version simply because it’s ridiculously adorable.

Final Thoughts

This first issue did a great job of honoring the tone of Predator movies while showing care for the shadowy history of Wolverine. I wanted to read more of this story and check out other Predator and Wolverine comics. So, is this first issue worth getting? Yes! Will the entire story be worth reading? We will let you know once the entire series comes out.