Batman vs. The Predator #1 - Atop the Fourth Wall
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- NOTE: Viga ended up being busier for MAGFest than originally planned, so J-Maner is stepping in for this one!
Welcome to Atop the Fourth Wall, where bad comics burn. In this episode, Linkara looks at the first crossover between Batman and the Predator!
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Originally released January 20th, 2024
ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: Somehow I doubt the Predator will be a good fit for Arkham Asylum.
#at4w #predator #batman
NOTE: Unfortunately a caption meant to translate Russian for "You are one ugly motherfucker" somehow got put in over a bit of me earlier than it was supposed to. I am aware of the issue and I can't really do anything about it unless I delete and reupload the video. Sorry for the confusion there.
That’s okay
Yeah it’s minor enough to not be a big deal
I vote to keep it in. It's a funny meme image.
With predator movie knowledge its funny, please don't remove it
Gotta learn to love yourself, man!
My favorite Linkara trope is "reading from a trade, so no looking at the covers. However, here's what I think of the cover"
I've never understood that lol if I were doing a series like this a reading from a Trade, I'd still look at the covers.
As I have explained on the show before: traditionally single issue comic book covers are designed to entice a buyer. Trades are not that way - the cover could be original art, it could be just a random issue cover, because the assumption is you're buying the book regardless of the cover and doesn't have the same enticement factor (particularly since trade collections are also traditionally stored like books - spine facing out instead of the cover).
@@DavidRYates-tk2tq Aside from what Linkara said above there is also the issue of trades that spoil parts of the story in the cover like the Legion of Superheroes years ago
@@Don_LUSH I thought the trades usually feature the cover art of each issue they're made of, like in the back.
@@AT4W Still as trades become the default way to collect comics, and especially for them being featured on this show, we should be allowed some cover analysis
"Float like a butterfly sting like a bat!"
A deadly bat-bee weapon. Bat-bees. My God.
Weaponized bat-bees, huh. Welp I know what my next crime against nature is going to be! Thanks =)
@@Xoncron But will you put Bat knees on the Bat bees?
@@williamgreci8219
I was a hero like you until I took a bat 🦇 bee 🐝 to the knee!
@@thatonea-hole Oof.
Bat-bee.
Could be a neat new batfam. Or a variation off Manbat.
Oh god, could you imagine a giant Bat-bee hybrid? Now that sounds like a job for the Caped Crusader.
Found a future "Missed Opportunity" for Linkara in this video, as the gun that Bruce Wayne asked Alfred to keep hung was admitted to have helped with the "Highwayman" case. In other words, Batman tried helping Solomon Ulysses Archer, a.k.a. US-1, in finding out the identity of the Highwayman! Fittingly that reveal involved aliens, so this comic is 100% proof that Batman, the Predator, & US-1 all take place in the same universe.
*SPACE IS WARPED & TIME IS BENDABLE!!*
Also, another "missed opportunity" is that Linkara didn't make any rocky movie references or how he doesn't understand that in boxing, cushioned gloves do more damage compared to bare knuckles. Since it's cushioned, more hits will happen
Robin: "HOLY HUMAN TROPHY, BATMAN!"
Batman: "HURRY, OLD CHUM! GET TO DA BAT CHOPPA AND HAD ME THE YAUTJA REPELLENT BAT SPRAY!
When Predator arms its self-destruct bomb, Batman picks up the bomb, runs around with it, and eventually stops to say "some days you just can't get rid of a bomb."
We need more of the Silver Age Whirly-Bat
@@stevenstice6683no matter what era batman cant just get a rid of a bomb
The establishment of Alfred using an Elephant Gun to protect Wayne Manor.
The true AVP: Alfred vs. Predator.
Probably his most badass moment aside from beating up Regime Superman in Injustice.
To quote Alfred, himself: "Perhaps you relied on my master's vow AGAINST using lethal force. Let me assure you that I subscribe to *NO SUCH NICETIES!!* "
And Graboids
First rule of any Batman comic: Never mess with the Butler.
