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Archie vs. Predator #1-4
Archie vs Predator
America's favorite teen meets the galaxy's fiercest hunter!
When Archie and friends hit Costa Rica for Spring Break, party games and beach games are soon replaced by the Most Dangerous Game! Lured by the challenge of Betty and Veronica's unparalleled fierceness, a teenaged Predator from the stars follows the gang back to Riverdale, where it prepares for its most bizarre hunt ever, but will the kids even realize they're in danger before they end up in the creature's horrifying trophy case?!
Collecting issues #1-#4 of the smash-hit Archie vs. Predator!
When Archie and friends hit Costa Rica for Spring Break, party games and beach games are soon replaced by the Most Dangerous Game! Lured by the challenge of Betty and Veronica's unparalleled fierceness, a teenaged Predator from the stars follows the gang back to Riverdale, where it prepares for its most bizarre hunt ever, but will the kids even realize they're in danger before they end up in the creature's horrifying trophy case?!
Collecting issues #1-#4 of the smash-hit Archie vs. Predator!
144 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2015
19 people are currently reading
295 people want to read
About the author
Alex de Campi
234books229followersAlex de Campi is a New York-based writer with an extensive backlist of critically-acclaimed graphic novels including Eisner-nominated heist noir Bad Girls (Simon & Schuster) and Twisted Romance (Image Comics). Her most recent book was her debut prose novel The Scottish Boy (Unbound). She lives with her daughter, their cat, and a Deafblind pit bull named Tango.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
August 3, 2019
Like most comics from Archie, this one is surprisingly good, especially considering it has no right to be good at all with a title like Archie vs Predator.
But. It is.
The kids from Riverdale go on a Spring Break romp to the jungle and bring back a cursed knife and a new friend.
A homicidal new friend that has apparently been playing just a little too much Mortal Kombat.
There's not much to this story other than what you would expect from any comic that had the Predator running around in it.
Lots of screaming, lots of cartoony gore, lots of mascara running, and lots of dead folks.
Plus, you know, love and friendship in a small-town setting.
I liked it. It had some cute nods to stuff happening in the other Archie universes, and it managed to stay somewhat true to the original storyline of these characters.
If the original storyline had more blood and dying...
Recommended for fans of Archie comics.
December 14, 2022
I saw this graphic novel at my library, and I just couldn’t resist. It is exactly what it promises to be. The gang from Riverdale High slowly being picked off by the Predator.
Archie and crew are as ridiculous as I remember from my youth. But Archie vs Predator does a nice job of laying out the “rules� about the Predator, and throwing in funny references to the movies to boot.
Archie vs Predator is, objectively, absurd. But I’ve wasted an hour on lesser things before. If you have fond memories of the Predator movie, and know who Archie is, you could do worse than checking this out.
Archie and crew are as ridiculous as I remember from my youth. But Archie vs Predator does a nice job of laying out the “rules� about the Predator, and throwing in funny references to the movies to boot.
Archie vs Predator is, objectively, absurd. But I’ve wasted an hour on lesser things before. If you have fond memories of the Predator movie, and know who Archie is, you could do worse than checking this out.
April 11, 2016
When Archie and the gang return from spring break in Costa Rica, a teenage Predator follows them back to Riverdale. Will anyone survive the carnage that ensues?
Confession time: I read my share of Archie comics when I was 11-12 and have much love for the Predator. How could I not give this a chance?
What do you get when you mix the saccharine, G-rated teen comedy of Archie with the wholesale carnage that is the Predator? You get a bizarre comic book the likes of which have never been seen!
The first issue was a little light on the Predator but had more blood than the all the previous Archie comics I've read combined. When the Predator gets to Riverdale and starts his mass decapitations, things get gory in a hurry. Seeing someone's head and spinal column get yanked off, drawn in the Archie style, is something to behold.
The body count is surprisingly high. Since it's not bound by the Archie continuity, whatever that is, no one is safe and very few people walk out alive. It's a surreal contrast to the never-changing, ever-teenage world of Archie I remember.
Four stars, mostly for the book's train wreck appeal. That's all I have to say about that.
Confession time: I read my share of Archie comics when I was 11-12 and have much love for the Predator. How could I not give this a chance?
What do you get when you mix the saccharine, G-rated teen comedy of Archie with the wholesale carnage that is the Predator? You get a bizarre comic book the likes of which have never been seen!
The first issue was a little light on the Predator but had more blood than the all the previous Archie comics I've read combined. When the Predator gets to Riverdale and starts his mass decapitations, things get gory in a hurry. Seeing someone's head and spinal column get yanked off, drawn in the Archie style, is something to behold.
