Pulp 151

Howdy gang,
My name is Adrian and if you have been keeping track of the past issues of Forte, you may already know that resident Pulp guru Alastair has decided that it’s time for a hiatus. So while he steps away from his computer and opens his blinds to let the light shine in – in a scene reminiscent of leaving Vault 101 in Fallout 3 for the first time – I shall step into his large shoes and never fear: while he is gone, Pulp shall live on.
Having recently been caught up in the hype surrounding a new Predator movie I decided to look back on some of the past installments of Predator within comics. This week I will be looking at Predator: Hunters written by Chris Warner (Moon Knight, Doctor Strange) and beautifully brought to life by Francisco Ruiz Velasco (Thunderbolts).
The story follows a group of misfits, each having their own experience facing Predators in the past. Banded together by their leader – who has been trained since birth to fight Predators – they set out on the hunt after recently hearing about a grim encounter involving a remote island and some fishermen.
The comic does well in building up suspense, as you see not only the dark backstories which have brought our characters to this point, but also a sense of fear from their interactions with each other as their conversations become grim at thought of what lies ahead of them, stalking the island.
Yet, once they reach the island, the tone seems to change and suddenly the story seems to become, well, more comical than thriller. The Predators themselves seemed underwhelming. Having seen other adaptations before and seeing the Predators stalk their prey using both cunning and skill to pick them off one by one through a series of traps, stealth and the element of surprise I expected a blood bath. My expectations were heightened further when I found out there was more than one on the island. To my dismay, however, the Predators – rather than use their hidden, highly advantageous position – decide to stand out in the open, wave their hands above their heads and scream “Look at me, look at me!”.
I must admit Predator: Hunters was kind of a disappointment; what started out strong and gave me a sense of dread was quickly replaced with a sense of rushed rambling, as the writer seemly forgot how many pages he had to work with. Honestly? Predator: Hunters hardly seems worth the hunt.
Written by Adrian Aloi