@@thatonea-hole still the best line in any batman....anything.
Little-known fun fact: The Predator's sounds in the first movie were done by Peter Cullen. He based it on the sounds he heard from a dying horseshoe crab.
Wow a rare random voice/sound credit that isn’t Frank Welker
@nilus2k
Ironic considering how Frank Welker and Peter Cullen been buddies for years
Batman: “Does it bleed? It will.”
Dutch: “And that means we can kill it.”
Predator: " Ain't got time to bleed!"
Both Predator and Batman take trophies and fight aliens. No wonder they actually work well together.
Batman: "Yeah, but only ONE of us has a dinosaur as one of their trophies 🏆 !"
The scene with Alfred dusting does make for a good low-key contrast between Batman and the Predator. Both take trophies to showcase their prowess, but Bruce agrees to throw out his grandfather’s hunting trophies. He instead keeps a trophy from his casework as a detective; unlike the Predator, Bruce focuses on his intelligence and ability to bring evildoers to justice rather than simply his ability to overpower deadly opponents.
Batman: "Ah, an extraterrestrial. I should call Green Lantern because this is literally their job."
Now I want fanart of Kilowog fighting a Predator.
7:11 Even in a Batman comic, Linkara still finds a way to reference/mock “One More Day”.
I still wish Miles could replace Peter as the main Spider-Man at this point.
I think with Predator the self references never feel forced. They’re natural enough lines and feel like they’d fit in most of the situations presented.
Plus they're just great lines to be quote lol
The crossover we deserved, or the one we needed, or something to that effect...
Okay, the joke about looking in the phonebooks for fishing themed names is probably one of my new favorite jokes you've done. 😂
That one scene in 'The Predator' where the unarmed Predator busts out of the government lab by using scalpels like throwing knives and stuff like that kinda feels like it should have been the whole movie. Die Hard but with the Predator.
And now I have a mental image of a Yautja hearing that movie and replaying the memorable lines to toy with its prey. Even killing a Bruce Willis fan while playing one of his iconic lines.
The game concrete jungle is a pretty solid Predator story too, being from the pov of a dishonored veteran Predator, "Scarface", who has to navigate a cyberpunk dystopia built on the technology he left behind a century prior.
The music is great, going from epic orchestral to tense synthesizer, the voice acting is solid all around with David Sobolov as the softspoketn main villain, and the gameplay is fun, letting you really feel the power and speed of the predator by letting you grab hold and carry around and executing them in various ways with his arsenal.
Oooh Ben 10 next episode? Gonna be fun. Feels so part of a different era now despite it being relatively recent.
Don’t remind me. We’re coming up on the original show’s 20th anniversary very soon 😳
I'm hoping it involves the timewalker that is Professor Paradox. His debut episode, his appearance in Ben 10,000 returns. Either is good
@@azureryuga3931 If it's gonna be involving Paradox, I await all the potential Doctor Who jokes.
@@myriadmediamusings Paradox never showed up until Alien Force though. Hell the original series' lone time travel story was waved away as a multiverse encounter in Ultimate Alien...
@@benwasserman8223
We're old
7:32 - And now the Predator is gonna have John Wick on his tail.
That now needs to be a book!!
@@docdave15
*YES!!*
John Wick vs. Predator
The baba-yagga against the Yautja!
Fun Fact Linkara: The Voice for the Predator and the clicking noise they make?
That's Peter Cullen, aka Optimus Prime
The story goes that Peter got asked by Fox to audition for the film, but the producers didn't want to show him what the predator looked like and as many times as Peter tried to make a sound for it, he kept explaining to them that he needed something to go off of so he knows what noise to make, eventually the staff relented and got him an image of the Predator and from there Peter worked his magic and made the iconic Clicking sound they make as well as voicing the Predator himself when he repeated Arnold's "ugly mother fucker" line
Nice! Also, another fun fact, Peter Cullen won a lifetime achievement award this year!🏆
@@thatonea-hole I saw and Frank Welker presented it to him, his life long friend and costar sharing the moment with him
I love hearing a Predator saying "motherfucker". Its like a guest at a convention panel thats heard his line quoted back to him one time too many.
