Predator vs Black Panther Debuts T’Challa’s New Yautja-Killing Armor

Marvel Comics has just announced another superhero and sci-fi horror crossover as Black Panther will face off against the Predator in summer 2024. Predator vs. Black Panther is a four-issue miniseries that sees the Predators descend upon Wakanda. Following in the footsteps of the elite apex alien species’ crossover with Wolverine from 2023, the famous 20th Century Studios horror franchise continues to collide with Marvel’s most iconic superheroes in spectacular fashion.

First-look art for the comic was previewed in the fourth and final issue of Predator: The Last Hunt by Ed Brisson, Francesco Manna, and Java Tartaglia.

Now, more details and the first cover art has been unveiled in Gizmodo‘s exclusive interview with Predator vs. Black Panther writer Benjamin Percy. Ken Lashley’s cover shows T’Challa in his classic costume fighting a distinct new Yautja. Percy revealed that the Predators will reflect T’Challa’s fight for the throne in Wakanda, with a Predator King and his two sons. As Black Panther prepares to fight the fearsome Yautja, he’ll get some major armor upgrades to go toe-to-toe with the Predator species.

As the Predator species continue their quest for the Marvel Universe’s most powerful resources, Black Panther must fight the sons of the Predator King to protect Wakanda. With T’Challa’s costume upgrade glimpsed at the end of Predator: The Last Hunt, he has claws to match the Yautja along with new tech and spears glowing with purple energy. The last readers saw a Predator battling a Marvel hero was in Predator vs. Wolverine and the alien beast coveted Wolverine’s adamantium. Seeking the ultimate trophy for their hunt, the new Yautja have their thermal sights set on Wakanda’s vibranium.

In the Predator franchise, the extraterrestrial Yautja species is known to challenge other formidable beings as a form of sport for trophies or to be the ultimate predator versus their chosen prey. Predators have gone up against the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny Glover, Jacob Tremblay, and Amber Midthunder in the franchise’s films, as well as Batman, Superman, and Xenomorphs in other non-Marvel crossovers. With panthers as natural predators in nature and T’Challa as one of Marvel’s most iconic heroes, the Black Panther may prove to be one of the Yautja’s most worthy adversaries to date.

Summer 2024 Will See Avengers vs. Aliens and Predator vs. Black Panther

Sci-fi horror icons of 20th Century Studios will invade Marvel Comics twice this summer as Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise will also be going up against Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the upcoming Aliens vs. Avengers by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić. With both the Alien and Predator franchises in play for crossovers, extraterrestrial threats in the Marvel universe have become even more menacing. While Black Panther is guaranteed to fight the Predators in their shared miniseries, his status as an Avenger in the Aliens crossover in Hickman’s alternate future series is still to be revealed.

20th Century Studios has plenty of franchises that could make for a fun crossover with Marvel’s mighty heroes, including non-horror IP. However, the Yautja species of the Predator franchise fits perfectly with the brand as yet another breed of alien that can go up against superheroes. The ultra-powerful and competitive aliens stand a chance of winning a fight against plenty of heroes, but may meet their match when they try to attack Wakanda. Black Panther, in his all-new Yautja-killing armor, is ready to take on the Predator or any other iconic horror villains in the pages of Marvel Comics.

Source: Gizmodo