CBR Predator OMNIBUS Vol. 3

 

And here's volume 3 of my on-going Predator Omnibus reviews!

Want more Alien/Predator-related reviews? Check the following!!

Predator 1 / Predator 2 / Predators

Predator: Concrete Jungle (comics) / OMNIBUS Vol.1 / Vol. 2
Predator: Concrete Jungle (game)
Alien 1 / Aliens / Alien³

Comic title: Predator OMNIBUS: Volume 3
Art by Various
Written by Various

Published by Dark Horse Comics
From 2008
Lineup Alien/Predator Series
Format: Omnibus-sized Trade Paperback collecting Bad Blood (including Dark Horse Comics 12-14), Kindred, Hell and Hot Water, Strange Roux, No Beast so Fierce (from Dark Horse Presents 119), and Bump in the Night (from Dark Horse Presents 124).

There are throughout the world a lot of legends about monsters that hides in the woods.

Myths about creatures that haunt men, always have been, for countless generations.

The monsters that used to terrify us as kids.

From one part of the world to another, their name change but the fear is the same.

These ghosts of humanity have a face... they are PREDATORS. Alien hunters that challenge men, from the scary swamps to the unknown places under the seas.

Here's the third Predator Omnibus! This one collects 6 tales.

It focuses on mid to late-90s. By then the authors were trying to make their stories stand out apart from all that came before. To do so many introduced new ideas to the mythos or played a bit with the way these stories tended to run.

"Bad Blood" is the opener, written by Evan Dorkin and drawn by Derek Thompson, it's a 4-issues miniseries started as a Dark Horse Comics feature and then expanded into a full series. Which explains the sudden change in the coloring mid-way through. The story starts with a paint-ball game gone wrong in New Jersey's Pine Barrens... It introduced the idea of a "Bad Blood" Predator, a Predator that breaks their moral code as hinted in the films. This bad blood gets hunted by another Predator in turn. There's also ex-CIA agents that are possibly from the Special Task Force seen in Predator 2, back with a certain "Blondie" in charge (the same one?). The fight amongst brothers is the central theme here and is also carried on by the human protagonists. The artwork is well detailed enough giving both monsters a distinct personality. Easily one of the most famous and fan-loved stories Dark Horse produced. And part of it inspired elements for the movie Predators.

Next is "Kindred", written by Jason R. Lamb & Scott Tolson with art by Brian O'Connell & Roger Peterson. It takes place in an old town in Oregon. A long time ago, a kid Buddy Wilcox witnessed the death of his own father at the hands of a Predator. Now "it" is back. The community will have to stick together if they want to survive the nightmare nearby. If that wasn't enough for the local sheriff, there's also a psychopath serial killer at large. The twist in this story is in the "human Predator" of sorts, Buddy will have to don a Predator armor. An idea that would be re-used later in AVP comics and even some of the films. It's a pretty interesting story. The art might appear a bit bland, but I liked it.

"Hell and Hot Water " by Mark Schultz with art by the great Gene Colan takes the fight for survival... under the sea! When the crew of a Chilean fishing vessel see something fall from the sky into the water, they obviously go after it to investigate. Really bad idea. This marks the first undersea story for the Predator series. The environment is both alien to Predators and people. I really enjoyed this one, but I know a lot might be put off by the "unfinished" aspect of the drawings. I found it fitting. It's really moody and works great for the setting. This story inspired later novels.

"Strange Roux" is a one shot written by Brian McDonald and drawn by Mitch Byrd. A Predator comes to hunt in the Louisiana Bayou where a legend tales the story of human monsters with basis apparently not fictive. Bodies start piling up quickly. It's the weirder of the bunch no doubt. Colorful with a creepy twist ending that was set up all the way early up in the story.

"No Beast So Fierce" is another one shot. Written by Mike W. Barr with art from Scott Kolins. A rich widow sends a bunch of hunters on a jungle trek to find the man-eating tiger that killed her husband. But only, they come face to face with a Predator instead. It's a fun short black-and-white short. With great detailed art and a fun looking Pred. Nothing new or spectacular. Just a good little "filler".

Finally "Bump in the Night" closes this Omnibus. Following a story by Steven Seagle with art by Duncan Rouleau. It's sort of a parodic camp fire story. Boys are camping in the backyard and encounter a Predator. This one needed some more pages I think. It's a great short story, also in black and white, but ends on a suspenseful unresolved note. Yeah, an annoying cliffhanger. There's no way this would end well, but I can't imagine it going for worse either. Duncan Rouleau's art is simply fantastic.

Overall, a nice new collection.

The overall theme here appears to be "gimmick"-ysh plots and concepts.

It's sort of a mixed bag.

Bad Blood was very good. Hell and Hot Water is a personal fav but I'm not sure a lot of people would love it. Kindred is fun but kinda bland. The rest either doesn't far that well or are a bit undeveloped.

Still, they're all fun. But there's a little something missing.

If you liked the previous comics or are a Predator fan, you might check this out anyway!

I give it:

2 / 3 Aaylas!