"dark horse doing the heavy lifting." that's an under statement. Those comics helped build them a good brand, sure there's amazing creator owned comics, but a lot of those license comics were so good helped us through dark time.
And I want to note, those colors are AMAZING! I have an Andy kubert comic where Storm's head is lacking magenta, and it becomes grey, here it's not garish, it's moody, and easy to follow. We live in such an amazing era, keep forgetting prinding process is a mix of dyes, getting the right colors to match. Amazing work
13:42 Don't forget the oversized gun that Superman took from the Batcave in Superman: At Earth's End!
"Because there's no better sport than 2 guys yelling at each other across a table."
Isn't that how you beat the Bandit Chief?
Honestly, I'm kinda surprised he DIDN'T reference that either. That or make a VERY easy political joke or something.
Batman vs Predator is pure unadulterated awesomeness.
Batman mentioning a "HighwayMan" case and no US-1 reference Linkara? For shame....
I really like the idea of the predator having his crosshairs on Batman's chest logo ready to fire but he considers him such great sport that he doesn't shoot until he's ready to take him on one one. Watching Batman take on the alien and now the predator is a treat
This comic is just okay but I’ve always loved how elegant the match at the beginning is a storytelling element, introducing the Predators entire food chain at once. From the heavyweight champion to the biggest gangster in the city to the mayor to Gordon to Bruce/Batman, all together and all established, allowing the story to move at a quick pace as the Predator moves from one to the next, each one’s story role coming to an abrupt end as the chain moves further. It’s a generic Predator story but a very well told one.
Cushioned Gloves tend to make boxing more dangerous and not less Linkara. Hits tend to be harder and cleaner, plus normally a fight ends way earlier because of torn up hands and superficial injury, the cushion lets things go longer and sometimes fighters end up taking more damage than they otherwise would. Likewise, brain injury and knockouts became more common.
Wanted to write something like this too. Boxing gloves are used to protect the hands of the boxers so the can punsh there opponent even harder without breaking there hands.
@@Cookie_85
Right? They explain this in Rocky!
Heck, Sylvester Stallone NEARLY died during a boxing session with Dolph Lundger in Rocky 4!!
Looking at how the Predator culture has been portrayed in both movies and comics, I'd say it's less accurate to describe them as "big game hunters" and more like headhunters. They really aren't hunting for sport but rather to prove their prowess as a hunter/warrior to the rest of their clan by killing more and more dangerous opponents, and gain status within the clan. Their code of honor also resonates more like that. Funny enough, the AVP movie emphasizes that more. As the Predators in that movie are all young members of the clan on their first hunt to earn their place as fully fledged warriors.
I say a mix of both..given it’s been shown they LOVE going to earth a lot they just view humans as one of the best to fight maybe outside xenomorphs
I can't help but think all the times you held in laughing before finishing batman lines or having to do the clip over 😂
your rundown of the whole _Predator_ series up to this point got me hyped for the review all on its own :D
One of the greatest inter-company crossovers of all time.
If only Batman could tell the Predator how much he hated rock n roll maybe they would understand each other better
This is one of the gold standards of Comic Book crossovers, so much fun with great art
The first sequel is just as good
13:58 You remember that "HighwayMan" case, Alfred???? The one where I had to solve that murder at a truck stop, and that large fat old woman kept insulting me, and that stupid trucker kept insisting that he was a superhero too??????
This specific Predator in this specific story will forever be known as Rod Tacklebox to me.
In my honest opinion, Batman vs Predator is one of the SINGLE greatest crossovers ever written. I’m serious, Batman and Predator are both shown absolute respect and is a genuinely amazing story and can be written in any way that is just for either universe with minor changes. Batman vs Predator is easily an amazingly great story.