The body count is surprisingly high. Since it's not bound by the Archie continuity, whatever that is, no one is safe and very few people walk out alive. It's a surreal contrast to the never-changing, ever-teenage world of Archie I remember.
Four stars, mostly for the book's train wreck appeal. That's all I have to say about that.
October 26, 2020
"Wow! This is the most perfect beach I've ever seen! In fact . . . everything's perfect! We are going to have the best Spring Break ever!" -- Archie Andrews, tempting fate on page 2
Probably the last time I perused an Archie comic book was way back in the 80's, when they used to litter the end tables (alongside Sgt. Rock) in my great-uncle's small town barber shop . . . which pretty much dove-tails with the release of Predator starring Arnold 'get to the choppah!' Schwarzenegger. That said, the collision course of two such disparate characters sounds like an oddball match made in heaven for an action-horror-comedy hybrid. And yet this volume falls flat and goes tone-deaf after a relatively good set-up in the first chapter, with any chance of inspiration quickly flying out of the window. However, if you want to witness the Riverdale gang being violently killed in not particularly inventive ways by an alien then this just may be the book for you. Otherwise, this one was a bore.
Probably the last time I perused an Archie comic book was way back in the 80's, when they used to litter the end tables (alongside Sgt. Rock) in my great-uncle's small town barber shop . . . which pretty much dove-tails with the release of Predator starring Arnold 'get to the choppah!' Schwarzenegger. That said, the collision course of two such disparate characters sounds like an oddball match made in heaven for an action-horror-comedy hybrid. And yet this volume falls flat and goes tone-deaf after a relatively good set-up in the first chapter, with any chance of inspiration quickly flying out of the window. However, if you want to witness the Riverdale gang being violently killed in not particularly inventive ways by an alien then this just may be the book for you. Otherwise, this one was a bore.
November 30, 2015
I’m not really a fan of either Archie or Predator but I did want to read a comic where the cast of Archie get eviscerated by a bloodthirsty dreadlocked alien hunter! Is it worth explaining the premise? It’s a gimmicky comic in the vein of Archie Meets The Punisher. Predator comes to Riverdale and starts killing. That’s it!
I was pleased that the comic delivered on its promise of blood-soaked Archie gore. Not only does Predator take out these morons but there’s no wimping out, off-panel deaths � heads are shot off, spines ripped out, and Salem the cat is exploded. Good stuff!
My only other experience with Archie is Afterlife with Archie (also a disappointing gimmick comic � com-mick?) so I wasn’t prepared for the rest of this book which is full on Archie banality. Two bimbos, Betty and Veronica, pine for the affections of a red-headed bimbo called Archie while their cretinous friend Jughead eats constantly. They hang out in a malt shop and worry about the school dance and yearbooks. That’s literally all there is to Archie. How on earth has this comic lasted as long as it has?! Vapid doesn’t come close to describing these characters and their “stories�.
And Jughead � why does he wear a crown? Is he a “special� person � is that what the “S� on his sweater stands for? And he’s always eating but he’s not fat � his tapeworm must be enormous! I can’t emphasise how aghast I was at the anachronistic Americana that is Archie. I knew it was corny but I didn’t realise HOW corny it really is.
Archie Vs Predator does what you hope it does but the parts where Predator’s not bringing the pain are insufferable. It firmly cemented my opinion on Archie that there isn’t a worse comic on the face of the planet � Archie makes DC’s nonsense look amazing in comparison!
I was pleased that the comic delivered on its promise of blood-soaked Archie gore. Not only does Predator take out these morons but there’s no wimping out, off-panel deaths � heads are shot off, spines ripped out, and Salem the cat is exploded. Good stuff!
My only other experience with Archie is Afterlife with Archie (also a disappointing gimmick comic � com-mick?) so I wasn’t prepared for the rest of this book which is full on Archie banality. Two bimbos, Betty and Veronica, pine for the affections of a red-headed bimbo called Archie while their cretinous friend Jughead eats constantly. They hang out in a malt shop and worry about the school dance and yearbooks. That’s literally all there is to Archie. How on earth has this comic lasted as long as it has?! Vapid doesn’t come close to describing these characters and their “stories�.
And Jughead � why does he wear a crown? Is he a “special� person � is that what the “S� on his sweater stands for? And he’s always eating but he’s not fat � his tapeworm must be enormous! I can’t emphasise how aghast I was at the anachronistic Americana that is Archie. I knew it was corny but I didn’t realise HOW corny it really is.
Archie Vs Predator does what you hope it does but the parts where Predator’s not bringing the pain are insufferable. It firmly cemented my opinion on Archie that there isn’t a worse comic on the face of the planet � Archie makes DC’s nonsense look amazing in comparison!
