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Predator comics
Predator: Race War
From the Arctic Circle to the equatorial jungles -- from the most isolated wilderness to the overpopulated city -- any place can be a hunting ground. It all depends on your choice of game. For Predator, that game is man, so he heads to the grounds with the biggest the Paloverde State Penitentiary. They say that when you kill a killer, all his kills belong to you, and Predator's looking to rack up the big numbers.
144 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 1995
2 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Vachss
136 books886 followersAndrew Vachss has been a federal investigator in sexually transmitted diseases, a social-services caseworker, a labor organizer, and has directed a maximum-security prison for “aggressive-violent” youth. Now a lawyer in private practice, he represents children and youths exclusively. He is the author of numerous novels, including the Burke series, two collections of short stories, and a wide variety of other material including song lyrics, graphic novels, essays, and a “children’s book for adults.” His books have been translated into twenty languages, and his work has appeared in Parade, Antaeus, Esquire, Playboy, the New York Times, and many other forums. A native New Yorker, he now divides his time between the city of his birth and the Pacific Northwest.
The dedicated Web site for Vachss and his work is
www.vachss.com. That site and this page are managed by volunteers. To contact Mr. Vachss directly, use the "email us" function of vachss.com.
The dedicated Web site for Vachss and his work is
www.vachss.com. That site and this page are managed by volunteers. To contact Mr. Vachss directly, use the "email us" function of vachss.com.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 20, 2024
An OK read in the Predator series. I was not impressed with the overall plot. Recommended if you are into the Predator universe
May 12, 2018
Just as the title would suggest, there definitely is a racial component to Predator: Race War. And just as well, there is indeed a Predator hacking and slashing his way across a quasi-psychedelically illustrated urban environment. Torrents of blood gush this way and that yet, my level of enjoyment was far less fortitudinous.
Without intending it, there is definitely a mash-up feel to this comic but the result is far more mish-mashy than a properly developed pastiche. Questions of race and the inherent conflicts due to diversity are oddly germinated only in the final 4th and 5th acts. Instead, a highly convoluted and disappointingly boring tale of serial killing(s) gets us to the meat (as it were).
Each bud of growth wades in its milieu of shiftingly depicted environs ranging from the opaquely darkened shadows enshrouding crushing line-work to surprisingly open areas illustrated with tints and tones that brush up against psychedelia but are denuded of their historically ecstatic appeal. Favoring grime and gunk over a more hopeful perspective, the scenes and setting match the ribald underground deserving of a neo-film noir but with a mere modicum of its charm.
The settings themselves are of an indubitably uneven quality and the characters are of far more pathetic trend of growth and development. Platonic molds of protagonist, antagonist and so on might be fulfilled, no matter how tortuously realized, but don’t become anything important and fecund upon their own. Something about gangs, undercover police-work, and eventually employees of the American penal system are sartorialized in their appearances but do nothing for their underlying characterizations and motivations.
Ultimately when the finish line is reached there isn’t much to be shown for a tale that’s taken ~100 pages to germinate. The formulas have been fulfilled and that’s about it folks. Yarns have been left untied and so too have conclusions been met with a stunningly banal level of engagement and closure.
I came. I read. I yawned.
Without intending it, there is definitely a mash-up feel to this comic but the result is far more mish-mashy than a properly developed pastiche. Questions of race and the inherent conflicts due to diversity are oddly germinated only in the final 4th and 5th acts. Instead, a highly convoluted and disappointingly boring tale of serial killing(s) gets us to the meat (as it were).
Each bud of growth wades in its milieu of shiftingly depicted environs ranging from the opaquely darkened shadows enshrouding crushing line-work to surprisingly open areas illustrated with tints and tones that brush up against psychedelia but are denuded of their historically ecstatic appeal. Favoring grime and gunk over a more hopeful perspective, the scenes and setting match the ribald underground deserving of a neo-film noir but with a mere modicum of its charm.
The settings themselves are of an indubitably uneven quality and the characters are of far more pathetic trend of growth and development. Platonic molds of protagonist, antagonist and so on might be fulfilled, no matter how tortuously realized, but don’t become anything important and fecund upon their own. Something about gangs, undercover police-work, and eventually employees of the American penal system are sartorialized in their appearances but do nothing for their underlying characterizations and motivations.
Ultimately when the finish line is reached there isn’t much to be shown for a tale that’s taken ~100 pages to germinate. The formulas have been fulfilled and that’s about it folks. Yarns have been left untied and so too have conclusions been met with a stunningly banal level of engagement and closure.
I came. I read. I yawned.
October 14, 2022
Most big game hunters go out to the safari and the wilds for their prey, but this one decides to break into a zoo instead. On one hand, the animals - even the ferocious ones - are all in cages with their weapons taken away, easy pickings. On the other hand, I guess he has to look out for the zoo staff instead. I don't know, it never quite convinced me.
Nor did the race angle, for that matter. It tried to make a theme about it, the whole racism thing and how little it matters when you're facing something that's not even human, but it didn't really hold up in the end. It called it quits a little too early. Could've used one final scene to show the blacks and the whites making amends or something, I don't know.
Nor did the race angle, for that matter. It tried to make a theme about it, the whole racism thing and how little it matters when you're facing something that's not even human, but it didn't really hold up in the end. It called it quits a little too early. Could've used one final scene to show the blacks and the whites making amends or something, I don't know.
February 27, 2024
This is the first time I have read anything on the Predators (having only seen the movies), but I liked this.