Batman vs Predator 2 is one of the worst crossovers I ever read and one of the worst sequels period, so I hope Linkara reviews that trash fire mess.
What exactly don't you like about Batman vs Predator 2 since I thought is was pretty decent?
@@DinoDave150 Three major reasons I’ll give ya
1. The assassins are utterly useless to the story. They have no character, are easily butchered, and are not compelling in and of themselves and don’t at all add to the fight between Batman and the Predator
2. The art. I hate the art so much and it’s just very ugly in character designs
3. Batman is a hypocritical douchebag, then again everyone is in the story. Everyone has hissy fits about what other characters do and than does it again. Batman yells at Huntress for interfering in his operations and than is mad she DOESN’T help him in a fight, Huntress is mad at Batman for judging her badly for being a woman… and than throws sexist insults at a female assassin. Gordon is the worst, apparently somehow covering up the Predator attack and than acts like the feds are evil for… doing the exact thing he did.
Batman vs predator is really awesome comic and tons of fun and such a amazing crossover.
Especially with how it showcases something that some writers don't show with Batman.
HIS VULNERABILITY. Namely in how he has to use his wits since he is outmatched and is gonna die.
@@thatonea-hole indeed
It's even more compelling considering Batman's "rule" not to kill which to the Predator would be infuriating and dishonorable since their kind have to fight to the death against a worthy opponent.
My problem with AvP is that it is so short, and has so many characters, which means that it ends up just scything most of them out in the space of a few minutes. There's no real tension to a bloodbath.
You know apperently predator vs dc is litteraly a thing that keeps going heck there is predator vs SUPERMAN!!!! i have no idea how
A friend of mine and I were talking about crossover comics about a month ago when we ended up brainstorming the idea of a Spider-Man vs the Predator event. Start with Kraven the Hunter discovering a Predator and trying to hunt them, only to find out just how outmatched he is and requiring Spider-Man to step in and save Kraven.
Interesting fact: The Alien vs. Predator movies are actually not canon to the Alien movies (I think Ridley Scott said that) but while I can’t be 100% sure I believe they are still canon to the Predator movies. In “The Predator” they show that Xenomorph Tail Spear from the first AVP movie.
We're gonna get a scene of Batman using the greatest stealth tactic known to man: smearing mud all over his cape and cowl against the Predator, aren't we?
In space, no one can hear you say Holy Batnuts!
Batman: In Space no one can save you from Rock and Roll!
I'd be more impressed with Batman's victory over the predator if Archie hadn't proven that basically anyone can kill one of these things. Poor Jughead... You know I'm still waiting for Rocky vs The Predator to live up that original seed of an idea of Rocky fighting an alien that eventually turned into The Predator.
Giving us both the cinematic thrill ride that is "PREDATOR" and the massive disappointment that is "Rocky V".
I hope one day Linkara will review Wolverine vs Predator.
I think we need a piece of Batman media with him saying "Crunk" at some point.😂
I absolutely adore this trilogy. I can't wait to read the Wolverine vs Predator when it comes out in trade.
Dark Horse was amazing around this time period. They really knew how to match great teams with great licenses for high quality comics in addition to their creator owned titles like Hellboy and Sin City.
17:08: I hope that's not Chris' blood. (Resident Evil: Deadly Shadows had censorship green blood at that scene.)
Predator is only fighting Batman because it thinks his utility belt is a championship belt.
fun-side-note: the M.U.S.C.L.E.-figures were merchandising for the anime Kinnikuman - the grandfather of all fighting shounen anime ehich also gave us the "power of friendship"-trope. yes, this is the series that created it.
and it soon gets a new anime. Plus, Kinnikuman technically met spider-man and superman, because he originally was a super hero parody.
Anyone else reminded of the short film Batman: Dead End? Man, that movie was the shit back in the day.
Also, does anyone else wish Batman was drawn with yellow eyes on his cowl more often? I just think it looks cool.
Also, the call back at 13:46 made me lose it.
Shoutout to the title card for this one, Batman's cowl is top tier.
