PREDATOR VS. THE PLANET OF THE APES #1 (MARVEL COMICS)
In one corner, An unstoppable Alien who lives to hunt for sport.
Standing across the ring is a society of advancement like no other.
Something’s gotta give.
Predator vs. The Planet of The Apes #1 by Greg Pak, Alan Robinson,Espen Grundetjern, & Clayton Cowles (Marvel Comics) sees the 20th Century Studios titans square off.
Let’s get ringside for the action.
Predator vs. The Planet of The Apes #1 by Greg Pak, Alan Robinson,Espen Grundetjern, & Clayton Cowles (Marvel Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
WRITING:
Pak sets this story up in a very traditional manner. A secret government mission sees an elite squad en route to take out a mysterious target. While in space, fate intervenes and the ship crashes into an unknown planet. Once here, the writing doesn’t wait long to introduce the human survivors to Dr. Cornelius and company. The dialogue is conflicting as the Apes are trying to offer assistance, while the crew doesn’t welcome it. Once the Predator becomes involved, the story picks up steam.
It detours a bit when a survivor named Arch witnesses General Ursus and a more militant group of inhabitants. The writing focuses on the disdain for humans as they are suddenly being hunted. Once again, as soon as the Predator hits page, everything changes. Readers get a healthy dose of action with unknown reason behind it. This leads to a solid cliffhanger as more parties become connected with a warning looming. A safe place to depart but not without leaving wanting more.
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ARTWORK:
Robinson & Grundetjern play into the mythos of the Apes legacy in the opening pages. Seeing the human brigade attempt to rally support gets thwarted fast as a ship attacks. Panels fill fast with tense action. This leads into a quiet intro for Dr. Cornelius & Dr. Zira into the story. their half panel shows unwelcomed compassion. It doesn’t take long for the Predator to enter with a vengeance.
Readers watch the brutality flow, albeit briefly here. The full page first blow speaks volumes for where things lead form here. Even detouring to Arch, the mood remains tense as Ursus’ forces begin their hunt. Their full page attack is upended by the Predator going for a new target. Panels fill with rage as the violence commences. Once it eventually ends, the aftermath leads to a steady resolve. The final full page teases more intrigue to come with a direct statement to match.
FINAL GRADE: 8.2
Two Hollywood titans begin their face-off with a solid building issue. The writing established the key players, leaving room to expand events. Fans looking for the Predator to play nice will be sadly disappointed as the brutality shines in the art when it appears. A beginning to a Hollywood heavyweight bout for sure.
Let me know your thoughts on Predator vs. The Planet of The Apes #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
