Predator: Life and Death #3

Predator: Life and Death #3

Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: Brian Thies
Colorist: Rain Beredo
Letterer: Michael Heisler
Cover Artist: David Palumbo

Predator: Life and Death #3 kicks into high gear as the Colonial Marines continue their battle with the predators. Brian Thies raises the art level up a notch for some great panels, and Dan Abnett keeps the banter going for a fun ride. It’s marines fighting predators, the best of both worlds.

I like how the issue kicks off. There’s a nice series of panels that emphasizes the adrenaline rush of the action. One one hand, you get a bullet countdown and on the other, you get Captain Paget trying to assess the situation. As the bullets countdown, the intensity increases. Then the next page spills you into the action as predators are coming in from all angles. Yet the story holds back the slaughter as the marines stand their ground and actually push back the predators. It also gives the artists a chance to show a particularly awesome shot of a predator being hit. Thies shows he can do detail and colorist Rain Beredo really brings that panel to life.

After the firefight, things calm down. The marines get a chance to regroup, cope with what they’ve encountered, and plan a strategy moving forward. There’s also an excellent scene between the sergeant and Rucker dealing with the friendly fire incident. It’s an odd thing for a comic to include, but it adds a lot of humanity to the characters. All too often comic writers focus on the horror or the action. Dan Abnett, however, has consistently added little touches to the story to help flesh out the characters and give readers something to connect to. It makes for a good story.

After their first encounter, the marines saddle up for round two. They go after the alien ship, this time knowing what to expect, and the chaos ensues. There’s lots of action and it all ends with the predators on the high ground. Thies also sneaks in one more awesome panel. It’s a nice way to end the issue.

With some nice artwork and an entertaining story, I give Predator: Life and Death #3 a five out of five metal bikinis. It’s a good issue and it’s an improvement on the previous ones. Brian Thies is stepping up his artwork and Dan Abnett is continuing to craft a fun story. It’ll be interesting to see where this goes.

Reviewed By: Skuldren for Roqoo Depot.