The fact that this was never adapted into a movie before The Mouse bought out Fox is absolutely criminal.
They are owned by different companies. Predator by 20th Century Fox and Batman by Warner Bros. On the bright side we could get Predator kills the Marvel Universe someday.
@@gregorymelissinos337 While I could see some good hunts for Yautja,
1 There are more than enough _ kills everybody books.
2 While something like Kraven vs Predators is a neat idea, the Yautja would need to be authorized to use their entire arsenals to even have chances of surviving hunting bigger characters.
Ben 10? Atop The Fourth Wall? And here I thought Christmas was over!
I managed to get the whole mini series at NYCC. And now Batman won't have to ask if the Predator can bleed. Because we know that if they can, then we can kill them
Man, imagine if the junkyard dude was watching Snooker instead of boxing. Would be such an embarrassment for the Predator.
3:02 I read somewhere that 'Predators' started life as both Arnie and Danny Glovers characters being transported to the 'Predator's' home world for a team up but by the time it was actually made that idea was dropped.
13:17
Predator: [I see... This 'Batman' turned into the cat!]
10:08 I also like the detail of Bruce's face being cast in shadow when he excuses himself.
Fun fact: the game Predator Hunting Grounds contains audio logs from Dutch, Isibelle and Sean Keyes (a scientist from The Predator) with ones from the latter establishing the armor from the end of The Predator actually sucks; its brittle, it had enough power for 24 seconds and trying to use the plasma cannons caused the suit to overload
Float like a bat-terfly, sting like a bee.
Bees. My god.
Edit: Imagine the Predator vs. Kraven the Hunter.
If MARVEL has the license to publish ALIEN and PREDATOR comics, like they had the CONAN license for a hot minute, they can do that.
@@louisduarte8763
NOWADAYS Marvel Comics do have the rights! So why aren't they doing that?!?
Cant wait to see what episodes of ben 10 and if viga gives you an Omnitrix in the thumbnail
I’m picturing the Batman and Nightwing of Batman and Harley Quinn, and the Harley and Ivy of the Harley Quinn show, teaming up against a Predator.
Come to think of it, I’d love an elseworld comic spinoff series about those 4 #RIPKevin
I love this book so much, I love how well the book understands both Batman and Predator as characters, and actually uses them in interesting ways throughout the story. The art lends itself to the grime of both franchises, and as far as even just Batman comics go, it really does feel like it's the best it could be. I was lucky enough to meet one of the artists who did covers for the original release, so I have all three issues of the comic, and they're a yearly must read for me
0:51- Olivia Munn also brought that up in The Predator (2018).
Predator (love it), Predator (very original), AVP (lotta fun, and have a 11x17 movie poster hanging in my basement), AVP:R (not as good as the previous, but liked the Predalien stuff), Predators (really good), The Predator (okay), Prey (really damn good).
13:53- Never gets old.
11:50 the lighting on Batman on the rightmost panel makes it look like he’s topless XD
loved this comic as a kid and looked through so many times it was in rags : P
I can not stress what a big deal this crossover was when it came out. This was before everyone had internet so yeah all I had to go on was Wizard Magazine, The reaction of the owner of the comic store I went to at the time, and my like 2 comic reading friends I had. but those reactions were pretty hype and if I recall correctly the sequel was green-lit before the mini was done. Also, thank you for praising the art of the Kubert brothers' artwork but where fantastic artists but they never seemed to be able to get out of the very large shadow their father cast.
I've loved the Kuberts ever since late 90s Xmen
Well last year Wolverine is another person who take on the Predator and it was brutal and awesome I highly recommend you cover that
Honestly happy to see this book get a review
Its like sal on back issues says
The best Predator films are generic action films and then a Predator shows up
Batman lived through the silver age of comics, he’s fought stranger aliens and creatures before.
Batman: "Look, after getting turned into a genie & dealing with getting merged with Clark one time. This is kinda mundane in comparison!"
At 2:05 Lewis I think the quote glitched when it cuts back to your face it says “you ugly Mother”
Maybe Batman should of put da cookie down?