April 20, 2019
Well, the Predator has officially crossed over with everyone now. More spine-ripping fun than you can shake a skull at. I gotta say this was a blast. I never knew I wanted the Predator gorely ripping the spine out of the cast of Archie until I saw it happen. Now I can't get enough. I love that's it's all drawn in the Archie style too. If you enjoy the supernatural Archie titles, you're going to dig this.
January 13, 2018
The tittle says it all.
February 6, 2016
So... Um... This was a book. And I read it. I'm kind of tempted to stop there, because this was just so damn weird, but I'm going to try to write something that will pass for a review. I won't bother to summarize the premise, because it's literally all there in the title and there's nothing unexpected about the plot. It reads basically like a standard Archie comic, except that there's suddenly and unexpectedly a Predator running around killing basically everyone in a surprisingly graphic and bloody way. The violence is all the more surprising because it is done in the Archie house style. If you ever wanted to see an Archie character that you find particularly annoying eviscerated, this is likely the book for you, because almost nobody makes it out of this book alive.
Here's the thing: I have precious little prior experience wit either Archie or Predator, so I don't really have a vested interest either way. I read this out of morbid fascination, and morbid fascination was exactly what I got out of it. I have it on good authority, from a friend who is a big Archie fan, that the characters basically act like they should be expected to, and that it really does read like a regular Archie book with a lot more entrails. Ok, so there's that.
I might have rated this a little lower, but it is a sort of B movie fun. And there's a truly unexpected twist as the end, and it's always nice when a book takes me by surprise in a good way. It's still weird, but it's enthusiastically so, and I kind of admire that.
Here's the thing: I have precious little prior experience wit either Archie or Predator, so I don't really have a vested interest either way. I read this out of morbid fascination, and morbid fascination was exactly what I got out of it. I have it on good authority, from a friend who is a big Archie fan, that the characters basically act like they should be expected to, and that it really does read like a regular Archie book with a lot more entrails. Ok, so there's that.
I might have rated this a little lower, but it is a sort of B movie fun. And there's a truly unexpected twist as the end, and it's always nice when a book takes me by surprise in a good way. It's still weird, but it's enthusiastically so, and I kind of admire that.
February 16, 2020
There's not much story here. It's not clear why the Predator is hunting down the Riverdale teens other than it's a gimmick to sell comic books. The deaths are gory, but even that gets boring as the Predator isn't very creative with his kills (it happens the same way in most cases).
November 25, 2015
I received this from Edelweiss and Dark Horse Comics in exchange for an honest review.
Honest, this book should have never been printed. It should have never been published. It should have never even been discussed. It is gruesome. It is gory. It contains the ultra-violent deaths over almost all of the favorite characters in Riverdale. I want more.
Seriously, this was a clever take on the whole Predator and Archie universes. I wasn't expecting it to be as gory as it was, but the story worked. It felt like a Predator movie, except the main characters were Archie, Veronica, Betty, Jughead, and all the rest. Even Sabrina the Teenage Witch makes an appearance. There were some laugh-out-loud moments at some of the "deaths" (much like watching Paris Hilton's character getting "killed" in the movie, House of Wax).
I appreciate the fact that the Archie camp is willing to allow their characters to take part in these crossovers. Even in and , and now Archie vs Predator, the characters are how we remember them but with the twist of the crossovers. Classic.
The end of Archie vs Predator had a few pages of suggested crossovers that artists had taken and created one- or two-page shots: "Sabrina meets Hellboy" and "Archie meets The Mask" (Jim Carrey's movie) are a couple that I'd probably pay to read.
Honest, this book should have never been printed. It should have never been published. It should have never even been discussed. It is gruesome. It is gory. It contains the ultra-violent deaths over almost all of the favorite characters in Riverdale. I want more.
Seriously, this was a clever take on the whole Predator and Archie universes. I wasn't expecting it to be as gory as it was, but the story worked. It felt like a Predator movie, except the main characters were Archie, Veronica, Betty, Jughead, and all the rest. Even Sabrina the Teenage Witch makes an appearance. There were some laugh-out-loud moments at some of the "deaths" (much like watching Paris Hilton's character getting "killed" in the movie, House of Wax).
I appreciate the fact that the Archie camp is willing to allow their characters to take part in these crossovers. Even in and , and now Archie vs Predator, the characters are how we remember them but with the twist of the crossovers. Classic.
The end of Archie vs Predator had a few pages of suggested crossovers that artists had taken and created one- or two-page shots: "Sabrina meets Hellboy" and "Archie meets The Mask" (Jim Carrey's movie) are a couple that I'd probably pay to read.
April 2, 2016
Oh, jaysis. Not good. Not good.