The story revolves around a special unit put together to track down the Predator and a team member who has to go undercover in a prison where the Predator is doing massive killing.
The artwork is ok, nothing special but the story makes up for it with interest and good writing.
The story revolves around a special unit put together to track down the Predator and a team member who has to go undercover in a prison where the Predator is doing massive killing.
The artwork is ok, nothing special but the story makes up for it with interest and good writing.
January 20, 2018
Just finished this one. Writing was solid! Andrew Vachsspenned a great story, and he has done so before, as he has a unique insight into human nature and behavior. He is not only a writer, but an attorney.
Imagine if an alleged serial killer drew the attention of a Predator to the maximum security prison he is sent to, and the place is a boiling cauldron of racial tension, about to break into all out war. A perfect place for a killer of killers to hun, wouldn't you say. Add in a government backed team of trackers and soldiers who recruit a guy named Cross to infiltrate the prison and attempt to capture the Predator, and you have a top notch story here. Of course it goes belly up in so many ways but as I said before the writing here is awesome. As I have said before and I know it gets old, but the art in this book begins great and then halfway through the artists change and the quality is just not there. I hate to harp about this again, but it's a selling point for me, the art to back up the words. Overall this is a great book but the art limits where it should have been. Still, I highly recommend it if you are a fan of the Predator franchise. Good stuff!
Imagine if an alleged serial killer drew the attention of a Predator to the maximum security prison he is sent to, and the place is a boiling cauldron of racial tension, about to break into all out war. A perfect place for a killer of killers to hun, wouldn't you say. Add in a government backed team of trackers and soldiers who recruit a guy named Cross to infiltrate the prison and attempt to capture the Predator, and you have a top notch story here. Of course it goes belly up in so many ways but as I said before the writing here is awesome. As I have said before and I know it gets old, but the art in this book begins great and then halfway through the artists change and the quality is just not there. I hate to harp about this again, but it's a selling point for me, the art to back up the words. Overall this is a great book but the art limits where it should have been. Still, I highly recommend it if you are a fan of the Predator franchise. Good stuff!
December 16, 2022
Scenariul este ok. Este una dintre ipostazele în care Predatorul este pus în valoare. Nu mai este păcălit de un singur adversar, ci este nevoie de o armată de oameni. Grafica ar fi putut beneficia de ceva mai mult, dar este ok, luând în considerare că a fost publicat în 1995.
April 16, 2021
As a Predator story, this is a little long-winded and more involved than it perhaps should have been. There's some good ideas in here and it is told reasonably well, but there are some story aspects which do feel a little redundant. However, as a reread, I enjoyed this one a lot more than I recall from last time. The artwork is pretty good too.
July 28, 2020
La verdad es que colaría como historia paralela a la película Predator 2. Empieza como un thriller de asesino en serie. Es cierto que la trama carcelaria no está tan bien llevada, pero ha ofrecido un gran enfrentamiento contra el cazador alienígena.
June 10, 2020
This was a fun story with the Predator having a blast in a Prison.
May 23, 2023
I really liked the overall story arc and the art within the first 3 issues but once it changed style in #4 , I wasn't so keen on it.
Still a solid entry.
Still a solid entry.
August 24, 2019
There is at least one member of the species known as Predator active on earth. Like all others, it is a hunter, stalking, killing and dressing out humans that are capable of putting up a reasonable fight. Many humans have been its victims, there is a team of talented, dedicated and unusual humans that are aware of its existence and is attempting to track it down and stop the march of trophy deaths.
This story is an excellent first installment of what is certain to be an engaging story. The search for the alien Predator is complicated by a known serial killer that claims to be responsible for the majority of the kills by the alien hunter. The claim is made to complicate the case for the prosecution of the serial killer, by claiming the additional victims, the goal is to get better treatment by the prosecution and in prison.
Hunting such a skilled and resourceful hunter is a very difficult task, it takes a great deal of preparation and research. That foundation is laid down and I am eagerly searching for the subsequent three volumes of this engaging story.
This story is an excellent first installment of what is certain to be an engaging story. The search for the alien Predator is complicated by a known serial killer that claims to be responsible for the majority of the kills by the alien hunter. The claim is made to complicate the case for the prosecution of the serial killer, by claiming the additional victims, the goal is to get better treatment by the prosecution and in prison.
Hunting such a skilled and resourceful hunter is a very difficult task, it takes a great deal of preparation and research. That foundation is laid down and I am eagerly searching for the subsequent three volumes of this engaging story.
January 9, 2016
Ok, so I'm seeing a pattern in these here Predator stories.
One thing I did find chuckle-worthy was having a Predator set up shop in a prison. I can't imagine they really found a challenge in caged prey.
But, we needed criminals in the story to truly enjoy the violent scenes, so I'm okay with it.
One thing I did find chuckle-worthy was having a Predator set up shop in a prison. I can't imagine they really found a challenge in caged prey.
But, we needed criminals in the story to truly enjoy the violent scenes, so I'm okay with it.
June 2, 2018
It was interesting.
August 10, 2012
I read this book to confirm that Blackjack is a thinly veiled copy of it.
March 17, 2013
Apparently Blackjack, which is essentially the same, by the same author is better, but I found this entertaining.
May 20, 2017
Intriguing premise
A predator hunting in a prison? The idea works pretty well. They might even be able to make a movie based on this. It was an enjoyable read.
A predator hunting in a prison? The idea works pretty well. They might even be able to make a movie based on this. It was an enjoyable read.
February 22, 2011
Fun read.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews