'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Predators have spanned across multiple mediums since debuting on the big screen alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch. From video games to comic books, fans have had the chance to learn quite a bit about these extraterrestrial hunters and their culture. Their species is called Yautja, a term that isn't heard in the movies at any point.
Dark Horse Comics has published this line of comics for the past thirty years. However, with Disney acquiring FOX Studios, the publishing rights for this property have been moved to Marvel Comics, bringing Dark Horse's involvement with The Predator to an end.
The Yautja are an alien race of hunters that scour the galaxy searching for worthy prey to hunt for sport. Humans tend to be their favorite prey because they offer a challenge. They're not too different from Kraven the Hunter. They even end up working alongside humans at times or gifting them with their technology or weaponry if they prove to be a formidable challenge.
5 best Predator comics
5) Deadliest of the Species
Deadliest of the Species features the only female Yautja as the main protagonist in a Predator comic, Big Mama. Female Yautjas are supposed to be bigger and more ferocious than their male counterparts, and this is evident from Big Mama's actions. This story takes place in the future, where Xenomorphs have overrun Earth, and the super-rich find refuge in gigantic skyscrapers.
The main character is Caryn Delacroix. She has a mysterious history with Xenomorphs and Yautja alike. The antagonist of the story is an artificial intelligence called TOY. Caryn ends up working alongside both Xenomorph and Yautja to survive, but her most notable ally is the female Big Mama.
4) Bad Blood
One of the first stories to showcase the complex culture of the Yautja, Bad Blood features one that is being chased by his own kind. What was his crime? He's a serial killer. This Predator ends up fleeing to Earth for survival and is chased by both an Enforcer Yautja and the CIA. It's easily the bloodiest of the Predator stories out there.
Yautja are already a violent alien species, so to have one that is so bloodthirsty that it has to be hunted by its own kind is a big deal. Where other Yautja hunters keep skulls as trophies from their hunts, the Bad Blood Predator kept the severed heads on his belt. Not just their skulls, he also went on to fashion his armor from the bones of his prey.
3) Concrete Jungle
If you're a fan of the original movie, you'll enjoy this story. Concrete Jungle follows Detective Schaefer of the NYPD. Detective Schaefer is Dutch Schaefer's (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film) brother and readers get a glimpse into the aftermath of the movie while Detective Schaefer chases down another Yautja.
Concrete Jungle was the first published comic after the film's release. It jumps back and forth from the mean streets of New York City to the jungles of South America while Schaefer hunts for his brother. Aspects of this comic were used in the movie sequel as it took place in an urban setting. The comic had two sequels (Cold War and Dark River), but they weren't as riveting as Concrete Jungle.
2) Fire and Stone
Dark Horse Comics had the Fire and Stone saga that spanned multiple titles from their library. This included Aliens, Aliens vs. Predator, and Prometheus titles. However, Predator: Fire and Stone had one of the most intriguing stories to tell as it followed a Yautja on the hunt for an Engineer. No Yautja in history successfully hunted an Engineer, but this one was going to try.
The protagonist of the story earned the nickname "Ahab" after the narrator from Moby Dick. This is because the Engineers are pale in complexion like the white whale Ahab was hunting in the same story. Ahab ends up enlisting help from human soldiers to accomplish his goal. If you end up enjoying this story, Ahab's tale continues in the Life and Death story.
1) Batman vs. Predator
After a successful crossover with the Alien franchise, why not have the deadliest hunter go toe-to-toe with The Caped Crusader? This series spawned two sequels, Bloodmatch and Blood Ties, due to its success. Batman's superior detective skills are enlisted by the Gotham City Police Department when a boxer is mysteriously murdered.
While the police are inclined to point the finger at a rival boxer, Batman finds the removal of the man's skull and spinal column a sign that it's someone or something much bigger. What begins as a classic detective story ends in a battle across all of Gotham. By the end, Batman is presented with a gift and is certain the Yautja will never return to Gotham. How wrong he was.