Okay, so I thought this was gonna be more like Afterlife With Archie, or even the monthly, more recent Archie titles where Archie is actually pretty tolerable. It's a soap opera, but fuck it, so is Spider-Man.
But this was like a 1950's Archie mag with Predator showing up at some point.
Guys, I BARELY made it to the part where Predator shows up. The kids go on a spring break trip to some island, blah, blah blah.
Which doesn't even make sense. Why wouldn't Predator just come to Riverdale? He's a goddamn space alien. And by my count, 1 Jungle (Predator), 1 city (Predator 2), 1 Antarctica (Aliens v Predator), 1 Colorado (Aliens v Predator: Requiem) and a return to the jungle (Predators). He doesn't have to always be in the jungle.
But my god do I not give one fuck about Betty v Veronica. Archie is a dweeb. Lose the zero and get with the hero, ladies. By which I mean Jughead. That motherfucker has swagger so large he wears a crown 24/7. That's a man.
Also, I'm a Midge guy. Her last name is Klump, and my last name is a slight upgrade, so I figure that boosts my chances. Just sayin'.
Okay, so I thought this was gonna be more like Afterlife With Archie, or even the monthly, more recent Archie titles where Archie is actually pretty tolerable. It's a soap opera, but fuck it, so is Spider-Man.
But this was like a 1950's Archie mag with Predator showing up at some point.
Guys, I BARELY made it to the part where Predator shows up. The kids go on a spring break trip to some island, blah, blah blah.
Which doesn't even make sense. Why wouldn't Predator just come to Riverdale? He's a goddamn space alien. And by my count, 1 Jungle (Predator), 1 city (Predator 2), 1 Antarctica (Aliens v Predator), 1 Colorado (Aliens v Predator: Requiem) and a return to the jungle (Predators). He doesn't have to always be in the jungle.
But my god do I not give one fuck about Betty v Veronica. Archie is a dweeb. Lose the zero and get with the hero, ladies. By which I mean Jughead. That motherfucker has swagger so large he wears a crown 24/7. That's a man.
Also, I'm a Midge guy. Her last name is Klump, and my last name is a slight upgrade, so I figure that boosts my chances. Just sayin'.
January 16, 2020
This one disappointed me. After reading "Afterlife with Archie", I was expecting a similar type story from this volume. But no, instead of being the serious, mature horror of Afterlife, this was a somewhat silly story based more in the traditional Archie universe.
Now, to clarify, it's still pretty good. It's just that instead of it being something you wouldn't expect from an Archie comic, it's exactly what you'd expect. There's plenty of gore in the story, but its still laced with humor. I guess this is more "Evil Dead" than "Predator." It's also a stand alone "imaginary" type story, but of course that's to be expected. Let's just say most of the Archie characters we've come to know and love meet gruesome ends, and the ending was just way too campy for me.
If you like B movies with some silliness mixed in with the horror, you'll enjoy this one. If you're a big Archie fan than I'm sure you'll get a kick out of this. If the only Archie comic you like is Afterlife or that new Sabrina comic, however, you may be let down a bit. For me personally, it was still an enjoyable read.
Now, to clarify, it's still pretty good. It's just that instead of it being something you wouldn't expect from an Archie comic, it's exactly what you'd expect. There's plenty of gore in the story, but its still laced with humor. I guess this is more "Evil Dead" than "Predator." It's also a stand alone "imaginary" type story, but of course that's to be expected. Let's just say most of the Archie characters we've come to know and love meet gruesome ends, and the ending was just way too campy for me.
If you like B movies with some silliness mixed in with the horror, you'll enjoy this one. If you're a big Archie fan than I'm sure you'll get a kick out of this. If the only Archie comic you like is Afterlife or that new Sabrina comic, however, you may be let down a bit. For me personally, it was still an enjoyable read.
November 24, 2019
Boys never do anything right, Betty!
👱🏻♀️👩�
After returning from a short Spring Break vacation at Los Peridos Resort in Costa Rica, the gang is surprised to find out they're being hunted... by a predator???
This was my second time reading an Archie graphic novel, not to mention crossover! I finally learned why Betty and Veronica Lodge are Archie Andrews best friends. The horror movie-aspect of the story is reminiscent of Scooby-Doo.
I liked all the references to the original predator.
June 21, 2018
Ach. Mein Gott.
