Marvel continues their new range of crossovers with their top hero clashing with the iconic alien slasher in Predator Vs. Spider-Man. A heatwave sends NYC into a blackout and Spider-Man on patrol as tempers boil across the city. But beneath its grimy sewers and subways lurks a threat unlike anything Peter Parker has faced before.
Marvel have had a string of hits with their recent crossover series with iconic movie properties – most recently being Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic’s Aliens Vs. Avengers. Benjamin Percy in particular has built up a string of hits with his Predator Vs. series which has seen the alien killer clash with both Wolverine and Black Panther. These series succeeded not just as a fun vs battle but also managed to weave Predator mythology into the Marvel Universe in a clever way – particularly through Wolverine’s encounters with the creatures throughout various points of his life. This newest instalment might be the most ambitious yet as the Predator takes on the role of a serial killer in New York.
Violence and horror are par for the course when it comes to Predator stories, but when it comes to Spider-Man, this is definitely one of the gnarliest stories he’s ever been a part of. The Skinner – a new Predator that has no clan or sense of honour – is addicted to killing and has murdered multiple New York residents in very gory fashions. This results in both ghastly crime scenes that Peter has to photograph and a lair full of bloodied corpses that Mary Jane finds herself trapped in when she is on the run from the killer. There have been Spider-Man stories that have focused on murder investigations before, but none have been quite this graphic.
The setting also allows for some fun premises. With the blackout hitting New York, The Skinner’s actions go largely unreported which results in Spider-Man having a largely one-on-one battle with the Predator. Percy understands the brief of this series and creates scenarios that provide the encounter fans have been itching to see. He has a strong handle on Spider-Man and his supporting cast (in this case J Jonah Jameson and Mary Jane) with Spider-Man maintaining the sense of responsibility he has always been burdened with despite being in one of the most terrifying encounters of his career. Like his previous Predator Vs. series, Percy also delves into Marvel history for this story. In this case, he cleverly brings Kraven The Hunter into the fold who finds himself both wanting to hunt the Predator himself but also developing a sense of kinship with the creature over their shared desire to hunt prey potentially stronger than themselves.
Marcelo Ferreira is a strong hand when it comes to the art. He draws a cool looking Spider-Man and really lets loose when it comes to depicting the grislier aspects of the series. There are plenty of standout moments – with the final battle between Spider-Man and The Skinner being a particular highpoint – but it’s The Skinner’s lair sequences where Mary Jane has to escape from the Predator through a sea of corpses where his illustrations rack the tension up to another level.
This is everything fans could want in an encounter between Spider-Man and the Predators. Percy and Ferreira have delivered a truly memorable story that takes Spider-Man out of his comfort zone whilst staying faithful to his core character. Fans of both franchises will be more than pleased with this series.
Predator Vs. Spider-Man is out 30 August from Marvel (9781302963354, p/b, £14.99)
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