Marvel’s 10 Best Comic Covers Featuring Predator

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The multiverse is teeming with new threats since Marvel acquired Fox and all related assets in 2021. Yautja hunters – the legendary hunters from the Predator franchise – now stalk the pages of Marvel Comics, hunting superheroes for sport. No one is safe, especially on variant covers.

Humanity is a favorite prey of the Yautja, but superheroes present unique challenges. So far, only Wolverine, Black Panther, and Spider-Man have series dedicated to fighting the intergalactic scourge. However, variant covers and special events mean there are plenty of awesome Marvel comic covers featuring The Predator.

Predator versus Wolverine retcons Yautja warriors as a long-time staple of Earth-616 by showing how one particular hunter carried out a lifelong hunt for Wolverine. Logan is the best there is at what he does, but the Predator puts that to the test, and some of the variant covers for the first issue kick off the series with spectacular visuals and composition.

Alex Maleev shows Logan’s grim acceptance of the unstoppable hunt with eerie colors and textures. Mike McKone’s variants pay homage to Todd McFarlane’s legendary cover of The Incredible Hulk #340, leading readers to question if either killer is more vicious or monstrous than the other. Issue #4 showcases the brutality and conviction of the long-standing grudge between these two trained killers.

9

Edwin Galmon Shows T’Challa Mid-Combat

Predator versus Black Panther sends Yautja hunters to the pinnacle of human civilization to hunt one of the greatest warriors ever. T’Challa is caught in a family feud where a hunter chooses him as its prey to prove his worth to his brother. Two variant covers of issue one give readers a clear sense of the vibe of this fast-paced action sci-fi adventure.

Ken Lashley’s variant cover for issue #1 shows the kind of combatant the king of Wakanda must become to defeat the alien threat. Edwin Galmon’s cover for the same issue shows the warriors in the middle of combat, as the Black Panther lands a mighty blow against a Yautja warrior. The series has a heavy focus on honor and pride, and these covers show both honorable warriors reduced to their survival instincts.

8

Dale Keown Makes Hulk A Trophy

In a Timeline where the Yautja exist alongside humanity’s quest for the gamma bomb, it’s only logical that the Hulk would become a prized target. Dale Keown’s cover for Hulk #9 takes readers to the middle of an ambush on the jade giant with the Predator standing over him menacingly.

A fight between Hulk and a Yautja warrior would be intense and incredibly fun to watch. If the hunter waited and learned Hulk’s movements, it would likely try to use his anger against him, employing its cunning to beat his strength. If Hulk regenerated in the trophy case, round two of the conflict would commence with unique issues, but no such fight exists in the comics yet.

7

Iron Man Gets Down And Dirty

When readers think of Tony Stark, they aren’t usually quick to associate him with the swamp. Bjorn Barends’ variant cover for Iron Man #22 shows Iron Man out of his element and faced with a Yautja hunter. Both combatants have one eye exposed through broken armor as the fight rages on. Readers can only imagine the circumstances leading Stark to fight such a brutal foe by himself in such unfamiliar territory.

The cover calls into question which fighter has the superior technological advantage. The cover shows readers the durability of Stark’s design against the sheer brute force of the Yautja’s clawed hands, along with its shoulder cannon and wrist gauntlet. Iron Man looks bruised but far from beaten, but the Predator looks like it is in its element and prepared for a killing blow.

6

Predator Took Green Goblin’s Face

When Spider-Man finally faces off against a Yautja hunter in Predator Versus Spider-Man, it will likely include moments reminiscent of Predator 2, when a hunter went to Los Angeles. Spidey is used to street-level crime, but the horrors like the violence implied in Gabriele Dell’Otto’s variant cover for Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man #8 are on another level entirely.

As the Predator sits on a rooftop, holding the Green Goblin’s face, readers are left to question how Spider-Man and his associates might use their various tricks, powers, and gadgets to fend off a Yautja invader. Spider’s New York would make an incredibly interesting hunting ground, and Dell’Otto’s cover is just one glimpse of the prey a Predator could hunt before taking on the infamous wall-crawler.

