Spoilers Ahead!
Initial Thoughts
Predator: Badlands #5 wrapped up the latest Marvel Predator story, which raised the question: What if a Yautja were included in a tournament featuring some of Earth’s greatest mixed martial artists? Great premise, right? It sounds like this could be translated into a movie. However, while a great premise, Predator Badlands, and specifically this last issue, didn't always meet the elevated expectations of longtime Predator fans. The climactic fight, which was built up over four issues, was over in a matter of 2 pages and felt very rushed. So, while there were many highlights, the ending ultimately fell short of what I was hoping for and expecting from a Predator Comic Book.
There were some emotional beats, particularly from the main character, Kai Daniels, that reminded us why he was involved in all of this. Daniel’s sick son, who lacked insurance, forced our main character to fight for money. With such a grandiose idea involving aliens and a private fight club, there is something so universal and relatable that can make us get emotionally invested in the title. So, while not perfect, some of the personal bits from the main characters in Predator: Badlands #5 make this issue not a complete loss.
Incredibly, Predator: Bloodshed had a Great Emotional Beat
The highlight of Predator: Bloodshed #5, which ended up being the highlight of this entire series, was the emotional subplot of Kai and his son. The sole reason our main character was on this island, which ended up becoming the fight of his life, was in complete parallel to what his son was dealing with back home. With the series being so expansive and encompassing so much Predator lore, and almost feeling like an intergalactic problem, the relationship between a father and his son being the most relatable point of this book makes it feel good. This was executed well enough to make the series worthwhile overall.
On a higher, more macro level, if we remember why everyone is on this island in the first place, this series addresses broader social issues. It was such a refreshing theme to have in the first couple of books that I wish that were a thread that continued through all five. Kai needed the money to help with his son’s medical bills, but we never got the full story of how Kai’s son was saved. Concentrating on that subplot, combined with a much more drawn-out fight, as we’ll discuss in a bit, would have made the series a bit more memorable.
The Final Fight Left Me Wanting More
There was so much potential in the initial premise for this series. A Predator alien on Earth, taking on some of the best mixed martial artists from the planet, is a home-run idea. Which is why I think the ending felt a bit flat, mostly because it was rushed. Kai finally getting his hands on the Yautja was supposed to be the ending we deserved, and I wanted more. Kai had SUCH an issue with not being marked as a big enough threat by the Yautja that a good fight sequence would have really brought that to life. Instead, the final fight scene became a group fight.
Setting the Yautja on fire could have been done by anyone, but a hand-to-hand fight would have really made Kai’s point. Even Danny Glover in Predator II tried) put up his hands against the alien invader, and he was too old for this shit! A sixth issue in this series would have really benefited from adding gravity to the fight. Ending the fight issue on the precipice of a fight, all while Kai’s comrades are down. If the Yautja is already powered down canonically, then it makes sense for a human and the alien to have a one-on-one fight. That to me could have been a more powerful ending.
The Art Did the Yautja Justice
The penciling by Ruairi Coleman and Roland Boschi, while at times rudimentary, does its job. Specifically with the Yautja. The Predator alien,I think this is the best he has looked all series long. Even if his scaling is a little off—I think the alien is smaller than I imagine a Yautja to be —the Predator does look more menacing, and the work on his face is great. The rest of the character work is great. Every character has unique features, and everyone looks different. There are way too many comics where the characters look alike, so it is nice to see when characters have their own look. Vibrant colors for the characters, which help bring them to life.
Roberto Poggi’s coloring is great. For me, specifically, the red in the fire and shading with the Yautja. The contrast between the two is a great way to show dynamic motion between panels and scenes. Both of these techniques came to life during the final scene, when the fight moved outside (shading), and the Yautja was set on fire (red coloring). It's almost cinematic, and Poggi’s work made an ending I thought was a bit rushed more palatable. Overall, the work by Coleman, Boschi, and Poggi was serviceable art that was a highlight of Predator: Bloodshed #5.
Final Verdict
Ultimately, Predator: Badlands #5 was a victim of its own premise, which promised more than it delivered. The emotional beats, which highlighted what a father would do to save their child, were the best parts of not only this issue but the entire series. Predator: Badlands proves that six issues, not five, are the sweet spot for a mini-series, as one more issue would have made the ending feel less rushed and more complete. With an extra issue, Jordan Morris would have had more room to breathe and added more weight to the fight between the Predator alien and Kai.
Moving forward, Predator—I believe—will have to be revamped to be more palatable to longtime and new readers alike. It's hard not to compare Predator to the Alien franchise, as they are tied at the hip, but Alien seems to be doing much better in terms of quality under the Marvel banner. Predator is sun a fun universe to play with, and if done right and effectively, these characters can be some of the best in comic books. Until then, we should take the elements we enjoy and celebrate those. We will always have Predator, Prey, and Badlands to watch until they get it right.