The first two issues of Predator Kills the Marvel Universe more than lived up to the inherent promise of the title, as a Yautja invasion descended upon the Earth and slaughtered beloved heroes, including the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Fantastic Four. Predator Kills the Marvel Universe #3 aims to one-up this by showcasing the Hulk’s final battle against a legion of Predators, which is as violent as you’d expect. The Hulk sends Yautja flying with a sonic clap, stomps his gigantic foot on another’s head, and even rips one in half!
This carnage comes courtesy of Daniel Picciotto, who takes over from Marcelo Ferreria on art duties. Picciotto is more than willing to push the envelope in terms of bloodshed, particularly in a sequence where Wolverine encounters a Predator in the burning ruins of Xavier’s School for the Gifted. Not only will readers see Professor X’s charred corpse, but they’ll also witness Wolverine get half his face blown off, with skin and blood dripping off his Adamantium skull. It’s a grisly scene, but it’s also a reminder of what’s at stake in this miniseries.
The stakes continue to grow higher and higher, especially once the book reaches a fever pitch. Benjamin Percy clearly wants to put the Marvel heroes in the roughest situation possible; not only will they have to deal with Yautja ships laying waste to the Earth, but a Yautja army that knows their every weakness thanks to Kraven the Hunter. Percy also starts assembling a team of heroes to battle the Yautja; in addition to Wolverine, Iron Man, and Spider-Man join the fray, alongside a surprising ally.
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While Predator Kills the Marvel Universe #3 does feature the same level of bloodshed as the previous two issues, it also feels relatively slow since Percy is mostly setting up for the final two issues. This isn’t inherently bad. Not every issue has to be a nonstop fight scene. That being said, I was hoping for more appearances of the Predator who underwent the Weapon X treatment, especially since he’s literally on the cover of this comic.
What I do like about Predator Kills the Marvel Universe #3 is how it establishes Kraven as a genuine threat. Not only has he trained with the Predators, but he’s the reason why Earth is under attack. It only makes sense that he would be a primary foe; like the Yautja, Kraven has a penchant for hunting the rarest prey on the planet, so it only makes sense that he’d fit in with a bunch of aliens that hunt other beings for sport. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping for a Spidey/Kraven showdown in the final two issues.
Predator Kills the Marvel Universe #3 is mostly setup for the final two issues, though it does feature some of the trademark bloodshed that’s come to define the series. Next issue will bring the Black Panther into the fray, which should result in some well-crafted kickassery.
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