Predator VS Spider-Man #1 Variant Cover by Ryan Brown
Writer: Benjamin Percy Artist: Marcelo Ferreira Inker: Jay Leisten Colorist: Frank D'Armata Letterer: Clayton Cowles
The city’s heating up, the bodies are skinned, and Peter Parker is one wrong turn away from a face-off with death itself. Let’s dive right into this recap and review of Predator Vs Spider-Man #1!
WARNING: Spoilers and graphic images to follow
1. The Heat Is On
Predator vs. Spider-Man #1 opens in a sweltering New York City, where the rising temperature feels like a ticking time bomb. Detective LaPearl is knee-deep in one of the most disturbing crime scenes Marvel’s ever published: multiple men, skinned alive and missing body parts. The details are grotesque, the tension immediate. And before the real forensics team can arrive, LaPearl realizes the CSI she was chatting with has already vanished—because it wasn’t a CSI at all. It was Peter Parker.
That’s the kind of book we’re dealing with. Tense. Twisty. And absolutely unwilling to pull its punches.
2. The Hunter Strikes First
Once Peter suits up, things spiral fast. A speeding van, a group of bank robbers in alien masks, and a close call with some kids playing by a fire hydrant give us our superhero action beat. But when the robbers reach their hideout, the issue leans fully into horror.
One by one, the criminals are picked off in the shadows—culminating in one of the most gruesome moments in recent Marvel memory: a full-on face-rip straight out of a Predator film. Artist Marcelo Ferreira doesn't hold back here, and it's stunningly effective.
Peter, meanwhile, stumbles across the aftermath—bodies skinned, limbs missing. He thinks it’s a serial killer. We know it’s something much worse.
3. Darkness Below, Chaos Above
Down in the subway, Mary Jane gets her own horror movie moment. Power goes out. A fellow passenger panics. MJ offers comfort and shines her phone light out the window—only to find the Predator, mask made of human skin and all, lurking in the darkness like a monster from myth.
It’s terrifying. And back above ground, Peter and Jonah decide to go public. Jameson uses his paper to stoke panic. LaPearl, pissed that her case has leaked, wants to bring Peter in for questioning. But he’s already back in the suit—and MJ still isn’t home.
4. Percy and Ferreira Understand the Assignment
I’d like to take a second to gush about the creative team behind this series. Writer Benjamin Percy (Predator vs. Wolverine, Wolverine, X-Force) proves he knows how to make the Predator work in a superhero universe. His horror sensibilities are sharp, his pacing relentless, and he strikes a perfect balance between gritty realism and Marvel’s signature character voice.
Marcelo Ferreira (Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Doctor Strange) brings dynamic action and grotesque, haunting detail to every panel. The more brutal scenes (like a face being peeled away from bone) are nightmare-inducing, but they never feel excessive—just chillingly effective. Inked by Jay Leisten and colored by Frank D’Armata, the visuals pop with just enough grime and shadow to make you sweat alongside the characters.
5. A Savage Twist That Changes the Game
Ok, back to our recap. I must say, going into this series, I was cautious. Crossovers that don’t impact continuity often feel like filler. But Predator vs. Spider-Man avoids that trap by fully committing to the tone. This feels like a slasher story—with Spider-Man as the final girl and NYC as the haunted house.
And just when you think you’ve got it figured out—boom—Kraven the Hunter enters the fray. What started as Predator wearing Kraven’s narrative skin suddenly gets real. Now there are two apex predators on the loose.
So now we’re left wondering: Will Kraven the Hunter become Kraven the Hunted? Will Spider-Man have to team up with the devil he knows to fight the devil he doesn’t? Can NYC survive a war between a wall-crawler, a wild man, and a walking nightmare?
Final Verdict: A Brutal, Brilliant Kickoff
Predator vs. Spider-Man #1 doesn’t just mash up franchises—it sets the tone for a nightmare-fueled mini-series that earns its spot in both Marvel and Predator canon. The creative team is firing on all cylinders, delivering a book that reads like a horror-thriller with superhero stakes. It’s sharp, gory, fast-paced, and smarter than it has any right to be.
This isn’t a gimmick—it's a genuine clash of ideologies: the Predator's cold, calculated cruelty versus Spider-Man’s human heart and tireless heroism. With a shocking final-page twist and impeccable atmosphere, this issue does exactly what a first issue should do: hook you, haunt you, and leave you desperate for more.