The hunt is expanding beyond the big screen. Just ahead of the theatrical release of Predator: Badlands on November 7, Marvel Comics has announced Predator: Badlands #1, a one-shot prelude comic set in the same universe as the highly anticipated film.

Written by Ethan Sacks (Star Wars: Bounty Hunters) and featuring the Marvel Comics debut of rising artist Elvin Ching (a recent standout from Marvel’s Art Atelier program), the issue was developed in close collaboration with director Dan Trachtenberg, who also pens a special foreword.

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A Predator’s First Hunt

The comic takes place shortly before the film’s events, setting the stage for the story of Dek, a young Predator outcast who later forms an uneasy alliance with Thia (played in the film by Elle Fanning) as they embark on a dangerous quest.

In the one-shot, Dek is tasked by his father with a seemingly simple mission: retrieve a piece of long-lost technology from a derelict spaceship. But inside the wreckage lurks an ancient, deadly threat—one that will shape Dek’s journey as he seeks to prove himself among the Yautja.

“For a writer who grew up a lifelong fan of the Predator franchise, there is no bigger game than the chance to hunt with the Yautja,” said Sacks. “Working hand in hand with the filmmakers, we made sure this prequel story fits into the cinematic saga like a puzzle piece. It’s going to give fans a deeper, richer experience—especially when they get to feast their eyes on Elvin Ching’s art.”

Trachtenberg, whose Prey revitalized the franchise in 2022, emphasized how the comic strengthens the film’s foundation:
“Badlands is the first Predator movie to draw inspiration so heavily from the comic books. So it’s with great delight that you and I now get to look at splash pages, from the minds of Ethan and Elvin, of a formative adventure for our characters that serves as a perfect companion to the film. Dek kicking ass in his very own comic book is a dream come true.”

The Hunt Spreads Across Marvel

Predator: Badlands #1 features a striking cover by Juan Ferreyra and is available for preorder now at comic shops nationwide.

The release joins Marvel’s growing Predator line, including the ongoing Predator: Black, White & Blood anthology and the fan-favorite Predator Kills the Marvel Universe series.

See Predator: Badlands in theaters November 7, and complete the hunt with Predator: Badlands #1 at your local comic shop.

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