Disney buying 20th Century Fox in 2019 led the X-Men’s film rights back to Marvel, but that wasn’t all it did for the venerable publisher. Fox was the studio that made the Predator, Alien, and Planet of the Apes movies, meaning that Marvel Comics would have access to all of these. This has led to fantastic crossovers, with some of the best creators in the history of the comic industry getting to pit Marvel’s greatest superheroes against these classic movie monsters. The Predator crossover comics have been especially good; Predators have always been formidable, so having them fight Marvel heroes has been a lot of fun. and the latest series pits the Yautja against New York City’s most dangerous vigilante, the Punisher.
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The Punisher and the Predator are a perfect pairing and Predator vs. Punisher #1 does a fantastic job of kicking off this story. Written by Frank Tieri with art by Jesus Saiz, I vibed with this comic immediately. It’s a fantastic kick-off to this latest crossover extravaganza, taking the story we expect to get – Frank Castle and a Predator going at it – and taking a roundabout yet entertaining way to get there. While it’s not some perfect example of the comic art that will be talked about for generations, it’s everything it advertises itself as: awesome.
| Pros | Cons |
| Tieri gives readers the kind of action they crave while also setting up a cool story overall | The plot is a little simple and formulaic |
| Saiz’s art gives the story a cinematic feel that works with Tieri’s plot | |
| This book felt like the perfect first reel of a Predator/Punisher crossover movie |
Tieri Balances the Desire for Violence and Plot Nicely
Frank Tieri is one of those writers who are a guaranteed good time. He knows how to write exciting, action-packed books that leave readers begging for more, with underrated runs on Wolverine and the Punisher. He was a great choice for this book, and not just because of his history with the Punisher’s adventures. He’s exactly the kind of writer you want for something like this. He knows his way around an action scene and he gets to create an engaging plot that anyone can enjoy. He brings all of that to this first issue, an exciting little yarn that gives readers a plot worth caring about as well as the crossover Predator violence they crave.
The issue kicks off with a flashback, taking us back into the past of Silvermane (I just want to add that while I’ve always known who Silvermane was – thanks WizardMagazine! – this is the first time I’ve read an actual comic with him in it, so I was pretty happy right off the bat), a long forgotten gang leader villain, and his first encounter with the Predator. It’s a great way to kick off this story and it just gets better from there. The plot itself is simple – Punisher decides to attack a sit-down between the Owl and Jigsaw, one brokered by Silvermane, but the Predator has the same idea, leading to a big fight and the beginning of a five-way war between Punisher, Silvermane, Jigsaw, the Owl, and the Predator. Tieri could have given us something a little simpler and it still would have been good, but he went that extra mile to give this series a shine that only he could.
Saiz’s Pencils Bring the Blood-Soaked Goods
Jesus Saiz’s art style has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. He started out with a more traditional style, but that has shifted, especially since he started coloring his own pencils. His work is the definition of polished in 2026; he gives readers realistic figures with exquisite detail and deft character acting. He’s even able to give his work a feeling of movement that might seem impossible for his style. Saiz worked on the maligned Punisher as leader of the Hand series, so he gets how to do great Punisher art and this issue is full of that.
One of the things that struck me as a I was reading this book was just how cinematic it all felt and Saiz’s art is a key part of that. This story feels like Tieri writing his perfect Punisher vs Predator spec script and Saiz’s art makes it into a finished product. He makes the pages feel like the big screen, his page layouts and shot placement really selling every scene. I think that there might be some people out there who think that Saiz isn’t the right person for this story, but these people haven’t seen the care he puts into drawing Predators uncloaking. He’s bringing a level of care to the imagery that you don’t always get and it’s fantastic.
Predator vs. Punisher #1 is basically what you’d get if you made an R-rated crossover movie between the two properties. Tieri builds an excellent plot, with Silvermane’s desire for revenge the icing on the cake. Saiz is able to take that story and bring it to life flawlessly, giving it a flow and realism that makes it feel so very cinematic. I love the fact that Marvel took the licensed character crossover tie-in comic and it took it to new level by putting A-list creators on them, with Predator vs. Punisher #1 being an excellent example of why it works to well.
Predator vs. Punisher #1 is on sale now.
Do you think the Punisher has a chance against the Predator? How stoked are you to read a Silvermane comic in the year of our lord 2026? Sound off in the comment section below.
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