The Predator is one of the coolest monsters ever put on the screen. From its armor to its uniquely hideous visage, the Yajuta’s shadow looms large across the halls of pop culture – and its desire to hunt the strongest beings of the universe means it’s faced off against characters including Batman and Wolverine. I attended a panel at LA Comic Con on Saturday dedicated to the Predator, courtesy of The Launchpad Podcast’s hosts Matt Corrigan and Aaron McLane. A cosplayer in full Predator getup was even on the panel!
The Launchpad Podcast brought a trio of guests who’ve been a major part of Predator history: Richard Chaves (who played Poncho in the first Predator film), Mark Verheiden (writer of multiple Predator comics including the iconic Predator: Concrete Jungle) and Sam de la Rosa (an inker who worked on two issues of Concrete Jungle and other Predator comics.) Chaves kicked things off by discussing his time on the original Predator, and how it compared to his time as a veteran – especially when he and Jesse Ventura noticed the work that went into making the forest set. He also discussed the original Predator design, and how Stan Winston and Kevin Peter Hall helped bring the Predator to life.
Next up was Verheiden, who discussed the genesis of Concrete Jungle. He couldn’t use Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character Dutch due to likeness issues, so he gave Dutch a brother. He also talked about wanted to stay true to the vibes or the original film, placing the Predator in different environments: Concrete Jungle takes place on the streets of New York, while its sequel Cold War is set in Siberia. “Predator was one of three movies that changed my life,” Verheiden said, naming Aliens and Evil Dead as the other two.
De la Rosa also talked about his fandom of the first Predator and his Concrete Jungle work. Due to assignments he had with Marvel at the time, he could only work on two issues but he was happy that he got to do those two. De la Rosa also mentioned that he had done work on a variant cover for Predator vs Wolverine…but that he had put the Predator’s wrist blade on wrong, and after he was notified he redrew the cover. It’s still a pretty cool image, all things considered.
Talk then turned to who everyone wanted to see the Predator fight. Chaves pitched a story where Pancho comes back to life, with Verhiden popping in to say “and then Ash Williams meets him!” De la Rosa suggested that Ka-Zar should take a crack at him, or even Venom. It’s clear that the panelists and attendees alike have nothing but love for the Predator, and it was great to be around fellow Predator fans.
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