I couldn’t pass up the temptation to read this after I saw it on sale at my local Goodwill. I’ve never been a fan of the half-wit Archie and his pals...but I’m a HUGE fan of Predator, so you bet I was hyped to see my favorite dreadlocked alien slice his way through Riverdale in a G-rated teen “comedy� as Archie and his friends revert themselves back to the ways of primal man to escape from this alien terror!.../s
Guys, this crossover truly sucks even on comedic levels. I didn’t find this graphic novelette shocking nor amusing, just weird as hell. I like weird, but this is just flat-out strange and gut-wrenching (not because it’s gory). Speaking of bloody, HOLY HELL this graphic novel didn’t censor itself in that regard. You see high school youths brutally mutilated and having their spines ripped out in a matter of seconds. I wasn’t expecting to see that in an Archie book, but at least I can give them a star for not shying away from the Predator’s grisly nature.
The rest however, is boring. Archie is still a moron and the other characters are paper-thin and incredibly dull. I know this isn’t high literature, but there should be SOMETHING there to make the characters somewhat like-able and human. I got so tired of reading about them I was hoping for this graphic novel to end with the Predator murdering them off. I haven’t read Archie in a long time, but now that I’ve read this I remember why I never returned to the carrot-topped idiot.
I couldn’t pass up the temptation to read this after I saw it on sale at my local Goodwill. I’ve never been a fan of the half-wit Archie and his pals...but I’m a HUGE fan of Predator, so you bet I was hyped to see my favorite dreadlocked alien slice his way through Riverdale in a G-rated teen “comedy� as Archie and his friends revert themselves back to the ways of primal man to escape from this alien terror!.../s
Guys, this crossover truly sucks even on comedic levels. I didn’t find this graphic novelette shocking nor amusing, just weird as hell. I like weird, but this is just flat-out strange and gut-wrenching (not because it’s gory). Speaking of bloody, HOLY HELL this graphic novel didn’t censor itself in that regard. You see high school youths brutally mutilated and having their spines ripped out in a matter of seconds. I wasn’t expecting to see that in an Archie book, but at least I can give them a star for not shying away from the Predator’s grisly nature.
The rest however, is boring. Archie is still a moron and the other characters are paper-thin and incredibly dull. I know this isn’t high literature, but there should be SOMETHING there to make the characters somewhat like-able and human. I got so tired of reading about them I was hoping for this graphic novel to end with the Predator murdering them off. I haven’t read Archie in a long time, but now that I’ve read this I remember why I never returned to the carrot-topped idiot.
April 23, 2018
If you never imagined what would happen if a Predator ran into the gang from Riverdale I don't blame you, because why the hell would anyone ever imagine that? But thankfully we share this planet with people like Alex de Campi, who reminds us that the most unexpected and absurd crossovers can be the most enjoyable.
Admittedly, I scoffed at the sight of this one. I've been weary since the first Alien vs. Predator film and the subsequent watering down of the Predator franchise. I figured they would scrap the trademark spine pulling and turn the Predator into to a blundering oaf. A quick flip through a few pages told me I was wrong. Look, I'm not a particularly depraved person, but I reached new levels of happiness when I saw a depiction of a severed head mounted in a candy machine.
This one was violent, silly, and just so damn enjoyable. I've never been big on Archie and I'm only a casual Predator fan, but together they work so well. This book is a fine example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
Admittedly, I scoffed at the sight of this one. I've been weary since the first Alien vs. Predator film and the subsequent watering down of the Predator franchise. I figured they would scrap the trademark spine pulling and turn the Predator into to a blundering oaf. A quick flip through a few pages told me I was wrong. Look, I'm not a particularly depraved person, but I reached new levels of happiness when I saw a depiction of a severed head mounted in a candy machine.
This one was violent, silly, and just so damn enjoyable. I've never been big on Archie and I'm only a casual Predator fan, but together they work so well. This book is a fine example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
August 12, 2016
4.5
solid combo
wholesome archie comics plus disgusting gore
solid combo
wholesome archie comics plus disgusting gore
April 13, 2017
Not to be hyperbolic or anything, but this is the unsurpassed and unsurpassable greatest work in crossover comics.
November 5, 2015
While not quite as compelling as the superior "Afterlife with Archie", or as thought-provoking as "The Married Life" storyline, the first issue of this mini-series is quite readable, and (dare I say it) enjoyable!
While crossovers have long been a staple for Archie comincs (Archie meets the Punisher anyone?), I applaud Archie comics for continuing to keep ARchie in the public eye by allowing these crossovers with (apparently) minimal editoral/creative intervention.
Where this first issues shines is the characterization; all the tropes are there (Jughead wins a trip by eating potato chips, the eternal struggle between Betty and Veronica, Reggie acting underhanded, etc.) and scream "Vintage Archie", and yet it's somehow hyper-realistic at the same time, knowning that there's an intergalactic assassin lurking in the shadows. (And, while you would thinjk it would be offputting, it's actually quite interesting how little the Predator actually influences the plot in this first issue.)
OVerall, I'd recommend this series thus far for those who are are fans of either Archie, Predator, shared world crossovers, or fans of offbeat comics in general.
