The crossover of the century continues this week in Predator vs. Wolverine #2, with two of the most famous predators in media duking it out. The battle spans many locations as the two have sparred for a century. In the second issue, Wolverine faces five Predators while on Team X. Can his teammates Maverick and Sabretooth survive?
And the answer is probably not! Honestly, the gore and violence in this book are at a level that should please fans of Wolverine and Predator. We’re talking faces melting, heads lopping off, and giant spears piercing bodies. Blood is at a minimum–especially compared to Predator Vol. 2–but it’s there when necessary.
The entire issue consists of three scenes, each drawn by a different artist. Things kick off in the present with Wolverine in a bad way. He’s wounded to the point where he has to take a break to let his healing factor catch up. Clearly decades of fighting Predators have taught them enough to know how to deal with them. Ken Lashley draws this opening scene with a high level of detail and good blocking. Wolverine is dangling from a cliff edge, and it feels quite dangerous. It’s appreciated that this battle is mostly Wolverine vs. the nature around him. It helps remind us this is a story of wild animals at work.
Next are the Team X scenes drawn by Andrea Di Vito. Once again, the action is great with the cool usage of the Predator invisibility cloak and battle damage on both sides. The green blood of the Predator is also used to full effect. Essentially, we see how closely this fine-tuned killing group can be taken apart by Predators. Writer Benjamin Percy also seems to be showing us the Predators are learning how to face Wolverine and super-powered characters like him.
You don’t often see Wolverine this taxed.
Credit: Marvel
Closing out the story is Hayden Sherman with a delightful sequence. I can’t spoil it; it’s too good, but the final cliffhanger full-page splash is a gorgeous page. It’s detailed beyond belief and highlights an iconic moment for Wolverine. Where the story goes from here is anyone’s guess, but it’s an exciting idea to toy with when throwing a Predator in the mix. Alex Guimaraes colors this scene to perfection as well with a less bright and more subdued look. It ages the book for the era it takes place while also giving it a more realistic look and feel.
Overall, Benjamin Percy is delivering what you’d want from a comic like this: No holds barred violence. The deeper story is missing a bit from this chapter, though, especially compared to the first issue, which puts us inside Wolverine’s head every step of the way. Instead, this issue loses the captions for a chunk and seems to lose an arc to the story. It’s hammered home that the Predators are getting better when they come to Earth, but where it’s all going is a little lost. Still, if you’re buying this comic, you’ll be well rewarded with plenty of action.
Brace yourself – Predator vs. Wolverine is a violent delight that should please fans of both. Both characters are treated with respect while the time-jumping plot keeps the reader on their toes. If you want action, you get it in droves here.
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