"I have fought crocodile men, trenchcoat guys who quote Aristotle, deadly bee weapons and rock & roll. This is pretty grounded, all things considered."--Batman in a nutshell.
I lowkey want a Batman vrs The thing. Not only utilize his fighting skills, but detective skills as well.
I'll say this I never understood why Predators did so badly and probably did more with the franchise than other entries/crossovers did. Like with Alien you can only do that so many times before it gets redundant so you have to up the stakes and/or do something different. Having the predators abduct people to game planets is actually a pretty unique thing and I don't think that movie gets enough credit.
between the two of them, i'd rather be killed by the predator than the alien.
at least the predator has a strict sense of honor.
also i think the predator is a much better opponent for bruce than the alien. just because the predator is a fellow hunter. (bruce hunts criminals and such.)
Plus there's always the possibility the Xenomorph will drag you back to the next so you can get a face hugged. So yeah, death by Predator is better.
I was working at Diamond in 1991. There were SO many comics coming out at that time. I'm sure I was reading most of them (on my breaks, if nothing else), but the Batman vs. Predator is one of the few I actually remember from then.
Oh hell yes! My favorite crossover story. This and Knightfall were my go-to books to read back in highschool. This book deserves an animated adaptation alongside Wolverine vs Predator which was also good.
Since Disney owns Predator now, forget it.
@@lorddalekYeah that's a bummer 😒
new visuals for the theme song next week? OMG I can't wait!
This reminds me of an idea I had for a predator project where the predator stumbles onto a martial arts tournament, or a boxing match in this case, and decides ambush the winner.
We need a list of Lewis's all time favorite movies
8:57-9:02 So is that the origin of Matches Malone?
enjoyable as always, did hope you would keep doing the dry board of the number of videos
The Alien vs Predator vs Batman short film is also pretty freakin' neat.
ofcourse bats isnt too shocked seeing a alien, his best friend is a alien.
13:17 the cushions are actually more-so to protect the hands of the puncher
Honestly i hope we get an episode dealing with one of Kangs many identities so we can have Linkara going "KANG PLAN MAKE KANG BRAIN GO OWIE!"
I remember hearing about The Predator and the autism thing. At best, the way that might make the concept better is for the Predator to maybe encounter the boy and then maybe just regard him as a curiosity, not an advancement in human evolution.
I mean, as an autistic person, I'm "flattered", but it kind of ends up being like that South Park episode with the nurse that had a conjoined fetus on her head and they brought all this attention to her, complete with a parade.
This is my first time being here for a brand new episode and I’m elated! I love the videos linkara!
One thing that really struck me about this comic and why I continue to think it's one of the best Predator comics is that it really FEELS like you're watching a good Predator movie. You don't even see a full reveal of the main antagonist until the end of the first act when Batman realizes what he's really up against.
I can’t help but smile when Alfred mentions the “highwayman case.”
Who else wants a Batman/U.S.-1 team-up!?!
7:07 - Has there been a crossover with the Predators in Marvel Comics? One with Spider-man and Kraven the Hunter - or the Predator lured into one of Arcade’s murder-worlds -- would work!
Wolverine vs Predator.
@@mikegates8993 Really?
I've seen the alternate covers-- with Predator, with Aliens, with Planet of the Apes -- of Marvel titles, but know they're just cover art, not actual crossovers, sadly. 😢
Really looking forward to the next issue, when we learn the gun Alfred's supposed to keep was originally owned by Chekov.
The Batman cutaways are killing me this episode 😂
I've never actually watched Prey in English. The three times I've watched it, I watched it in Comanche.
I like batman extra pointy ears on his classic outfit in the thumbnail that's a nice touch
12:05 Huh, that looks like it's older than 4kids' Kinkakuman dub, Ultimate Muscle. Apparently there was even a localized NES game (which is a massive rarity for Japanese toy, manga and anime franchises before the 90s) too. Goes to show how little I know about that franchise.