While crossovers have long been a staple for Archie comincs (Archie meets the Punisher anyone?), I applaud Archie comics for continuing to keep ARchie in the public eye by allowing these crossovers with (apparently) minimal editoral/creative intervention.
Where this first issues shines is the characterization; all the tropes are there (Jughead wins a trip by eating potato chips, the eternal struggle between Betty and Veronica, Reggie acting underhanded, etc.) and scream "Vintage Archie", and yet it's somehow hyper-realistic at the same time, knowning that there's an intergalactic assassin lurking in the shadows. (And, while you would thinjk it would be offputting, it's actually quite interesting how little the Predator actually influences the plot in this first issue.)
OVerall, I'd recommend this series thus far for those who are are fans of either Archie, Predator, shared world crossovers, or fans of offbeat comics in general.
July 30, 2015
This review is for all 4 issues. I jumped at the chance to read this mini-series.
The Predator & the Archie characters in one story. Sounded so weird I had to check it out.
Bloody at times, but written/drawn in the old Archie comics style.
In November this story will be released in a hardback collection. I will probably pick it up in that format as well. Whether you love the Archie comics or the Predator character, you will love this series. Comedy & blood!
The Predator & the Archie characters in one story. Sounded so weird I had to check it out.
Bloody at times, but written/drawn in the old Archie comics style.
In November this story will be released in a hardback collection. I will probably pick it up in that format as well. Whether you love the Archie comics or the Predator character, you will love this series. Comedy & blood!
November 9, 2015
Lately, Archie and the gang have been involved in some very strange makeovers and crossovers but Archie vs Predator may get the prize for strangest, sexiest, most violent and goriest of them all. This is definitely not the Archie of my childhood!
The gang won a contest to an exotic locale for some surf, sun, and fun. However, in a pique of jealousy, Betty uses an ancient dagger to curse them all bringing a Predator to Riverdale who will kill anyone who is a perceived threat which, as it turns out, is everybody. And, if you think anyone is safe, think again because the big guy has a real predilection for ripping heads off � although, spoiler alert � turns out, this is a teenaged Predator with apparently teenaged hormones and he seems to really enjoy watching Betty and Veronica fight. Not only that but he apparently communicates with emojis which is, I have to say, pretty darn funny albeit a tad creepy.
The graphic novel Archie vs Predator is written by Alex De Campi and illustrated by Fernando Ruiz in the classic Archie style, which kind of heightens the whole WTF factor. Somehow the whole idea seems completely wrong but, c’mon, look at that cover. As Brendan Wright of publisher Dark Horse says in the Afterword,the idea may be completely incongruous but “it was immediately obvious that Archie vs. Predator needed to exist�.
The gang won a contest to an exotic locale for some surf, sun, and fun. However, in a pique of jealousy, Betty uses an ancient dagger to curse them all bringing a Predator to Riverdale who will kill anyone who is a perceived threat which, as it turns out, is everybody. And, if you think anyone is safe, think again because the big guy has a real predilection for ripping heads off � although, spoiler alert � turns out, this is a teenaged Predator with apparently teenaged hormones and he seems to really enjoy watching Betty and Veronica fight. Not only that but he apparently communicates with emojis which is, I have to say, pretty darn funny albeit a tad creepy.
The graphic novel Archie vs Predator is written by Alex De Campi and illustrated by Fernando Ruiz in the classic Archie style, which kind of heightens the whole WTF factor. Somehow the whole idea seems completely wrong but, c’mon, look at that cover. As Brendan Wright of publisher Dark Horse says in the Afterword,the idea may be completely incongruous but “it was immediately obvious that Archie vs. Predator needed to exist�.
June 30, 2015
This is a 4 part series and I've read the first 3 issues (still waiting for the last one). I've never heard of Archie before and now I'm completely hooked! 
This book is so ridiculously fun and crazy - I love it :D and I'm seriously considering buying this one for my home library. Also - a teenage predator - how awesome is that :D
This book is so ridiculously fun and crazy - I love it :D and I'm seriously considering buying this one for my home library. Also - a teenage predator - how awesome is that :D
August 2, 2018
Yes, this exists, and it is just as weird as you'd expect. It starts off totally Archie, with the gang going on spring break, but by issue two, things get dark and surprisingly gruesome. It's drawn in the classic Riverdale style, which makes the severed heads and exposed spines a bit more shocking. There are jokes all the while, some of them blacker than midnight in a coal mine, and a delightfully bonkers twist. It's good fun if you have a sick bent.
November 11, 2019
Who doesn't enjoy seeing the Riverdale gang getting obliterated?