5

The Last Hunt Shows New Predators And Environments

Predator: The Last Hunt follows a skilled warrior as she tracks Predators and Super Predators to far-off planets that serve as hunting grounds. The series is the third of three series featuring Marvel’s own Predator saga, and several of its variants are incredibly scary and cool. The Last Hunt was a four-issue limited series, but more is yet to come for the Yautja in Marvel’s prime timeline.

Lucio Parrillo’s cover is scary, featuring a hunter with a human skull in its hand. Mike Mayhew’s variant cover for issue #3 showcases a new set of armor and an incredibly intimidating new Predator design. Declan Shalvey’s variant for issue one is the coolest of the bunch, giving readers a heavily stylized look at the Predator in its artificially cultivated habitat with some of its chosen game.

4

Captain Marvel Fights Evil Aliens Often

Carol Danvers is no stranger to space invaders with bad intentions. Other versions of Captain Marvel met tragic ends, but Cary Nord’s variant cover for Captain Marvel #40 is a new kind of fight for the Kree hybrid warrior. As she enters a dimly lit chamber somewhere in the void of space, a Yautja hunter stalks the shadows behind her. Typically, a Predator wouldn’t pose much of a problem for Captain Marvel’s awesome power, but this one is huge.

The light of Captain Marvel’s powers is a stunning substitute for the gleam of a flare or other emergency light. The vibe of Nord’s cover is chilling, implying that Danvers has yet to notice the massive presence behind her. The hunt for Captain Marvel would be less terrestrial than most Predator stories, giving readers a better look at how they behave in space instead of Earth or their other various hunting grounds,

3

Elektra Fights A Huge Predator

The Predator can turn invisible in most franchise installments, but that doesn’t help much when the prey doesn’t rely on sight. Matt Murdock’s super senses make him uniquely fit to fight such stealthy foes, and his associate Elektra is arguably the most lethal person on the planet. Bill Sienkiewicz’s Predator variant for Daredevil #2 shows the latter engaged with a Yautja hunter.

The composition of the scene is fantastic, with the hulking hunter looming large behind the calm and collected Elektra. The gleam of her sword conveys deadly confidence, and the bestial appearance of the Predator makes it look like an ill-prepared savage by comparison. Both combatants are perfectly stylized, and it truly feels like only one will leave the swamp alive.

2

Captain America Is A Classic Action Hero

Iban Coello’s variant cover for Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #2 evokes John McTiernan’s original Predator from 1984. Casting Cap as the stand-in action hero, the variant cover depicts the Star-Spangled Avenger waste deep in water as the Predator pounces behind him. It seems like a classic scene even though the two powerhouses have never met.

The Predator franchise frequently involves the United States military, so Marvel’s resident supersoldier fits in nicely. The fight isn’t actually featured in the comics, but the cover invites readers to imagine Cap wading through jungles to battle the alien menace. His fighting style and shield would be an interesting matchup for a Yautja warrior.

1

Day of the Hunter Has Very Cool Variants

When Marvel acquired Fox and the rights to the Predator franchise, Predator: Day of the Hunter was the first new story. Numerous artists worked on variant covers for the issue, all of which convey the intense brutality of Marvel’s series. Several of them are breathtaking, and others are downright terrifying. InHyuk Lee’s is haunting, R. Rahzzah’s is like a still from a horror movie, and Lucio Parrillo’s is brutally breathtaking.

Peach Momoko’s cover gets up close and personal, showing readers how alien and scary the Yautja are. Ryan Brown’s cover is gorgeous, Gabriele Dell’Otto’s is scary, and Ken Lashley’s is a great action pose for Marvel’s Predator. The wide range of variants for Predator’s introduction into Marvel’s roster showcased the versatility Marvel would bring to the character.

“}]] The Yautja from the Predator movies have set their sights on a few characters from the Marvel Universe, resulting in a few amazing comic covers.  Read More