Ed Brisson and Kev Walker’s Predator #6 takes the road often traveled in its finale rather than attempting to do something unique.
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Predator #6
- Writer:
- Ed Brisson
- Artist:
- Kev Walker
- Letterer:
- VC”s Clayton Cowles
- Cover Artist:
- Leinil Francis Yu, Sunny Gho
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-01-11
- Colorist:
- Frank D’Armata
Theta doesn’t have time to bleed or to get to the chopper as she locks and loads to square off against the intergalactic hunter with a face only a mother could love. In Marvel’s Predator #6 — by writer Ed Brisson, artist Kev Walker, colorist Frank D’Armata, and letterer Clayton Cowles — she might finally get her revenge. The issue marks the finale of this arc, but it chooses to follow a safe route rather than go out in a blaze of glory.
The arc concludes in Predator #6 as Theta and the Astar team work together to stop the creature onboard. However, they might be underestimating the Yautja’s intelligence by believing it will fall into their primitive traps. More importantly, there’s the real possibility this is the same Predator that Theta has been searching for her entire life. Expectedly, strong emotions boil to the surface as this becomes more personal.
From a technical perspective, Brisson writes the perfect Predator finale for this arc. There are thrills, blood spills, and an abundance of action that would make Dutch jealous he isn’t leading the battle anymore. Brisson captures the unpredictable element of the human characters, which is a common plot twist in any Predator adaptation. Despite having a plan in place, there will always be a few who mess everything up by doing the opposite of what they are told and jeopardizing the mission — something that makes for extra tension in the story.
That being said, the unpredictability is fairly predictable here. Everything that happens in the issue is what fans of the franchise have come to expect. All the story beats play out like clockwork. There have been novel elements in Theta’s tale, which make her more than simply Predator‘s version of Ellen Ripley from Alien. But the finale could have benefited from more originality and imagination. Yes, it might have been risky, and not all fans would have accepted it if it diverged from typical franchise expectations, but this ending feels remarkably formulaic.
It’s clear Walker is having the time of his life on Predator #6. The artist shines in the futuristic, action-packed story and flexes the brushstrokes here by building up anticipation in the quieter scenes before unleashing carnage in moments of fury. The big fight in the issue is masterfully executed by Walker, as he uses minimalism to put all the focus on two characters. In a way, it’s reminiscent of the final fight between Naru and the Yautja in Hulu’s Prey.
D’Armata uses sleight of hand in the use of color to deceive the readers. While red is often associated with imminent danger and blue typically indicates serenity, the colorist flips this in places to lure the reader into a false sense of security before striking hard. Cowles also plays a major role, as the sound effects play a critical role in indicating what the Predator is actually up to in the issue.
Overall, Predator #6 delivers exactly what readers expect in the end. While it’s a safe approach, which is unlikely to ruffle too many feathers, it could have taken a few more narrative risks to stand out. Nonetheless, it still wraps up the arc and leaves readers excited to follow more of Theta’s adventures in the future.