Read
May 28, 2020Oh man what did I just read? My hat's off to this creative team, it's like they took the fevered dreams of 11 year old Rob after a long car trip the day after watching Predator the first time on VHS and distilled them into a dog-eared Archie comic of the variety I might have deigned to read in a dentist's waiting room.
I mean fair play to Predz, an unhealthy obsession with both Betty and Veronica is pretty on-brand forred green-blooded teens...
I definitely recommend it, what a trip! though in keeping with my custom for these dank crossovers I will forego a star rating.
I mean fair play to Predz, an unhealthy obsession with both Betty and Veronica is pretty on-brand for
I definitely recommend it, what a trip! though in keeping with my custom for these dank crossovers I will forego a star rating.
July 30, 2021
As soon as I saw the cover, I knew I needed to read this.
This book completely embraces the absurdity of its existence. It’s Archie - that gosh-darned wholesomest, most starched and dated icon in comics, going up against the Predator, a classic Horror monster that skins everybody in sight. This should not exist.
The first page has Betty and Veronica wrestling each other over Archie, but seen in the Predator’s mock heat vision. I threw my head back and cackled. This is amazing. God bless everyone who made this real.
It embraces its absurdity by being drawn very close to the cartoony art style of vintage Archie comics. Most of the first chapter is just the kids going on yet another vacation and getting into goofy tiffs. But that same art and those same dolts get splashed in blood stalked by an alien. The first time you see a skinned skull is so funny, at once dark and ridiculous.
It could’ve been drawn in gritty art with grim coloring. Or they could’ve softened the Predator so he was just misunderstood and bopping a principal in the head. But no, the gang literally watch a laser blow the cook’s head off, in the same art style they used to depict Jughead hankering for cake a page earlier. These things shouldn’t exist so close to each other, and this book does an outrageous job uniting them.
If you’re like me, then Archie really isn’t your thing. The characters are a relic of previous generations, and they only get popular when something like Riverdale reboots them into radically different existence. But those reboots are even less compelling to me, because a new vision of a character can always do something different. It seldom feels like true novelty.
What’s wild here is these largely are the classic characters put into a circumstance that completely violates the norms of their world, but they don’t violate their own norms. So the Predator can be ultraviolent, but Archie and Betty and Veronica can never been traumatized for more than a couple pages because their characters can’t support that depth. They are emotional elastic, always ready to snap back into place. When Veronica unloads an uzi at a threat, there is no post-modern “Holy shit� moment. All she says is, “Rats.� These people are prey unlike anything the Predator has seen. And it’s hilarious.
Predator has always been about violating norms in outrageous ways; the first film was about destroying the male power fantasy of war-as-play, and the second was about destroying the cops-and-gangs mythos of American cities. As such, Predators have “versused� dozens of other famous characters. Predator fights Batman, and Aliens, and Terminator, usually in stories that feel flattened and squeeze out what makes the characters work, despite revolving around familiar violence.
This is the most outrageous fit I’ve seen for the Predator. And yet, it might work the best.
All because on one page Predator is ripping out a lady’s spine, and on the next page Betty is rifling through her closet for something cute to wear.
At its very worst, this is inherently the funniest and most faithful crossover you’ll read.
This book completely embraces the absurdity of its existence. It’s Archie - that gosh-darned wholesomest, most starched and dated icon in comics, going up against the Predator, a classic Horror monster that skins everybody in sight. This should not exist.
The first page has Betty and Veronica wrestling each other over Archie, but seen in the Predator’s mock heat vision. I threw my head back and cackled. This is amazing. God bless everyone who made this real.
It embraces its absurdity by being drawn very close to the cartoony art style of vintage Archie comics. Most of the first chapter is just the kids going on yet another vacation and getting into goofy tiffs. But that same art and those same dolts get splashed in blood stalked by an alien. The first time you see a skinned skull is so funny, at once dark and ridiculous.
It could’ve been drawn in gritty art with grim coloring. Or they could’ve softened the Predator so he was just misunderstood and bopping a principal in the head. But no, the gang literally watch a laser blow the cook’s head off, in the same art style they used to depict Jughead hankering for cake a page earlier. These things shouldn’t exist so close to each other, and this book does an outrageous job uniting them.
If you’re like me, then Archie really isn’t your thing. The characters are a relic of previous generations, and they only get popular when something like Riverdale reboots them into radically different existence. But those reboots are even less compelling to me, because a new vision of a character can always do something different. It seldom feels like true novelty.
What’s wild here is these largely are the classic characters put into a circumstance that completely violates the norms of their world, but they don’t violate their own norms. So the Predator can be ultraviolent, but Archie and Betty and Veronica can never been traumatized for more than a couple pages because their characters can’t support that depth. They are emotional elastic, always ready to snap back into place. When Veronica unloads an uzi at a threat, there is no post-modern “Holy shit� moment. All she says is, “Rats.� These people are prey unlike anything the Predator has seen. And it’s hilarious.
Predator has always been about violating norms in outrageous ways; the first film was about destroying the male power fantasy of war-as-play, and the second was about destroying the cops-and-gangs mythos of American cities. As such, Predators have “versused� dozens of other famous characters. Predator fights Batman, and Aliens, and Terminator, usually in stories that feel flattened and squeeze out what makes the characters work, despite revolving around familiar violence.
This is the most outrageous fit I’ve seen for the Predator. And yet, it might work the best.
All because on one page Predator is ripping out a lady’s spine, and on the next page Betty is rifling through her closet for something cute to wear.
At its very worst, this is inherently the funniest and most faithful crossover you’ll read.
February 3, 2016
This book is everything you would expect it to be: 50s nostalgia versus 80s nostalgia, the eternal teenagers versus an alien, surreally high body counts, cheesy-but-enjoyable one-liners. Hip, self-aware, and utterly a train-wreck. Yet, it's a controlled train-wreck for your enjoyment. Alex de Campi manages to keep just enough of the overly sweet feel of Archie in this blood-soaked comic to be appealing.
Part of the appeal is that while Archie is enjoyable in its one-liner s, and its premises are from the past. The characters are two-dimensional, but I am guessing somewhere in the late 1990s, the comic became aware of its own cheese. This seemed more ironic than one could have suspected, and this shows up in the dialogue. Furthermore, while all the most idiotic and "classic" of Archie tropes are maintained, somehow the on-screen violence seems to be a commentary on the very premise.
This is not to say this is "good" in a complicated way: it's the hard-candy of comics, or blunt force trauma if you prefer. Yet it is refreshing in its absurdity.
Part of the appeal is that while Archie is enjoyable in its one-liner s, and its premises are from the past. The characters are two-dimensional, but I am guessing somewhere in the late 1990s, the comic became aware of its own cheese. This seemed more ironic than one could have suspected, and this shows up in the dialogue. Furthermore, while all the most idiotic and "classic" of Archie tropes are maintained, somehow the on-screen violence seems to be a commentary on the very premise.
This is not to say this is "good" in a complicated way: it's the hard-candy of comics, or blunt force trauma if you prefer. Yet it is refreshing in its absurdity.
June 8, 2015
I love that the comic stays true to the characters in Archie. And then Predator starts killing people. This is part 1 of a 4 part series, so I'm expecting some fucked up things to happen in the next 3 issues. It's a pretty awesome spin-off and I can't wait to see what happens in the next comic! :)
Merged review:
Even better than the first!
Like the first, this stays true to who the characters are and their personalities, and how they would react in the situation. It's so funny, and great for both Archie & Predator fans alike.
In issue two, the plot starts to develop and more people die. This one is actually a lot bloodier than the introduction to the 4 part miniseries; based on that alone, I was able to recommend this comic to multiple friends lol. Anyway, it's great. Pick it up and have a laugh, and maybe a cringe or two ;)
Merged review:
Even better than the first!
Like the first, this stays true to who the characters are and their personalities, and how they would react in the situation. It's so funny, and great for both Archie & Predator fans alike.
In issue two, the plot starts to develop and more people die. This one is actually a lot bloodier than the introduction to the 4 part miniseries; based on that alone, I was able to recommend this comic to multiple friends lol. Anyway, it's great. Pick it up and have a laugh, and maybe a cringe or two ;)
November 10, 2016
You really need to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy this wacky concept. It's out of canon, so anyone is vulnerable, and the story takes delight in killing the Archie characters, although not in particularly inventive ways (there's a lot of spine ripping). The concept that pulls them together kind of works, although the whole Predator crushes on Betty & Veronica aspect didn't really work for me. Actually, most of it didn't work for me, but I think it was more my frame of mind than the book's quality. There are also some quick crossovers between Archie and other Dark Horse titles, which are kind of silly fun. It does manage to merge the two very disparate concepts and styles in a surprisingly cohesive manner. If you're a fan of both titles, you'll enjoy it. If you're only a fan of one or the other, it might not be as worth your time.
April 19, 2015
I absolutely enjoyed this issue. I am a fan of good horror movies and this one seemed to set up the scene for a potential bloodbath. Think some of the original Friday the 13th movies. This book had a hint or humor and even dread as you as the reader may find yourself not wanting anything to happen to your favorite characters. I can't wait to read the next issue and recommend this to horror fans.
November 18, 2015
Viel schriller kann ein Crossover nicht ausfallen! Witzig, blutig und mit Sicherheit Geschmackssache.
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